Legal Responses to COVID-19 →

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) is launching a comprehensive legal and policy initiative across immigration, education, housing and the census to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on our most vulnerable communities. Specifically, we are advocating to: Stop immigration raids, detentions, and deportation during the public health crisis. ICE has...

Boston Police Must Comply With Public Records Law, Judge Rules →

In a case of first impression, a Suffolk Superior Court judge has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) pattern and practice of violating the Massachusetts Public Records Law may proceed. The lawsuit, brought by Lawyers for Civil Rights (“LCR”) and David Godkin, from Birnbaum & Godkin...

Statement on Hate Crimes Charges in Boston →

On behalf of the Vasquez family, victims of a hate crime in East Boston, Lawyers for Civil Rights applauds the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office for bringing felony hate crime charges against Jenny Ennamorati and Stephanie Armstrong. This is an important step toward holding Ennamorati and Armstrong accountable for the vile and violent...

Support for Black Lives Matter at School Week →

Earlier this week, Michael Leary, President of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association (BPPA), opposed the Boston Teachers Union’s (BTU) support of Black Lives Matter At School Week—an annual week of action organized by a national coalition working for racial justice in education. Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) condemns the BPPA’s...

2019 Annual Report →

Check out our latest work. Our 2019 year-in-review is available here: [pdf-embedder url="http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-Annual-Report-DIGITAL.pdf" title="2019 Annual Report DIGITAL"]

Boston Police Must Discontinue Hair Drug Test →

Statement of Community Organizations Urging Boston Police to Discontinue Hair Drug Test It’s time for the City of Boston to take a stand against Psychemedics’ hair drug test. The under-signed organizations have long been extremely concerned about the critical lack of racial diversity in the Boston Police Department (BPD) and...

Court Rules Against Boston Police In Hair Drug Test Case →

Court Rules Against Boston Police In Challenge To Hair Drug Test And Civil Rights Groups Call For City To Immediately Halt All Use Of Test   Massachusetts's highest court has made clear once again that the controversial "Hair Test" used by the Boston Police Department (BPD) to test for employee drug...

Civil Rights Groups Assert Black & Latinx Lives Matter →

In First Circuit, Civil Rights Groups File Brief Asserting That Black and Latinx Lives Matter Brief Highlights The Practical and Legal Challenges That People of Color Face in Police Interactions Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Center for Constitutional Rights and LatinoJustice PRLDEF in the U.S. Court...

Ropes & Gray Justice Fellowship →

Ropes & Gray Launches Justice Fellowship at Lawyers for Civil Rights Legal Fellowship Builds On Successful Pro Bono Partnership in Landmark Voting Rights Case Global law firm Ropes & Gray today announced the creation of the Ropes & Gray Justice Fellowship at Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), a Boston-based legal...

Condemning Failure to Prosecute Hate Crime →

Condemning Failure to Prosecute Hate Crime in New Hampshire Lawyers for Civil Rights strongly condemns the failure of the New Hampshire Attorney General to classify the near-lynching of a bi-racial 8 year old boy in 2017 as a hate incident.  This abdication of responsibility means that the Attorney General will...

50 Years After Stonewall →

50 Years After Stonewall, We Are Still Fighting for Inclusion by Kiki Tapiero and Iván Espinoza-Madrigal This month, many public spaces and storefronts are adorned with Pride banners and rainbow flags. It is tempting to believe that there is widespread support for the LGBTQ+ community and that queer people are...

Suing Boston Police Department For Diversity Data →

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) and pro bono counsel, David S. Godkin, of Birnbaum & Godkin LLP, filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston and the Boston Police Department (BPD), seeking public records regarding diversity in BPD and demanding timely compliance with the Massachusetts Public Record Law. Access to...

Condemning Trump Administration’s Assault On Anti-Discrimination Protections →

Lawyers for Civil Rights Condemns Trump Administration’s Assault On Anti-Discrimination Protections  As part of its ongoing rollback of civil rights protections, the Trump Administration is directing Justice Department officials to look for ways to eliminate one of the most potent tools of civil rights advocacy: the disparate impact doctrine. Lawyers for Civil...

2018 Year-in-Review →

Check out our latest work. Our 2018 year-in-review is available here: http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-Year-in-Review.pdf [pdf-embedder url="http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-Year-in-Review.pdf" title="2018 Year in Review"] Our 2018 year-in-review is available here: http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-Year-in-Review.pdf

Congressional Resolution Honors Our Achievements →

Mass. Lawmakers Introduce Resolution Honoring Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice Bicameral Resolution Marks 50th Anniversary of the Lawyers’ Committee’s Boston Affiliate Text of Resolution (PDF) Washington, DC – United States Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Stephen F. Lynch, along with their colleagues from the Massachusetts congressional delegation,...

Symposium on the Future of Civil Rights (September 20, 2018) →

Please join us on September 20th for a groundbreaking civil rights conference at Suffolk Law School. Free registration starts at noon. Lunch will be served. Event will conclude with beer/wine reception. This event is open and free to the public. The program is available here. [pdf-embedder url="http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SaveTheDate-Symposium.pdf"]  

Free Legal Clinic on July 16 in Roxbury →

[pdf-embedder url="http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Flyer.pdf"]

Federal Court Complaint Challenges Unlawful Detention of Immigrants in MA →

Lawless Sheriff Will Answer To the Court Federal Court Complaint Alleges Bristol County Sheriff Unlawfully Detains Immigrants June 19, 2018 Boston, MA – The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice and Latham and Watkins LLP filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court in Boston to hold Bristol...