Fatima Goss Graves Receives the 2026 American Constitution Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nancy Rodriguez, media@acslaw.org

Washington, DC – Fatima Goss Graves, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Women’s Law Center, will be honored as the recipient of the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Constitution Society during its 2026 National Convention on June 18.

“Fatima Goss Graves is a transformative leader whose career embodies the very essence of justice,” said ACS President Phil Brest. “Throughout her career—as a lawyer, advocate, and leader for gender justice—Fatima has fought to advance equality and opportunity for women and girls, with a particular focus on the experiences of women and girls of color. She has been a powerful voice on issues including equal pay, workplace fairness, education access, health and reproductive rights, and ending sexual harassment and violence. ACS is proud to honor her profound impact with the 2026 ACS Lifetime Achievement Award.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award is one of ACS’s most prestigious awards, given in recognition of a lifelong dedication to realizing the promise of the U.S. Constitution and defending the rights of all Americans.

Goss Graves is a nationally recognized leader in the fight for gender justice and an expert in law, policy, and culture change. She serves as President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center and President of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, and is a co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.

Over the course of her career, Goss Graves has worked across a broad set of issues central to the lives of women and girls—including income security, equal pay, workplace justice, health and reproductive rights, education access, and ending harassment and violence. She is widely recognized for her effectiveness in the complex public policy arena at both the state and federal levels and regularly testifies before Congress and federal agencies.

Before becoming President and CEO, Goss Graves served in numerous leadership roles at the National Women’s Law Center, including Senior Vice President for Program and Vice President for Education and Employment, where she led the organization’s anti-discrimination initiatives and broader program agenda to eliminate barriers and expand opportunity for women and families. Earlier in her career, she clerked for the Honorable Diane P. Wood of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and practiced as a litigator at Mayer Brown LLP.

Goss Graves is a graduate of UCLA and Yale Law School. She has authored numerous articles and reports on issues affecting women and girls and is a frequent legal commentator and public speaker. Her work and insight have appeared in major national publications and broadcast outlets, and she continues to shape public conversations about equality, justice, and democracy.

The ACS National Convention brings together lawyers, law students, scholars, judges, activists, and policymakers to examine some of the most urgent and challenging issues confronting our nation. Visit 2026 National Convention wehsite for more information about this year's schedule, program and speakers.

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AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY
The American Constitution Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan legal organization. Through a diverse nationwide network of progressive lawyers, law students, judges, scholars, advocates, and many others, our mission is to support and advocate for laws and legal systems that strengthen our democratic legitimacy, uphold the rule of law, and redress the founding failures of our Constitution and enduring inequities in our laws in pursuit of realized equality.