Classie Colinet is a strategic leader, accomplished attorney, and advocate for social justice, her professional journey is deeply rooted in public service and the championing of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. With her exceptional organizational, management, coaching, analytical, and writing talents, Classie expertly devises, structures, and enacts systems that ensure positive, impactful outcomes.

Currently, she serves as the Deputy Executive Director of an organization dedicated to social and climate justice, concentrating on delivering essential resources to often marginalized Black communities.

Over the past decade, Classie has wielded her legal expertise to represent marginalized communities, initially as an Assistant Deputy Public Defender with the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender. Where she not only represented clients but also steered the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as Chair of the statewide DEI committee. This role involved crafting strategic DEI plans and launching initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and equity.

Throughout her career as a defense attorney representing primarily Black, Latinx, and impoverished individuals, Classie consistently fought to dismantle systemic biases and promote racial equity, particularly in her advocacy against unjust policies that impede fair justice. Her dedication extends beyond the courtroom into community service, where she has made significant contributions through leadership roles in various legal and community organizations.

Her involvement with the New Jersey State Bar Association is extensive, having held positions such as Chair of the Minorities in the Profession section and leadership roles in the Child Welfare Law Section and the Task Force for Racial Equity. Additionally, she contributes actively to the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey (ABWL), leading their law student mentoring program and participating in the Social Justice Committee.

Classie’s commitment to health equity is particularly noteworthy. She has been instrumental in organizing events aimed at addressing health disparities in communities of color, recognizing the link between these inequities and environmental injustices such as pollution and inadequate access to healthcare.

As a prolific public speaker, Classie has led numerous national and regional presentations and trainings focusing on Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her engagements include prominent forums such as the American Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association, The Kempe Center (International Conference), Rutgers Law School, New Jersey Superior Court Committee for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement (Vicinage 13), New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, New Jersey Career Consortium, and the Passaic County Bar Association in New Jersey. Classie also co-hosts the Torn podcast which addresses racial disparities in the child welfare system.

Classie holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor from Boston College, with professional certificates in Diversity and Inclusion from Yale University and Cornell University. Her educational background complements her extensive field experience, making her a powerful advocate for change and a dynamic force in the pursuit of equity and justice.