2018 YEAR IN REVIEW - LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS BOSTON
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2018 YEAR IN REVIEW
LAWYERS FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS
BOSTON
Table of Contents
Mission & History2
Message from the Executive Director3
Intake Statistics6
Voting Rights7
BOSTON MUST
Fighting for Immigrant Communities9
BECOME A
Economic Justice Project11
TESTING
Police Accountability13
GROUND FOR
Employment15
THE IDEALS OF
Education16
FREEDOM.
Medical Legal Partnership 19
50th Anniversary Celebration Supporters & Sponsors24
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Edward J. Barshak Fund for Justice26
BizGrow 201827
Board of Directors30
Member Firms and Organizations 32
Congressional Resolution Honors LCR33
Boston City Council Resolution Honors LCR35
Timeline & Case History36
Staff, Volunteers & Interns40
Mission & History Message from the
Executive Director
Our organization is a leading hub for litigation, advocacy, and resistance
to discrimination. Entrenched injustice requires 21st century solutions. To
stay current, we evolve. This year, in celebration of our 50th Anniversary, It’s a new day at LCR!
we are reinvigorating our powerful foundations and breaking new ground. Over the past year, to further guide our work and ensure its sus-
We are excited to announce that the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights tainability, our organization embarked on a comprehensive strategic
and Economic Justice is now Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR). planning and rebranding process. With the help of many of our key
Lawyers for Civil Rights fosters equal opportunity and fights discrimi- constituents, we produced a dynamic vision for driving the organiza-
nation on behalf of people of color and immigrants. We engage in creative tion forward as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2018.
and courageous legal action, education, and advocacy in collaboration Our name has changed, but our commitment to fighting discrimi-
with law firms and community partners. nation remains unchanged. We know that modern-day advocacy must
Our organization was founded in 1968 in the midst of riots, the after- be nimble, innovative, bold, and exciting. Our work is life-changing
math of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the findings and law-changing.
of the Kerner Commission concluding that the nation was “moving toward Every day, our legal warriors are in the trenches litigating ground-
two societies. One Black, one White – separate and unequal.” breaking cases, engaging in innovative policy advocacy, leading
With funding and pro bono legal services contributed by Boston law comprehensive community education and outreach, spearheading
firms, the organization became the first of eight independent local affili- community economic development, and partnering with law firms and
ates of the Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights community groups to further the cause of civil rights. Every day, we
Under Law, a national organization formed at the request of President bring people together to promote equal opportunity. Every day, we
John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar in providing legal representation fight discrimination.
to address racial discrimination. From desegregating Boston’s public schools and public housing
In 1973, we became the first pro bono project of the Boston Bar Asso- projects to our ongoing work to eradicate discrimination in the work-
ciation and the only Lawyers’ Committee affiliate in the nation directly place, we are a catalyst for justice and equality. We are building on our
connected with a major bar association. Although the organization is now rich legacy, expanding our work to make it even more diverse, inclu-
separately incorporated with its own 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, we sive, visible, and impactful.
continue to maintain strong ties to the private bar in Boston. Our staff, Board of Directors, law firm partners, community allies,
Membership by private law firms still forms the working foundation of and supporters are working in concert to move the struggle for civil
our organization. Member law firms fund a significant part of our annual rights from the streets to the courtroom. Together, we are providing
operating expenses and provide millions of dollars in pro bono legal ser- free legal services to individuals and small businesses in communities
vices by working closely with the organization. In this way, for decades, that are often deprived of justice because of barriers such as race,
we have harnessed the resources and talent of Boston’s leading law firms language, and national origin.
to secure and protect the civil rights of Massachusetts residents. Thank you for celebrating the legacy and future of civil rights!
Over the years, our organization has also grown, adding new projects Here’s to moving forward – without fail and without fear.
and initiatives to respond to the changing face of discrimination. While
working closely with an ever-increasing number of diverse community
partners, we remain true to our core mission to challenge and eradicate all Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, Esq.
forms of discrimination. Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR)
The struggle continues, but the future is bright. Lawyers for Civil
Rights will continue advancing justice and equality for decades to come.
2 3
4
Intake Statistics Voting Rights
As LCR enters its fiftieth year, the number of community members seek- Voting Rights Lawsuit Against Election Protection
ing our legal assistance continues to grow. We serve some of the most Lowell, Massachusetts The 2018 Massachusetts state
vulnerable populations in the Commonwealth, providing representation, In May 2017, together with our pro elections spotlighted the most di-
counsel, advice, and referrals in a variety of civil practice areas. bono allies at Ropes & Gray, we verse slate of political leaders that
filed a federal voting rights lawsuit the Commonwealth has ever seen.
on behalf of a diverse coalition of In response to the swell of voters,
Asian-American and Latinx resi- LCR led a critical nonpartisan voter
dents of Lowell, alleging that the protection campaign to ensure that
Intake Statistics city’s municipal election system every eligible voter in the Com-
discriminates against communi- monwealth had equal access to the
ties of color. ballot box.
