Mitzi and Michelle Wyrick accept the 2025 Brown-Forman Spirit of Justice Award
At the 2025 Journey to Justice, sisters and attorneys Mitzi Wyrick and Michelle Wyrick were honored with the Brown-Forman Spirit of Justice Award in recognition of their exceptional commitment to expanding access to justice and their leadership in the Volunteer Eviction Defense Project.
In their acceptance remarks, both spoke powerfully about the transformative role of pro bono service—sharing insights that only dedicated volunteers can offer. Below are highlights from their speeches.
Mitzi’s Remarks
Working with the volunteer eviction defense project clients has shown me that sometimes a person is only one step away from being thrown into a situation that can change their lives.
Whether they are facing eviction because of a missed paycheck due to an illness, a lost job, or unexpected loss of transportation, it can start a downward spiral.
That's why this work is so meaningful. Sometimes just having a lawyer helps, whether it's to present a defense that the client wouldn't know about or simply to get them additional time to avoid an eviction.
Michelle’s Remarks
What has impressed me most in working with the Volunteer Eviction Defense Program is the variety of people who are all facing the same problem - eviction.
They come from all walks of life and from all parts of the city. I have helped a college student, a nurse, a retired couple on Social Security, and a single mother who lost her job, among others.
The one thing they all have in common is that they need a lawyer. Sometimes the "legal magic" that someone needs is just someone to stand in their corner.