Michael J. Mulé

Michael J. Mulé

Civil Rights Attorney, Language Access Expert

Qualifications

Former Principal Deputy Director, Office for Civil Rights at U.S. Department of Justice OJP

Nationally recognized subject matter expert on language access; administered LEP.gov

Named to Multilingual Magazine's Top 20 Movers and Shakers in the Language Industry (2026)

Expertise

Language access

Civil rights law

Title VI enforcement

Interpreting and translation policy

Limited English proficiency

Language access training

Michael J. Mulé is a civil rights attorney and nationally recognized subject matter expert on language access, with two decades of experience enforcing federal civil rights laws. He served as Principal Deputy Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs and spent 13 years as an Attorney-Advisor in the DOJ Civil Rights Division, where he led Title VI language access teams and administered LEP.gov. He now works independently developing language access policies, trainings, and advocacy. In April 2026 he was named one of Multilingual Magazine's Top 20 Movers and Shakers in the Language Industry.

Experience

Civil Rights Attorney, Language Access Expert (Self-employed)

Oct 2025 — Present · 9 mos

Develops civil rights and language access policies, trainings and advocacy for U.S. coalitions.

Principal Deputy Director, Office for Civil Rights at U.S. Department of Justice, OJP

Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 · 11 mos

Led all operations, training and outreach for the Office for Civil Rights; named an NCIHC Language Access Champion.

Deputy Director, Office for Civil Rights at U.S. Department of Justice, OJP

Sep 2023 to Oct 2024 · 1 yr 1 mo

Supervised civil rights attorneys and led complaint investigations and civil rights law briefings.

Attorney-Advisor, Civil Rights Division at U.S. Department of Justice

Sep 2010 to Sep 2023 · 13 yrs

Led Title VI language access investigations, created 75+ civil rights trainings and administered LEP.gov.

Staff Attorney, Language Access, ADA and Section 504 at Empire Justice Center

Sep 2007 to Aug 2010 · 2 yrs 11 mos

Represented clients with disabilities and improved access to services for limited English proficient clients.

Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellow at Empire Justice Center

Sep 2005 to Aug 2007 · 1 yr 11 mos

Equal justice fellow focused on civil rights and access for underserved clients.

Recent articles and events

Qualifications

Former Principal Deputy Director, Office for Civil Rights at U.S. Department of Justice OJP

Nationally recognized subject matter expert on language access; administered LEP.gov

Named to Multilingual Magazine's Top 20 Movers and Shakers in the Language Industry (2026)

Expertise

Language access

Civil rights law

Title VI enforcement

Interpreting and translation policy

Limited English proficiency

Language access training

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