According to the lawsuit, the Our campaign, Massachusetts
use of citywide at-large elections Election Protection, included a
for all seats on the Lowell City state-wide toll-free hotline and a
Council and Lowell School Com- comprehensive field program. The
mittee dilutes the voting power of hotline, housed at and supported
minority voters in Lowell, violating by WilmerHale, was staffed by
the federal Voting Rights Act, as volunteer attorneys from our mem-
well as the U.S. Constitution. The ber firms. Calls were answered
complaint sets forth how although throughout Election Day, providing
the city is approximately 49% mi- eligible voters with the assistance
nority, both its nine-member City they needed in real-time to ensure
285 404 601 780 939 Council and its six-member School
Committee have been virtually
their ability to vote. The compre-
hensive field program, consisting
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 all-white for all of Lowell’s histo- of more than 200 volunteers, mar-
ry. In an at-large winner-take-all shalled support to communities
system such as Lowell’s, 51% of the of color throughout the Common-
electorate can control 100% of the wealth and served as the eyes and
Other
seats and win every election. ears for the Election Protection
White
Immigrant Justice The case is currently pending command staff. Our partners in
Asian Employment in federal district court, where this effort included: ACLU of Mas-
4 76
Disability /
Benefits 67
42 2 the judge has already rejected
the City’s motion to dismiss. The
sachusetts, Anti-Defamation
League, Common Cause Mas-
69 2
92 84
226 8
lawsuit is believed to be the first of sachusetts, MassVOTE, and the
2018 Intake 2018 Intake League of Women Voters.
553
Education its kind in the country to be filed on
Demographics Breakdown
behalf of a coalition of Asian-Amer-
ican and Latinx residents.
6
Black
10 17
Latinx
Criminal Justice Housing
and Policing
6 7
Fighting for
Immigrant Communities
Automatic Voter Registration triumphed again, ushering in legislation to Since the 2016 election, immi- the Supreme Court’s ruling on the
LCR is a member of the Election Modern- create Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). grants in the United States are in Trump Administration’s “trav-
ization Coalition (EMC), a small cohort of AVR will ensure that the 700,000 people in a more precarious position than el ban” and provides a model of
organizations committed to modernizing the Commonwealth who are not registered to ever. With increased raids, a per- creative litigation aimed at holding
the electoral process so that more eligible vote, a majority of whom reside in urban areas vasive climate of fear, and threats those in the highest echelons of
individuals can register, vote, and have their with high levels of poverty, become registered to life saving programs like Tem- power to account.
voices heard. EMC has made significant ac- with ease. LCR and the rest of the coalition porary Protected Status (TPS),
complishments, including a successful drive are now providing their expertise and insight the fight for immigrant rights is Challenging Illegal Detentions
that resulted in 2014 legislation establish- to advise on the proper implementation of front and center. LCR continues In March 2018, LCR, along with our
ing state-wide early voting. This year, EMC AVR throughout the Commonwealth. to aggressively and strategically pro bono partners from Latham &
advocate on behalf of immigrant Watkins LLP, filed Rivas v. Hodg-
communities and to develop son, a federal lawsuit to hold Bris-
creative responses to meet new tol County’s rogue sheriff, Thomas
challenges. Hodgson, accountable for his
anti-immigrant policies and prac-
Protecting Temporary tices, and for the illegal detention
Protected Status of our client. Our lawsuit—brought
In February 2018, LCR, along with on behalf of a young immigrant
our pro bono partners from Cho- father from El Salvador—seeks
ate, Hall & Stewart LLP, filed damages and policy changes from
Centro Presente v. Trump, the first Bristol County after they held our
lawsuit challenging the termina- client in jail, solely because of his
tion of TPS for immigrants from immigration status. This imprison-
El Salvador, Haiti, and Hondu- ment was deeply damaging, and
ras. TPS is a humanitarian pro- clearly in violation of established
gram that provides immigration law. Our lawsuit seeks to recti-
protection for individuals from fy this harm and create a future
designated countries that have where such injustices can no lon-
experienced armed conflict, natu- ger be carried out.
ral disasters, or other extenuating
circumstances. Our federal law- Ensuring Access to Justice
suit—brought on behalf of Centro and Resources
Presente, Haitian Americans After hearing about a rise in Immi-
United, and brave individuals with gration and Customs Enforcement
TPS—challenges the terminations (ICE) officers stalking courthouses
as discriminatory and violative of and arresting immigrants, LCR
the Equal Protection and Due Pro- filed public records request to
cess Clauses of the U.S. Constitu- determine the extent and gravity
tion as well as the Administrative of the problem. We found aston-
Procedures Act (APA). Our lawsuit ishing data detailing arrests at
has already set meaningful prec- twenty-four different courthous-
edent as the first case to narrow es across the Commonwealth. In
8 9
Economic Justice Project
March 2018, LCR, in partnership with the Center, to reunite families in Boston. We The Economic Justice Project Individual Representation
Committee for Public Counsel Services then went to Honduras to meet with parents (EJP) provides minority, immi- Through the generous pro bono
and Greater Boston Legal Services, filed who had already been deported without grant, and low-income entrepre- work of our partner law firms, we
a first-of-its-kind petition in Massachusetts’ their children and worked with DLA Piper to neurs and small business owners match small business owners with
highest court asking for a writ of protection reunite children still detained in the U.S. with with free legal assistance, busi- attorneys who provide them with
to block ICE from arresting immigrants in and parents they thought they would never see ness support, and education. EJP free transactional legal assistance
around courthouses. Our petition, Matter of again. Understanding the human toll that furthers our vision of economic that they need for the business to
C. Doe and Others, filed on behalf of immi- this policy had taken on the over 2500 chil- empowerment in disadvantaged grow and succeed. Common small
grants who need access to the courts but are dren who were separated from their families, communities by helping individ- business concerns include, entity
chilled because of ICE presence—such as of in September 2018, LCR along with our pro uals develop sustainable busi- registration and formation, con-
a woman who wanted to seek a restraining bono partners at Nixon Peabody, Todd & nesses and achieve economic tract issues, intellectual property,
order but could not because of fear of ICE Weld LLP, Demissie & Church, and The self-sufficiency. By connecting tax, and employment issues.
