Faculty/Staff Profile
Michelle Ewert joined Washburn Law in 2017. Previously, she was a clinical teaching fellow in the Civil Advocacy Clinic at the University of Baltimore School of Law. Prior to that, Professor Ewert was staff attorney and housing law supervisor at the Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP) in Baltimore, where she litigated subsidized housing cases. She also worked as a staff attorney at Central California Legal Services (CCLS) in Visalia, California and at HOPE Fair Housing in Wheaton, Illinois. Professor Ewert has represented low-income clients, including survivors of domestic violence and people experiencing homelessness, in both urban and rural settings and has been actively involved in the legal services community. Her research focuses on systemic race and gender-based discrimination in housing policy.
Professor Ewert is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, received a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, and earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is a member of the California, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, and Wisconsin bars.
Professor Ewert is Director of the Washburn Law Clinic.
Professor Ewert's Justice Quote:
"...recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world..." – Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Professor Ewert's Recommended Reading on Racial Justice:
"The Dangers of Facial Recognition Technology in Subsidized Housing," 25 New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy 665 (2023).
"Their Home is Not Their Castle: Subsidized Housing's Intrusion into Family Privacy and Decisional Autonomy," 99 North Carolina Law Review 869 (2021).
"Things Fall Apart (Next Door): Discriminatory Maintenance and Decreased Home Values as the Next Fair Housing Battleground," 84 Brooklyn Law Review 1141 (2019).
"One Strike and You’re Out of Public Housing: How the Intersection of the War on Drugs and Federal Housing Policy Violates Due Process and Fair Housing Principles," 32 Harvard Journal on Racial & Ethnic Justice 57 (2016).
"Clinic in the Time of Coronavirus," 89:7 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 44 (September/October 2020).
"Promoting the Public Good at Washburn Law," 88:8 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 44 (September 2019).
"Spotlight on Washburn Law Clinic's Expungement Activities," 87:9 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 40 (October 2018).
"Washburn Law Clinic: Integrating Service and Learning," 87:9 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 36 (October 2018).
Quoted, "How a Small Kansas City Stole Christmas: Family Targeted for Illegal Eviction," The Wichita Eagle, December 22, 2023.
Interviewed, "Kansas Lawmakers Say They're Getting Closer to More Easily Expunging Criminal Records," KCUR, December 13, 2022.
Interviewed, "'Clean Slate Day' Offers Fresh Start to Some With Criminal History," WIBW News, September 15, 2022.
Interviewed, "Topeka Bar Association Helps to Expunge Some Criminal Records," KSNT News, August 19, 2022.
Interviewed, "LGBTQIA+ Community Sounds Alarm Entering Post-Roe World," KSHB 41 News, July 5, 2022.
Interviewed, "Washburn Law Clinic Community Ready to HELP Topeka Hospital Employees," WIBW News, May 1, 2020.
Interviewed, "Washburn Law Clinic Helping Local Hospital Workers," KSNT News, April 28, 2020.
Interviewed, "Washburn Law Clinic Gives Back to Veterans," WIBW News, February 10, 2018.
Presenter, "Discriminatory AI in Housing," 2024 Kansas Housing Conference, Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas, August 20, 2024.
Presenter, "Discriminatory AI in Housing," 2024 Selected Topics and Miscellany CLE, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 13, 2024.
Presenter, "Understanding the Economic Challenges Facing Low-Income Clients," Diversity 2024 Hybrid CLE Seminar, Wichita Bar Association, Wichita, Kansas, June 7, 2024.
Co-presenter, "VAWA Updates and Other Protections for Survivors," Annual Fair Housing Seminar, City of Salina Community Relations Division, Salina, Kansas, April 26, 2024.
Guest Presenter, "Race-Based Housing Discrimination in the 20th and 21st Centuries," City and Urban Life class, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, April 1, 2024.
Presenter, "Race-Based Housing Discrimination in the 21st Century," Kansas Legal Professionals, Inc., Topeka Chapter, Topeka, Kansas, February 27, 2024.
Co-presenter, "Race-Based Housing Discrimination in the 21st Century," Topeka Bar Association webinar, Topeka, Kansas, February 13, 2024 (Zoom).
Moderator, "Individual Constitutional Rights," AI’s Constitutional Moment: Rights, Federalism and Separation of Powers Symposium, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, November 2, 2023.
Co-presenter, "History of Housing Discrimination: How Did We Get Here?", Pathways Coalition Compass webinar series, November 1, 2023 (Zoom).
Co-presenter, "Exploring Models of Clinic Coverage to Support Scholarship, Professional Development, and Sustainability," Midwest Clinical Law Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 20, 2023.
