February 1, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are devastated to have lost Lauren Sampson<\/strong>, Senior Attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), who died on Sunday, January 30, 2022, in Cambridge, MA. At just 30 years old, Lauren was already a distinguished civil rights attorney and prominent community leader. Her loss will be profoundly felt by family and friends, by her professional colleagues, and by the client communities she served so ably over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lauren joined LCR in 2018. Even as a junior attorney, she consistently impressed colleagues at LCR and throughout the legal community with her powerful legal talent. She played a leading role in numerous lawsuits over the last three years. Many of her cases set national precedent and received widespread attention, including in the New York Times<\/a> and other national publications. Among Lauren\u2019s many victories fighting for racial justice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A prolific writer, Lauren\u2019s insights were regularly featured in a variety of publications, including WBUR<\/a> and Commonwealth Magazine<\/a>, where she most recently advocated for the City of Boston to adopt groundbreaking “greenspace plans<\/a>.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lauren served on the Board of Directors of CASA<\/a> and the Welcome Project<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lauren was also selected for the prestigious 2020-2021 Public Interest Leadership Program (PILP<\/a>) of the Boston Bar Association. Most recently, she taught \u201cRace Relations and the Law\u201d at Boston College Law School, and was developing a course on \u201cLiterature and the Law.\u201d She was eager to bring her intersectional lens to help develop critical thinking in the next generation of legal advocates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lauren\u2019s work on racial justice and equity was informed by her personal background, including her father\u2019s experience growing up in apartheid South Africa. Prior to her professional successes, she had a distinguished academic career. In 2012, She received her BA in English and History from Queen’s University (Ontario, Canada), where she received the Gold Medal in English and was on the Dean’s List with Distinction. In 2015, she received both a MA in English from Duke University and a JD from Duke University School of Law, where she graduated Order of the Coif and magna cum laude<\/em>. In law school, she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Duke Journal of Gender Law and Policy<\/em>. After law school, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable John Dooley (Ret.) of the Vermont Supreme Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lauren was amazingly funny, thoughtful, kind, and brilliant. She was completely dedicated to fighting for racial justice and for her clients, each and every day. She was more than a colleague. She was a friend and an inspiration to her LCR family. Many LCR staff members considered Lauren a big sister, someone who always made herself available for her peers professionally and personally. Lauren was an educator in the classroom and, to the benefit of many, felt duty-bound to share her knowledge and passion of the law. Her light, presence, wit, and humor captivated all around her, whether for the purpose of fierce advocacy or fabulous storytelling. As a lover of literature and a profound wordsmith, she would have heavily edited this statement; only she could have written it to perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLauren was a courageous, creative and compassionate advocate who contributed so much to LCR\u2019s mission in combating racial injustice and inequity. We are deeply saddened by this tremendous loss,\u201d said Lisa Pirozzolo, Co-Chair of LCR\u2019s Board of Directors. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe directors and staff of LCR mourn the loss of Lauren Sampson, a bright light in the civil rights community, and a valued friend and colleague,\u201d added Inez Friedman-Boyce, Co-Chair of LCR\u2019s Board of Directors.<\/strong> \u201cShe was an exceptional person, accomplished beyond her years, and her loss is felt profoundly by all who worked with her.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToday, LCR wholeheartedly recommits to fighting aggressively for Lauren\u2019s values. In Lauren\u2019s honor, we will deliberately and intentionally deepen and expand our work on behalf of people of color like Mr. Henry. From housing to climate justice and beyond, we will work tirelessly to fully realize her vision of justice and equity. This work starts now,\u201d said Iv\u00e1n Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There aren\u2019t enough words to encapsulate Lauren\u2019s legacy. Her absence is deeply felt. She will be deeply missed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Especially during the pandemic, it is important to ask for help. Please find support:<\/p>\n\n\n\n National Suicide Prevention Lifeline<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n (800) 273-TALK (8255) (24\/7 hotline, English) <\/p>\n\n\n\n (888) 628-9454 (en espa\u00f1ol<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n