detention—seeks to ensure access to jus- Law Offices of Jeff Goldman filed K.O. v. entrepreneurs to law firms pro-
tice by protecting those individuals and the Sessions, a groundbreaking damages class viding pro bono legal services, Educational Programming
courts themselves from federal immigration action on behalf of all children separated we are closing the opportunity We help to close the opportunity
enforcement. Our initial petition was denied from their families and detained as part of gap. In 2018, we served over 550 gap by connecting minority entre-
in the Single Justice session, but the Court the crisis. Primarily, the complaint demands entrepreneurs and small business preneurs with the information they
acknowledged the privilege against civil that the government establish a fund dedi- owners throughout the Common- need to effectively operate and
immigration arrest in courts and recognized cated to repairing the mental health trauma wealth. Over half of these busi- sustain their small business. Part-
the breadth and depth of the problem. The that the children experienced and continue nesses are women-owned, and nering with Latham & Watkins
case garnered strong support from a wide to live with. approximately 90% are minori- and Roxbury Community Col-
coalition of community organizations, District ty-owned. These businesses are lege we held three sessions of our
Attorneys, the defense bar, and civil rights Community Engagement the economic engines fueling the 10-week seminar for new business
organizations. We continue to seek ways to To combat the intense climate of fear present growth of our Commonwealth. owners, Create Your Own Job.
highlight the deeply problematic practice of in immigrant communities, LCR conduct-
ICE arrests in and around courthouses and to ed dozens of community legal education
challenge these practices in court. trainings and clinics in the heart of Massa-
chusetts’ immigrant communities. Subjects
Standing with Immigrant Families of our know your rights trainings included: Small Businesses Served
This year, the Trump Administration enact- knowing your rights when confronted by
ed its devastating family separation policy. an ICE agent, changes in asylum law, REAL
Thousands of children were torn from the ID, TPS, public charge, courthouse arrests,
arms of their parents and placed in deten- and many more. We also conducted legal
tion centers across the country. LCR imme- clinics with community partners such as the
diately responded by filing litigation along Chelsea Collaborative and with pro bono
with our pro bono partners WilmerHale support from Fragomen to ensure holistic
and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and in support for immigrant communities.
collaboration with the Brazilian Workers’
54
2015
220
2016
398 551
2017 2018
10 11
Police Accountability
Designed to introduce fundamental business Boston is among the long list of •• In February 2018, LCR
legal topics to aspiring entrepreneurs, this cities that have witnessed vio- and our pro bono counsel
seminar offers classes on entity formation, lence against communities of color from Birnbaum & Godkin,
business planning, networking, marketing, by police. One tragic example received a favorable decision
and e-commerce. occurred in October 2016, when from the Suffolk Superior Court
We also held three sessions of our Access Boston police officers shot and limiting the use of continued
to Business Law workshop series. These 10- killed Terence Coleman, a young without a finding (“CWOF”)
week workshops are structured to tackle vari- BizGrow Black man with mental illness, matters in civil service hiring, a
ous types of legal issues that small business- On June 20, 2018 we held BizGrow, our after his mother Hope Coleman significant ruling to curb the use
es face while operating and growing. Weekly annual small business conference. Held at called 911 for medical assistance. of criminal record information
workshops cover topics such as employment Suffolk Law School, BizGrow is a full-day In April 2018, LCR, with pro bono in hiring decisions which has
law, taxes, intellectual property, leasing, and technical assistance conference for minority, counsel from Fick & Marx LLP, a disproportionate impact on
financing. These workshops are taught by pro immigrant, and women entrepreneurs and filed a federal civil rights lawsuit to communities of color. The Civil
bono attorneys from leading law firms such small business owners/ Thanks to our spon- hold the involved officers and med- Service Commission is already
as Morgan Lewis, WilmerHale, Goodwin, sors and to the many pro bono attorneys who ical personnel accountable, and citing to this ruling as a basis for
Nixon Peabody, and Latham & Watkins. participated, the event was tremendously to demand the creation of proper reversing the unlawful bypass
In addition to these classroom style work- successful. Approximately 150 small busi- policies and protocols for accom- decisions of other applicants.
shops, EJP held five free legal clinics where ness owners and entrepreneurs attended 20 modating disabled individuals in
over 50 entrepreneurs and small business workshops on business and legal issues led emergency situations. •• LCR also represents a Black
owners had the opportunity to consult with by industry experts. Each entrepreneur also In addition to addressing in- man who was bypassed for the
attorneys who specialize in small business had an opportunity to meet one-on-one with cidents of police brutality and position of police officer be-
issues and ask specific questions relating to attorneys specializing in a variety of small misconduct, LCR’s growing po- cause of an arrest when he was
their small business. These unique opportu- business concerns, including entity forma- lice accountability practice also a teen. The client has no crim-
nities help small businesses get the answers tion, intellectual property, commercial leas files cutting-edge litigation to inal record and has served in a
they need quickly and allow them to immedi- review, and tax concerns. enhance diversity in public safety law enforcement capacity for
ately implement the best course of action. agencies. Social science research Boston College and the Boston
EJP continues to assist food entrepre- proves that enhancing diversity is Housing Authority for more
neurs through its unique accelerator Food critical to decreasing the tension than 15 years. At a two-day
Biz 101. In partnership with Goodwin and between minority and immigrant hearing before the Civil Service
CommonWealth Kitchen, Food Biz 101 is a communities and police depart- Commission, LCR presented a
13-week seminar designed to assist aspiring ments. One of the key ways in slew of evidence demonstrating
food entrepreneurs launch their businesses. which police departments hinder that the Boston Police Depart-
In addition to general business legal topics diversity and damage community ment arbitrarily weighs stale
such as entity formation and contracts, this trust is by “bypassing” candidates criminal history records in their
seminar covers food-specific topics such as of color who apply to be police employment decisions.
food safety, recipe scaling, pricing, and label- officers—i.e. removing them from
ing regulations. The accelerator culminates in the civil service list in favor of low-
a pitch night where participants have the op- er-ranking candidates. To combat
portunity to present their business to a panel this problematic practice, the LCR
of experts and formally launch their business, bypass docket includes:
making their dreams a reality.