"Housing Discrimination Against Homeowners of Color," Habitat for Humanity Board training, Topeka, Kansas, September 21, 2023.
"Challenges/Procedures with Subsidized Housing," Kansas Judicial Branch webinar, Topeka, Kansas, September 20, 2023 (Zoom).
Panelist, "Kansas Eviction Cases: Specific Situations, Suggestions, and Pitfalls," Kansas Judicial Branch webinar, Topeka, Kansas, September 13, 2023 (Zoom).
"Recent Fair Housing Developments Relating to Homeownership," 2023 Kansas Housing Conference, Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas, August 23, 2023.
"Housing Discrimination Against Homeowners of Color," Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, Topeka, Kansas, June 26, 2023.
"Using Expungement to Overcome the Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record," 2023 Selected Topics and Miscellany CLE, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 23, 2023.
"Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction," Kansas Public Defense Conference, Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services, Topeka, Kansas, June 5, 2023.
"Planning for When Youth with Disabilities Turn 18," Children's Alliance of Kansas/KVC webinar, February 10, 2023.
"Fighting Housing Discrimination to Promote Public Health," KU Medical Center - Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE), December 15, 2022 (Zoom).
Moderator, "The Disconnect: Exploring the Virtual Connection between Lawyers and Clients," Washburn Law Journal Symposium, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, November 3, 2022 (Zoom).
Panelist, "Race, Class, and Digital Technology," ClassCrits XIII Conference, Houston, Texas, October 21, 2022.
"Overcoming Race-Based Housing Discrimination and Barriers to Capital," 2022 Kansas Housing Conference, Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, August 31, 2022 (Zoom).
"Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record for Low-Income Individuals," Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services CLE webinar, June 9, 2022.
"Overcoming Race-Based Housing Discrimination and Barriers to Capital," FHLBank of Topeka webinar, June 2, 2022.
Co-presenter, "Capitalizing on Pandemic Relief Efforts to Effectuate Legislative, Judicial, and Administrative Changes for Low-Income Tenants," Association of American Law Schools (AALS) 2022 Conference on Clinical Legal Education, May 10, 2022 (Zoom).
"Fair Housing Implications of Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment, and Criminal Records Screening," Annual Fair Housing Seminar, City of Salina Community Relations Division, Salina, Kansas, April 22, 2022.
"Overcoming Race-Based Housing Discrimination," Women Attorneys' Association of Topeka (WAAT) Racial Equity Committee and Kansas Women Attorneys Association (KWAA) Outreach and Education Committee CLE webinar, February 16, 2022.
"Facial Recognition Technology in Subsidized Housing," Central States Law Schools Association (CSLSA) Annual Scholarship Conference, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, September 24, 2021 (Zoom).
"Housing Policy and Racial Equity," Governor's Commission on Racial Equity and Justice, Topeka, Kansas, July 29, 2021 (Zoom).
"Supported Decision-Making and Promoting Independence," 2021 Selected Topics and Miscellany CLE webinar, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 17, 2021.
Co-presenter, "Taking Experiential Learning on the Road: The Benefits of Service Learning Projects," Association of American Law Schools (AALS) 2021 Conference on Clinical Legal Education, May 1, 2021 (Zoom).
"Reasonable Accommodations, Modifications and Assistance Animals," Annual Fair Housing Seminar, City of Salina Community Relations Division, April 30, 2021 (Zoom).
Panelist, "Resisting Intrusions into Physical Privacy," University of Baltimore 12th Feminist Legal Theory Conference, Applied Feminism and Privacy, April 23, 2021 (Zoom).
Co-Presenter, "The Federal Government's Role in Furthering Affordable Rental Housing: Support and Retrenchment," American Bar Association (ABA) Professors' Corner webinar, sponsored by the Legal Education and Uniform Laws Group of the ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, September 8, 2020.
"Helping Clients Plan for Incapacity and Other End of Life Issues," 2020 Selected Topics and Miscellany CLE webinar, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 18, 2020.
Panelist, "The Ripple Effect of the Immigration Public Charge Rule," LatCrit 2019 Biennial Conference, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, October 19, 2019.
"What the 😬 👍 😡 💵: Law and Emojis," Women Attorneys Association of Topeka (WAAT) CLE training, Topeka, Kansas, October 16, 2019.
"Fair Housing Update," 2019 Kansas Housing Conference, Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, Wichita, Kansas, September 17, 2019.
"The Next 50 Years of Fair Housing," 2019 Selected Topics and Miscellany CLE, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 28, 2019.
