General U.S. News1h ago
CHICAGO – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) has promoted Martín Klein to Senior Policy Attorney. Since 2022, Klein has served as a legislative staff attorney in MALDEF’s Chicago regional office. In his new position, Klein will take a lead role in planning and leading legislative and policy advocacy in the Midwest Region. Working with MALDEF senior leadership and the regional counsel, he will also develop short- and long-term legislative priorities at the state and regional levels. He will also serve as a senior lawyer among MALDEF’s policy attorneys nationwide, sharing his counsel and advice with less experienced legal staff. “This promotion recognizes Martin’s extensive experience in legislative advocacy, as well as his victories in improving Illinois civil rights law,” said Thomas Saenz, MALDEF president and general counsel. “We look forward to Martin expanding his efforts in the Midwest and sharing his expertise with other MALDEF legislative attorneys around the country.” Klein joined MALDEF in May 2022, working on legislative and policy issues related to access to education, language access, voting rights, and immigrants’ rights. In this role, he successfully led advocacy efforts in Illinois to expand access to regular tuition at state universities for immigrant adult learners, establish a right under state law to an interpreter in state agency hearings, establish a right under state law to equal access to public education regardless of immigration status, and protect immigrants’ continued access to justice in state courts. “Martin brings exceptional judgment, deep policy expertise, and a steadfast commitment to advancing civil rights for the Latino community,” said Hector Villagra, MALDEF vice president of policy advocacy and community education. “This promotion reflects not only his outstanding work but also the trust our community and partners place in him to meet the challenges ahead with skill and integrity.” Klein joined MALDEF after nearly a decade of public service at the Illinois Commerce Commission, Illinois Pollution Control Board, and Chicago Board of Education. “Martin has passionately led successful efforts to increase immigrants' rights protections in the state of Illinois at times when our communities have been at their most vulnerable,” said Susana Sandoval Vargas, MALDEF Midwest regional counsel. “We are confident that he will continue to be the right person to champion future policy advocacy on behalf of the Latino community and look forward to how much more he will achieve for Latinos in the Midwest in this new role.” Klein obtained his Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