12 13Employment
LCR continues to be a staunch advocate for those experiencing discrimi-
nation in the workplace. In December 2017, LCR and our pro bono counsel
from Fair Work, P.C. filed a landmark sexual harassment lawsuit against
McCormick & Schmick’s, a prominent national restaurant chain, on behalf
of five low-wage immigrant women who were subjected to sexual harass-
ment in the workplace, effectively expanding #MeToo to #YoTambien.
In October 2018, LCR and our pro bono counsel from Pontikes Law,
LLC, filed a religious discrimination lawsuit on behalf of a practicing
Catholic immigrant after he experienced repeated retaliation by his em-
ployer for engaging in prayer on his breaks and for advocating for his right
to observe the Sabbath. These cases represent a continuation of LCR’s
work to protect the most vulnerable sectors of workers, many of whom are
immigrants with limited resources.
In other employment matters, LCR and our pro bono counsel from
Birnbaum & Godkin successfully resolved a long-standing workplace
discrimination lawsuit on behalf of a Black social worker who was unlaw-
fully terminated from the METCO program in Lexington in retaliation for
her advocacy on behalf of Black students and her complaints regarding
disparate discipline. During the litigation, Lexington has ushered in a
•• In June 2018, LCR began representation of Service Commission investigation into the series of professional trainings and workshops regarding cultural compe-
another Black man, one of sixty (60) ap- negative impact that military residency pref- tency and implicit bias.
plicants who the Civil Service Commission erences have on Boston’s veterans of color. LCR also continues its advocacy to address the barriers faced by em-
found were deprived of their legal appeal Co-counseling with Fair Work, P.C., we also ployees of color working within the Massachusetts Trial Courts. As a result
rights by the Boston Police Department. successfully settled discrimination cases for of a successful public records lawsuit, we gained access to data showing
LCR and the Massachusetts Attorney two Black former Brookline Police officers. significant disparities in the Court’s workforce. There are over 1,000 court
General’s Office are advocating to uphold Finally, our long-running Title VII case officer personnel serving courthouses across the state, but fewer than 7%
the Commission’s decision before the Suf- against the Boston Police Department re- are women of color, which is not representative of the demographics of the
folk Superior Court to ensure that our client garding the discriminatory “hair test” for state as a whole. Representation in supervisory positions is even lower.
and other candidates of color receive a fair drug use went to trial in federal district Partly due to this under-representation, many court officers find them-
hiring process. court in 2018, led by an amazing pro bono selves working within a toxic environment. For example, in December
team from WilmerHale. The case has been 2017, LCR filed a complaint o n behalf of a Black female court officer who
LCR also continues its advocacy to eliminate appealed to the First Circuit twice, where was called the “N-word” by a Chief Court Officer of the Supreme Judicial
barriers to diversity for Black, Latinx, and plaintiffs secured reversals of adverse trial Court, and mistreated when she reported the behavior. Due to the ongo-
Asian police officers and firefighters through court rulings each time. At trial this year, we ing and systemic issues that we identified, we requested a Department of
work focused on the proper implementation demonstrated that the hair test is scientifi- Justice investigation into the Court’s employment practices.
of residency preferences, language certifica- cally unreliable and results in false positives
tions, and other civil service requirements. particularly for Black officers, due to their hair
This year, on behalf of our organizational texture and grooming practices. Moreover,
clients, the Massachusetts Association BPD had a less discriminatory alternative
of Minority Law Enforcement Officers available—using the hair test in conjunction
(MAMLEO), the Boston Society of Vulcans, with urinalysis—but refused to adopt it. The
and a host of individuals, we requested a Civil case is currently under submission.
14 15Education
Since filing Morgan v. Hennigan, Boston’s national Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Protecting the Educational school-to-deportation pipeline,
school desegregation case, LCR has worked Rights Under Law, continue our represen- Rights of Undocumented but Boston refused to comply.
to protect the civil and educational rights of tation of students of color in Students for Fair Students LCR and the students’ rights
Massachusetts students. Today, LCR con- Admissions v. Harvard, a lawsuit challenging Thirty-five years ago, the U.S. Su- groups filed their initial public re-
tinues its fight for equal educational rights Harvard’s use of race in its admissions poli- preme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe cords request upon learning of an
by advocating for fair school discipline, cy. The suit was brought by the same group that undocumented students have East Boston High School student
promoting racial equity in school admission behind the unsuccessful challenges to affir- a “fundamental interest” in a pub- who was deported based on the
and funding, and protecting the educational mative action in the U.S. Supreme Court’s lic education that cannot be denied report of a run-of-the-mill school
rights of undocumented students. Fisher v. Texas case. The matter went to trial on the basis of immigration status. incident that was shared by Bos-
in the U.S. District Court in October 2018. Amidst the panic sparked by feder- ton School Police with ICE via the
Fostering Racial Diversity at Boston Latin We were granted leave from the Court to give al executive orders on immigration BRIC. The report concerned an
School and Preserving it at Harvard opening and closing statements at trial, and enforcement and a raid targeting incident in which “two students
Boston’s exam schools, the top schools in our to present student witnesses who testified Massachusetts, the rights protect- attempted to start a fight but were
city, have long been held out as the mer- firsthand about the importance of diversity in ed by Plyler are being threatened. unsuccessful.” The matter was
it-based means of upward mobility for the higher education. Thanks to research conducted resolved without any physical
children of Boston’s working-class families. by Choate, Hall & Stewart, LCR altercation: “School administra-
But when our recent complaint on racial ha- Ensuring School Funding Equity for has been providing technical legal tors along with school police spoke
rassment at Boston Latin School (BLS) con- Students of Color, Students with assistance to schools and agencies with all the students involved and
firmed a federal civil rights violation, many Disabilities, and English Learners working to protect and fulfill stu- mediated this incident.”