Co-panelist, "Access to Justice (and) Opportunities in Rural Areas and Small Towns - Educating Young Law Students to be Local Lawyer Leaders," Association of American Law Schools (AALS) 2019 Conference on Clinical Legal Education, San Francisco, California, May 6, 2019 (with Shawn Leisinger).
Co-presenter "Sexual Harassment in Housing," Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, 2019 Fair Housing webinar, April 29, 2019 (with Andrea Boyack).
"Sexual Harassment in Housing," Annual Fair Housing Seminar, City of Salina Community Relations Division, Salina, Kansas, April 26, 2019.
"Fair Housing Training," Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, Topeka, Kansas, November 29, 2018 (with Andrea Boyack).
"The Legal Landscape of Transgender Rights," Q and A: Queers and Allies Discover the Law, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, November 16, 2018.
"Fair Housing: 50 Years Later," Kansas Housing Conference, Topeka, Kansas, September 14, 2018 (with Andrea Boyack).
Panelist, "How to Foster Transgender Activism in a Clinical Setting and Provide Competent Legal Services to Transgender People," Association of American Law Schools, 41st Annual Conference on Clinical Legal Education, Chicago, Illinois, May 1, 2018.
"Discriminatory Maintenance, Code Enforcement and Decreased Home Values as the Next Fair Housing Battlefield," Junior Faculty Scholars Works in Progress Workshop, University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, Washington, DC, April 21, 2018.
Panelist, "Building on #MeToo: Disarming Efforts to Wield Power and Control over Female Tenants," Fair Housing Act at 50: Renewing our Commitment to Housing Equity symposium, University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, Washington, DC, April 20, 2018.
Moderator, "How Did We Get Here? The Evolution of Fair Housing Protections," Fair Housing and Financial Markets Diversity Symposium, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, March 6, 2018.
"Contemporary Constitutional Issues in Housing," Living Democracy discussion series, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, February 25, 2018.
"The Scary Truth about Housing Segregation," Business and Transactional Law Center, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, October 31, 2017 (with Andrea Boyack and Janet Jackson).
"Brief Service Fairs: Identifying Learning Goals and Navigating Ethical Challenges," Midwest Clinical Legal Education Conference, University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, October 13, 2017 (with Gillian Chadwick).
Invited symposium presenter, "Multifaceted Mass Incarceration: Confronting Varied Systems of Oppression of Black and Brown Bodies in the U.S. and Abroad," Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 31, 2016.
Testimony, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Public Briefing on Civil Rights Implications of the Federal Use of Facial Recognition Technology (regarding impact on subsidized housing tenants), March 8, 2024.
Testimony, Kansas House Committee on Judiciary on HB 2556 and HB 2557 (regarding proposed changes to expungement law that would increase access to expungement for indigent petitioners), February 7, 2022. Featured: NPR news summary, Kansas Public Radio, February 7, 2022.
Testimony, Maryland House Appropriations Committee on HB 559 (regarding proposed restrictions on the practice of law school clinics), March 6, 2015.
Testimony, Baltimore City Council on Resolution 13-0097R (regarding the City’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness), March 13, 2013.
Testimony, Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on SB 642 (regarding non-judicial evictions), March 5, 2013.
Testimony, Baltimore City Council on Resolution 13-0097R (regarding the City’s disbanding of the I-83 homeless encampment), March 4, 2013.
Testimony, Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on SB 620 (regarding landlord retaliation), February 21, 2011.
Annual testimony, Housing Commissioner Paul Graziano (on the Housing Authority of Baltimore City’s proposed Annual Plan), March 28, 2011; March 26, 2012; March 25, 2013.
Board Member, State Board of Indigents' Defense Services, 2022-.
Member, Ad Hoc Committee on Best Practices for Eviction Proceedings, Kansas Supreme Court, 2021-.
Board Member, LGBTQ Bar Association of Greater Kansas City, 2021-2024.
Board member, Topeka Symphony Society, 2019-.
Council member, Maryland State Bar Association Delivery on Legal Services Section, 2014-2017.
Chair, SHARP Coalition (Stop Homelessness and Reduce Poverty), 2013.
Board Member, Legal Aid Association of California, 2009-2010.
Honorable Mention for the Award for Excellence in a Public Interest Case or Project, Clinical Legal Education Association, 2020. The honorable mention was for work done in Garden City, Kansas as part of the Rural Immigrant Family Preparedness Project during the Spring 2020 semester.
Outstanding Service Award, Kansas Bar Association, 2019.
Certificate of Teaching and Learning 2020-2021