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...

Faneuil Hall Shopkeepers of Color Targeted and Criminalized →

Lawyers for Civil Rights Demands Redress for Unfairly Treated Merchants of Color at Faneuil Hall Cease and Desist Letter Details Unfair and Deceptive Practices that Faneuil Hall Management Company Has Aimed at Minority Small Businesses, and Calls For Immediate Amends Lawyers for Civil Rights (“LCR”) issued a cease and desist...

Rhode Island Excludes Minority-Owned Businesses From State Contracting →

Civil Rights Groups Charge That Rhode Island Is Violating Federal Law By Excluding Minority-Owned Businesses From State Contracting In a demand letter, Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) and Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) have outlined how Rhode Island is violating federal anti-discrimination law by systematically excluding minority-owned businesses from State contracting.  The demand letter calls...

Dismantling Discriminatory Hairstyle Rules →

Targeting Young Black Athletes Violates Massachusetts’ New “Crown Act Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) issued a demand letter to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), an organization that creates and enforces high school athletic rules, requesting immediate action to stop discriminatory hairstyle policies that violate Massachusetts' new "Crown Act."...

LCR’s Legal Warriors at the HNBA National Conference →

Lawyers for Civil Rights at the 2023 Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) convention.  LCR’s legal warriors and our community partners will be presenting on a wide range of cutting-edge civil rights and intersectional issues at the upcoming HNBA Conference in Minneapolis on September 6-8, 2023. This is where you can find...

LCR’s Legal Warriors at Lav Law →

Lawyers for Civil Rights at the 2023 Lavender Law Conference  LCR’s legal warriors and our community partners presented on a wide range of cutting-edge civil rights and intersectional issues at the Lavender Law Conference hosted by the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association in Chicago on July 24 - 26, 2023.  The...

New Police Discipline Database: More Transparency and Accountability →

Lawyers for Civil Rights Applauds New Police Discipline Database, Urges More Transparency and Accountability Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) applauds the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission for publishing a database showing the disciplinary records of Massachusetts police officers accused of misconduct.  Transparency is critical for holding law enforcement accountable. ...

Federal Civil Rights Investigation: Harvard’s Legacy/Donor Admissions →

Lawyers for Civil Rights welcomes the news we received from the U.S. Department of Education that it has formally opened a federal investigation into our civil rights complaint, which challenges Harvard's discriminatory practice of giving preferential treatment to children of wealthy donors and children of alumni.  As our complaint outlines, these...

City of Boston Retreats from Diversity Efforts →

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, CITY OF BOSTON RETREATS FROM DIVERSITY EFFORTS Lawyers for Civil Rights learned that the City of Boston is conducting a “review” of the impact of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision on “any City and BPS policy.” Taking place behind closed doors, this problematic “review” was not...

Federal Civil Rights Complaint Challenges Harvard’s Legacy Admissions →

Federal Civil Rights Complaint Challenges Harvard’s Practice Of Giving Preferential Treatment In Admissions To Children of Wealthy Donors and Alumni  Preferences Go Overwhelmingly To White Applicants And Systematically Disadvantage Applicants Of Color  The Chica Project, the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE), and the Greater Boston Latino Network (GBLN) filed a federal civil...

2023 Brown Rudnick Summer Fellow →

Brian Cummings Joins Lawyers for Civil Rights as the 2023 Brown Rudnick Summer Fellow Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) is pleased to welcome Brian Cummings as the 2023 Brown Rudnick Summer Fellow.  Launched in 2022, the Fellowship provides a $10,000 stipend to law students who want to gain civil rights experience through a...

Window Still Exists for Schools to Consider Race →

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Calls to Overrule Affirmative Action Precedents Window Still Exists for Schools to Consider Race While raising the bar on universities’ ability to consider race in admissions, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected calls to overrule its affirmative action precedents. Most importantly, the Court left the door open...