questioned when and how Boston’s exam LCR represented students of color, students dents’ Plyler rights. Nonetheless, the report, cou-
schools, particularly BLS, came to look so dif- with disabilities, and English language learn- In 2018, LCR and a coalition pled with an unsubstantiated gang
ferent from the rest of Boston Public Schools ers, together with the New England Area of students’ rights groups, to- allegation, was subsequently sent
(BPS) in terms of the students they serve. Conference of the NAACP, NAACP - Bos- gether with Morgan Lewis, filed by Boston School Police to the
LCR subsequently released A Broken Mir- ton Branch, and the Boston Education a lawsuit against Boston Public BRIC, a network of local, state, and
ror: Exam School Admissions Fail to Reflect Justice Alliance in Doe v. Peyser, a lawsuit Schools to obtain public records federal law enforcement agencies,
Boston’s Diversity, together with the NAACP that sought to eliminate Massachusetts’ cap that are being improperly withheld which includes ICE, and was used
– Boston Branch, Massachusetts Advo- on charter schools. We successfully argued regarding its disturbing practice as evidence against the student in
cates for Children, the Black Educators for dismissal of the suit at the Superior Court of sharing student information deportation proceedings. Immi-
Alliance of Massachusetts, and the ACLU level, a ruling that was upheld in 2018 by the with federal immigration officials, grant families and children are now
of Massachusetts. The report highlights Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. An- including ICE via the Boston Re- living in fear. Our lawsuit seeks to
disparities in exam school admission along derson & Krieger, our pro bono partner on gional Intelligence Center (BRIC). uncover documents that would
race and neighborhood lines and calls for the case, presented oral argument before the The Massachusetts Supervisor shed further light on this disturb-
citywide review of our exam school admis- Supreme Judicial Court, explaining that the of Records already ordered BPS ing school practice.
sions policy. In 2018, LCR and our partners cap was necessary to preserve educational to disclose records related to this
held public forums on exam school admis- opportunities for students in traditional public
sions across Boston’s neighborhoods so that schools, citing evidence that charter schools
we, as a city, can develop better means for divert millions of dollars from traditional pub-
valuing and evaluating all of our students. lic schools each year, yet serve proportion-
Meanwhile, LCR, together with our pro ately far fewer students with disabilities and
bono partners at Arnold & Porter, Asian English language learners and impose harsh-
Americans Advancing Justice, and the er discipline on students of color.
16 17Medical Legal Partnership
Student Discipline Since 2003, LCR has partnered with Massachusetts General Hospital to
In 2018, LCR issued a comprehensive report •• Discipline rates have dropped for all provide legal assistance to patients at the HealthCare Center in Chelsea.
examining the state of school discipline in students, but progress has plateaued. Working on-site, LCR receives referrals from healthcare providers who
Massachusetts. The report, Unfinished Busi- identify patients with critical legal needs. The focus is on the most vulner-
ness, shows that while measurable progress •• Black and Latinx students, students with able patients, including those with disabilities and those threatened with
has been made in reducing school suspen- disabilities, and English language learners eviction or wrongfully denied public benefits. In collaboration with the
sions over the past several years, this prog- disproportionately lose class time for health care team, LCR engages in a broad range of advocacy: represent-
ress has plateaued, and our most vulnerable discipline, often for minor incidents. ing patients in court; negotiating with recalcitrant landlords; advocating
students remain disproportionately affected. before administrative agencies for public benefits—all with the aim of
In particular, Black and Latinx students, stu- •• While charter school discipline rates have improving health outcomes by addressing related legal needs.
dents with disabilities, and English language dropped significantly, charters remain
learners are still far more likely than their among the highest disciplining schools, Expanded Services in 2018
peers to lose class time for discipline, espe- along with alternative schools, therapeutic In 2017, we expanded the services of our Medical Legal Partnership. An
cially for more minor incidents. day schools, and, in general, schools in LCR attorney now meets with clients on two days a week instead of one.
Massachusetts public schools began sev- Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley. This expansion comes at a critical time, when our clients are facing in-
eral years ago to implement Chapter 222, a creased confusion, fear, and uncertainty. Rents in Chelsea and neighbor-
law to reduce reliance on exclusionary school •• Due to off-the-books suspensions, school- ing communities have doubled. Landlords are refusing Section 8 vouch-
discipline. Massachusetts did so with good based arrests, and other types of removal, ers preferring to rent to market rate tenants.
reason: being suspended predicts dropping Massachusetts’ disciplinary data does not At the same time, the political climate is also deeply unsettling for our
out, and almost two-thirds of the state’s out- tell the whole story on school discipline. clients. Those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) fear losing their
of-school suspensions from the prior year right to live and work in the United States. Vulnerable families are afraid to
were for minor incidents—the cause for which We will continue to work with our community go to immigration appointments or to risk encountering ICE on the court-
Black and Latinx students were most likely to allies, and in the courts, to preserve equal house steps. Immigrant families applying for a green card are fearful of
be suspended. Our 2018 report examines a educational opportunity for our state’s most being labeled “public charges.” They have already started withdrawing
wealth of data collected since that time, and vulnerable populations. claims for disability, closing their public benefits accounts, and dropping
makes the following key findings: off the wait list for Section 8 and public housing. As we challenge these
conditions through impact litigation (see Immigration section), we are
assisting individual families as well:
•• In 2018, we have handled over •• We helped 14 families avoid evic-
540 appointments, involving 328 tion after negotiation with land-
new clients and claims. lords, and 7 additional families
obtained affordable housing.
•• We secured and protected dis-
ability benefits for 54 children •• We assisted 13 persons in be-
and adults, bringing much-need- coming naturalized U.S. citizens,
ed economic support to low-in- and have an additional 16 appli-
come households. cations pending.
