Black Running Crew Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against Boston Marathon →

BLACK RUNNING CREW FILES FEDERAL DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST BOSTON MARATHON AND NEWTON POLICE Lawsuit Seeks to Prevent Repeat of 2023 Racial Profiling Incident Seeking to forestall a repeat of the racial profiling incident that occurred at the 2023 Boston Marathon, a prominent Black-led running group filed a federal discrimination lawsuit...

Black Students Unfairly Disciplined at Nichols College →

Black College Student Leaders Unfairly Disciplined After Acting in Self-Defense Nichols College and Dudley Police Must Remedy Impacts of Racially Biased Investigations Two Black student leaders at Nichols College are speaking out after racially-biased investigations of a physical altercation have resulted in severe interruptions in their educational opportunities. Meanwhile, white...

Victory! Court Grants Emergency Receivership →

Court Grants Families’ Emergency Petition, Orders Receiver To Manage Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center Petition Documented Threats To Elderly Patients’ Safety And Health Due To Mismanagement Of Nursing Home Acting swiftly on an emergency petition filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights on behalf of families of residents at the Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare...

Lawsuit Against The Benjamin Demanding Receivership →

Family Members Urge Court To Appoint Receiver To Avert Imminent Harm To Elderly Patients In Boston Nursing Home Serving Predominantly Seniors Of Color   Petition Cites Critical Management Failures, Staff Shortages, Inadequate Supplies, And Patient Deterioration Update: Victory! The receivership was granted by the Court on April 3. Click here to...

Boston to Pay $4.7 Million in Police Shooting of Terrence Coleman →

City of Boston To Pay $4.7 Million To Settle Wrongful Death Lawsuit Brought By Hope Coleman – Whose Son Terrence Was Killed By Boston Police In 2016 Young Black Man Living With Mental Illness Shot After His Mother Called 911 For Medical Assistance Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) and Fick...

Addressing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination →

Lawyers for Civil Rights is calling on the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) to implement more robust guidelines to help address workplace harassment and discrimination.  In public comments submitted to the MCAD, LCR urges more dedicated training for employers to effectively respond to various forms of workplace harassment, including discrimination based...

Lawyers for Civil Rights Receives $2 Million Gift From the Yield Giving Open Call  →

March 19, 2024  BOSTON – Today, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced a $2 million gift to Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), as part of the Yield Giving Open Call. In a pool of 6,353 applicants across the United States, LCR was among the highest-ranking organizations nationally.  “Lawyers for Civil Rights...

Statement on Attorney General’s Lawsuit Against Milton →

Lawyers for Civil Rights Commends Attorney General Campbell’s Swift Action to Hold Milton Accountable for Violating the MBTA Zoning Law Attorney General Andrea Campbell has sued the Town of Milton for its failure to comply with the MBTA Zoning Law. Lawyers for Civil Rights (“LCR”) applauds this enforcement action, which comes at...

Racial Bias in the Criminal Justice System →

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) and McCarter & English filed an amicus brief in a case pending before the Massachusetts Court of Appeal, which raises important issues about bias in the criminal justice system. The brief was filed on behalf of LCR, the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys (MAHA), the Jewish Alliance For Law...

No Path to Justice for Victims of Discrimination in the MCAD  →

No Path to Justice for Victims of Discrimination in the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination  Escalating long-simmering concerns over deficiencies at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (“MCAD”), the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (“ULEM”) and Lawyers for Civil Rights (“LCR”) have issued a demand letter calling on the agency to take immediate action to adequately...

Settlement Reached in Arlington Racial Profiling Case →

Settlement Reached in Racial Profiling Case Filed By Young Black Man Against Arlington, MA Police  Town Agrees To Systemic Reforms And Compensation  Donovan Johnson, a young Black man who was stopped, held at gunpoint, and thrown to the ground by police in Arlington, Massachusetts who were chasing a white suspect, has settled...

Making Police Misconduct Investigations Public Enhances Transparency →

Making Police Misconduct Investigations Public Enhances Transparency and Accountability Lawyers for Civil Rights (“LCR”) and pro bono counsel from Foley & Lardner LLP filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), urging the Court to rule that records of police misconduct investigations are public records. Following the murder of George Floyd, the Massachusetts Legislature passed the Policing...

Joint Statement: Walpole and Civil Rights Advocates →

Joint Statement from The Town of Walpole and Civil Rights Advocates Stemming from an incident that occurred several months ago, the Town of Walpole and Civil Rights Advocates worked together and are pleased to announce that they have resolved the matter amicably. Town legal counsel, attorneys from Lawyers for Civil...

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Resources →

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action has rocked the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) field and threatens decades of hard-won progress breaking down systemic barriers to level the playing field. The impacts of this decision will be significant and far-reaching. To help mitigate the harm, empower organizations, and...

Victory! Multi-Million Dollar Settlement for Black Police Officers →

Multi-Million Dollar Settlement Announced In Discrimination Case By Black Police Officers Against City Of Boston Over Discredited “Hair Test"  City Abandoned The Flawed Drug Test In 2021, Now Pays Damages To Individuals Harmed The City of Boston has paid $2.6 million to settle a longstanding federal discrimination lawsuit alleging that...

Fireside Chat with Rep. Ayanna Pressley →

Congressional Briefing on Legacy Preferences →

DEI In Massachusetts Public Schools: A Legal And Practical Guide →

As the school year gets underway, Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) is receiving many inquiries about how best to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public schools.  Those who support DEI — school administrators, school boards, teachers, community advocates, parents, and students — want a better understanding of the...