18 19LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS CALLS FOR
DIVERSITY IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Con
According to the ABA, Lawyers’
We also secured 5 guardianships for incapacitated adults and are obtain-
ing child support orders against non-custodial fathers. Together with our
86% of all lawyers are White,
comb
partners at MGH, we are addressing the complex interactions between less than 5% are Black,
race, immigration status, poverty, healthcare, and the law.
only 5% are Latino,
Medical Legal Partnership 2018 and only 4% are Asian.
New Clients Less than 36% are women.
Other
Middle Latinx
Male
1
Eastern
Southeast
40
5
10
151
Asian
20
Race/
18
Gender
Ethinicity
2 51 7
African/
Black
Female
Lead Paint Lawsuit Settlement on Behalf of Disabled Child
During a routine pediatric visit at the HealthCare Center, three-year-
old Naomi was found to have an extremely elevated blood lead level, 12
times the level of concern determined by the CDC. Naomi was hospital-
ized for five days, followed by painful chelation therapy. She was living
in an apartment in Everett where lead inspectors had found numerous
accessible hazards both inside and outside the multifamily house. Ten
months after the inspection, Naomi was already showing signs of speech
delay and aggressive impulsivity, but no de-leading had taken place, no
other family in the building had been notified, and no penalties had been
imposed on the owner.
Healthcare providers referred the case to our Medical Legal Partner-
ship, and LCR worked in concert with a private attorney to file suit against
the property owner on behalf of Naomi. After a year of litigation and a year
of negotiations, a settlement was reached to establish a special needs
trust for the child’s benefit. The trust will eventually provide $150,000.00
for Naomi’s health, education, and well-being.
LAWYERS FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS
BOSTON
2022
50th Anniversary Celebration
Supporters & Sponsors
Underwriter ($50,000 or higher) Champions ($5,000) Friends ($1,000)
WilmerHale Richard Belin Anonymous; Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts;
Anonymous Boston Bar Association Birnbaum & Godkin; Jay Bothwick; Mike Bongiorno; Mark Borden; Boston
The Boston Foundation College Law School; Boston Private; Sean Boulger; David Bowman; Donna
Brown Rudnick Brewer; William Caporizzo; Steve Churchill & Rosemarie Day; John Clymer;
Honorary Circle ($25,000) Thomas Dougherty Juan Concepcion; Lisa & Craig Danetz; Linda Davidson; Demeo LLP; Felicia
Foley Hoag Eastern Bank Ellsworth; Episcopal City Mission; Joseph D. Feaster, Jr.; Mark Fleming;
Goodwin LLP John Hancock Lauren Fletcher; Goulston & Storrs; G.T. Reilly & Company; Daniel Halston;
Hyams Foundation William Horne Michael Heyison; Fiona & Joe Horning; Yalonda Howze; Belinda Juran;
Bill Lee MAMLEO Gary Klein; Peter Kolovos; Krokidas & Bluestein; Lawson & Weitzen; Hal
Lisa Pirozzolo MGH Center for Community Health Improvement Leibowitz; Andrew Leong; Lichten & Liss-Riordan P.C.; Eric Marandett;
Thomas Mela Lia Der Marderosian; Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association;
Mintz Levin Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation; MassPort; Denzil D. McKenzie;
Patron Circle ($20,000) Jody Newman MetroHousing; Frank Michelman; Joseph Mueller; Susan Murley;
Nixon Peabody State Street Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart; William Paine; Mark & Melanie
Tufts Health Plan Pearlstein; Kevin Prussia; Quincy Geneva Housing Corp.; John Regan;
Andrea Robinson; Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy
Leadership Circle ($15,000) at Brandeis University; Monica Shah; John Sigel; Steven Singer; Robert &
Hogan Lovells Partners ($2,500) Beth Smith; Don Steinberg; Laura Steinberg; Louis Tompros; Michael G.
Latham & Watkins Anna Dodson Tracy & Judith Bernstein Tracy; Eric Van Loon; Cynthia Vreeland; Michael
Boston Society of Vulcans Watkins; Toni G. Wolfman
Casner & Edwards
Visionary ($10,000) Citrix
Anderson & Kreiger Fair Work P.C.
Choate, Hall & Stewart Holland & Knight
Vinita Ferrera Inez Friedman-Boyce
Poppi Georges-Massey Locke Lord
David Godkin & Pam Haran Kenneth Parsigian
Jim & Patti Messenger Loretta Richard
Morgan Lewis Paul & Patricia Riseman
Nutter McClennen & Fish Santander Bank
Ropes & Gray Scott Lewis
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen
Sullivan & Worcester Todd & Weld
Colin & Olivia Van Dyke
24 25Edward J. Barshak
Fund for Justice
On April 27, 2016, LCR launched a campaign to establish the Edward J.
Barshak Fund for Justice to provide dedicated resources for our anti-
discrimination work. We plan to replenish the fund when we win cases
with attorney fee awards. In this manner, the fund will continue to support
our work for decades to come. As of October 12, 2018, we have raised
$165,960. We are proud to acknowledge our supporters.
Underwriters ($25,000 or higher) Supporters ($500)
Edward J. Barshak Boston Private
Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C. Iván Espinoza-Madrigal
WilmerHale Seth Riseman
Inez H. Friedman-Boyce
Paul Holtzman
Benefactors ($5,000) Yalonda Howze
Amb. Charles Stith & Stith-Hope Fund Scott Lewis
MAMLEO
Katherine McHugh
Patrons ($2,500) Lisa J. Pirozzolo
Richard Belin Alan Rogers BizGrow 2018
David Godkin Harvey Wolkoff
Friends ($1,000) We are deeply grateful to all our supporters. We are proud to acknowledge the generous Executive ($2,500)
Anonymous We specifically acknowledge the generous support we have received in connection with Eastern Bank
Casner & Edwards support of Christopher Armstrong, Navjeet BizGrow, our one day accelerator for small Millennium Partners
William Horne Bal, Mary Lu Bilek, Joseph Borsellino, businesses. Nixon Peabody LLP
Jody Newman Natasha Boye, Donna Brewer, Kathy Brown, Tufts Health Plan
John Regier Michael Churchill, Ralph Cinquegrana,
Paul Sugarman Juan Concepción, Linda Davidson, Alan Underwriters ($10,000 or higher)
Dershowitz, Fair Work, P.C., Rory FitzPatrick, The Boston Foundation Friends ($1,000)
Mark Fleming, Rudolph Kass, Ann Lambert, Santander Bank Boston Impact Initiative
LibbyHoopes, P.C., John Lozada, Mauren Suffolk University School of Law Boston Private
Mauri, Patricia Melius, Frank Michelman, Anna Dodson
Lonnie Powers, John Reinstein, Stuart Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Rossman, Camille Sarrouf, Robert Smith, Premier ($5,000) Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF)
Joseph Steinfeld, Jeffrey Stern, Colin Van Goodwin LLP Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation
Dyke, and Toni Wolfman. Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
26 2728
Board of Directors
Anita F. Hill Kenneth J. Parsigian
Co-Chairs Brandeis University Latham & Watkins, LLP
Inez H. Friedman-Boyce Julie R. Bryan
Goodwin LLP Casner & Edwards, LLP Paul Holtzman Robert H. Smith
Krokidas & Bluestein LLP Suffolk University
Lisa J. Pirozzolo Jeffrey N. Catalano School of Law
WilmerHale Todd & Weld LLP William A. Horne
Laura Steinberg
Treasurer Steve Churchill Scott P. Lewis Sullivan & Worcester LLP
Loretta R. Richard Fair Work, PC Anderson & Kreiger LLP
Ropes & Gray, LLP Colin G. Van Dyke
Juan A. Concepción John Lozada Anderson & Kreiger LLP
Clerk/Secretary MassDOT/MBTA MassDOT/MBTA
Yalonda T. Howze Emeritus
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Linda M. Davidson Matthew R. Lynch
Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. The Davidson Law Practice Nixon Peabody LLP Richard M. Bluestein
Directors Wayne F. Dennison Robyn S. Maguire James K. Brown
Neil Austin Brown Rudnick LLP Nutter McClennen & Fish
Foley Hoag LLP Judith Olans Brown
Anna E. Dodson Eric J. Marandett
Navjeet K. Bal Goodwin LLP Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP Joseph D. Feaster
Social Finance, Inc.
Thomas J. Dougherty Daniel Marx John B. French
Jacob K. Baron Skadden, Arps, Slate, Fick & Marx LLP
Holland & Knight LLP Meagher & Flom LLP Daniel J. Gleason
Susan L. Mazur
Edward J. Barshak Tiffanie C. Ellis-Niles Latham & Watkins, LLP Hugh R. Jones, Jr.
Lyles and Niles, LLP
Richard Belin Neil V. McKittrick James J. Marcellino
Vinita Ferrera Ogletree, Deakins, Nash,
Nikolas Bowie WilmerHale Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Frank I. Michelman
Harvard Law School
Rory FitzPatrick James L. Messenger Cornilius J. Moynihan Jr.
David G. Bowman Cetrulo LLP Gordon Rees Scully
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Mansukhani, LLP Richard A. Soden
Ana M. Francisco
Natasha Z. Boye Foley & Lardner LLP Jody L. Newman Nicholas U. Sommerfeld
MassHousing Hogan Lovells LLP
David S. Godkin John Taylor “Ike” Williams
Donna M. Brewer Birnbaum & Godkin, LLP Alexa H. O’Keefe
Miyares & Harrington LLP Nutter McClennen & Fish Harvey J. Wolkoff
30Massachusetts Lawmakers Introduce Resolution
Member Firms and Organizations Honoring Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
and Economic Justice
Anderson & Kreiger
Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
Bicameral Resolution Marks 50th Anniversary of the
Birnbaum & Godkin Lawyers’ Committee’s Boston Affiliate
Brown Rudnick
Casner & Edwards Washington, DC — United of the fight for equal justice,” ry by the legal warriors at the
States Senator Elizabeth War- said Senator Elizabeth Warren. Lawyers’ Committee in Bos-
Choate, Hall & Stewart ren and Representative Ste- “The excellent work that the ton that has helped protect the
Fair Work phen F. Lynch, along with their Lawyers’ Committee in Boston rights of all Americans. Lawyers’
Foley Hoag colleagues from the Massachu- has done over the past 50 years Committee is doing God’s work
setts congressional delegation, to protect the rights of the most every day, and it is time Con-
Goodwin Procter today introduced a resolution to vulnerable among us deserves gress recognize them for their
Hogan Lovells honor the Lawyers’ Committee recognition in the U.S. Con- accomplishments.”
Holland & Knight for Civil Rights and Economic gress, and I am glad to join my “As Dean of the Massachu-
Justice. The resolution, which colleagues in introducing this setts Congressional Delega-
Krokidas & Bluestein was introduced today in both resolution to express our grati- tion, I am pleased to join my
Latham & Watkins chambers of Congress, com- tude to them.” colleagues in support of the
Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys memorates the 50th anniversa- “I am honored to join my col- extraordinary work done by the
ry of the Lawyers’ Committee for leagues to help recognize the Lawyers Committee’s Boston
Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association Civil Rights and Economic Jus- wonderful and positive impact Affiliate for the past 50 years. At
Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys tice, the Boston affiliate of the made by the Lawyers’ Commit- this moment in our nation’s his-
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo Washington, D.C.-based Law- tee for Civil Rights and Econom- tory, the American people count
yers’ Committee for Civil Rights ic Justice to the advancements on organizations that fight for
Morgan Lewis & Bockius Under Law, and recognizes the of civil rights for the past 50 civil rights and economic justice
Nixon Peabody organization’s many contribu- years,” said Congressman Ste- every day. The Lawyers Com-
Nutter McClennen & Fish tions to the fight for civil rights phen F. Lynch. “It has been a mittee continues to stand up for
and equal justice for all. Joining blessing to our society that we the most vulnerable in our soci-
Ropes & Gray Senator Warren and Represen- have organizations such the ety and that is why I am proud to
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom tative Lynch in sponsoring the Lawyers’ Committee in Boston co-sponsor this important reso-
South Asian Bar Association resolution were Senator Edward that will ‘fight the good fight’ to lution today,” said Congressman
J. Markey and Representa- protect the Constitutional rights Richard E. Neal.
Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen tives Richard E. Neal, James P. of all our people.” “Equal justice under law is
Sullivan & Worcester McGovern, Michael E. Capuano, “Now more than ever, we not inevitable. It takes hard
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr Niki Tsongas, William Keating, need the Lawyers’ Committee work and perseverance to fight
Joseph P. Kennedy III, Katherine to stand up and fight the daily for what’s right,” said Congress-
Clark and Seth Moulton. attacks on our justice system man Jim McGovern. “For 50
“With the foundations of our and fight for those who need years, that’s exactly what the
democracy under attack every protection the most,” said Sen- Lawyers’ Committee for Civil
day, it is critical that we have ator Edward J. Markey. “It is Rights and Economic Justice in
organizations such as the Law- the invaluable, irreplaceable Boston has done. Their tireless
yers’ Committee at the forefront work over the past half centu- work to oppose discrimination
32Boston City Council Resolution Honors LCR
and speak out on behalf of dis- “For fifty years, the Lawyers’ •• Contributing to the enact-
enfranchised communities is an Committee for Civil Rights and ment of the Voting Rights Act
inspiration to us all. I’m so proud Economic Justice has led the of 1965;
to join my colleagues in recog- fight for a more inclusive and just •• Leading the nation’s oldest
nizing their unwavering commit- America,” said Congresswoman and largest nonpartisan voter
ment to justice.” Katherine Clark. “We contin- protection program;
“Since its inception, the ue to need their leadership and •• Contributing to the enact-
Lawyers’ Committee of Boston righteous advocacy to ensure ment and enforcement of the
has set out to ensure that the that we live up to our country’s Fair Housing Act;
civil rights and liberties of all promise of equal and fair treat- •• Working to combat the
Americans, especially the most ment under the law.” scourge of hate crimes and
vulnerable members of our com- The Lawyers’ Commit- racially motivated violence
munities, are protected,” said tee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit impacting communities;
Congressman Bill Keating. “It is organization, whose mission •• Joining the movement to end
only right that Congress recog- is to secure equal justice for all apartheid in the Republic of
nize their perseverance and ded- through the rule of law, particu- South Africa;
ication to justice as they work to larly in the areas of criminal jus- •• Working to develop and
promote their mission in a time tice, fair housing and community enact the Civil Rights Act of
when rights are being chal- development, economic justice, 1991; and
lenged almost daily. Along with educational opportunities, and •• Joining relief efforts during
my colleagues, I honor them for voting rights. The national Law- the humanitarian crisis
their 50 years of outstanding yers’ Committee for Civil Rights caused by Hurricane Katrina
work and look forward to the Under Law was founded in 1963 in 2005;
critical contributions they will at the request of President The resolution celebrates the
make over the next 50.” John F. Kennedy and their Bos- 50th anniversary of the found-
“Laws are little more than ton-based affiliate, the Lawyers’ ing of the Lawyers’ Committee
words on a page until advo- Committee for Civil Rights and for Civil Rights and Economic
cates, activists and lawyers Economic Justice, was founded Justice and expresses gratitude
give them meaning and ensure five years later, in 1968. for the national Lawyers’ Com-
the promises they make extend The resolution highlights mittee and all of its 8 local affil-
to every single American life,” several contributions that the iates for their work to advance
said Congressman Joe Kennedy national Lawyers’ Committee civil rights and their dedication
III. “For five decades, the Law- and its eight local affiliates have to the pursuit of equal justice
yers’ Committee has fought for made to the struggle for equal under the law.
a nation where laws are applied justice in the United States and In addition to Boston, the
equally and justly regardless of around the world, including: Lawyers’ Committee has local
a person’s skin color, gender or •• Advancing the cause of the affiliates in Chicago, Illinois;
zip code. With this resolution, civil rights movement by pur- Denver, Colorado; Jackson, Mis-
Congress can play a small part suing cases involving voting sissippi; Los Angeles, California;
in recognizing the contributions rights, racial segregation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San
and sacrifices of the Lawyers’ education, economic justice, Francisco, California; and Wash-
Committee for Civil Rights and fair housing, criminal justice, ington, District of Columbia.
Economic Justice.” hate crimes, and more;
34Timeline & Case History
1963 1978 1981 NAACP
v. Boston Housing Authority
Mak
v. Fall River Housing Authority
2001
Rendell-Baker Federal class action lawsuit Successfully represented Cambo- Established Economic Justice
On June 21, 1963, President John Latino Association for Progress
v. Kohn Project
F. Kennedy and Attorney General & Action against the Boston Housing dian tenants against the Fall River
Robert F. Kennedy met with 244 v. Worcester Public Schools Represented several teachers at Authority for maintaining racially Housing Authority, which failed to In its first year, the project provid-
leading American lawyers in the Lawsuit to compel the Worces- a private special education school segregated public housing. protect them from racial violence ed free legal support to over 250
White House. ter Public Schools to provide in Brookline. and harassment. small businesses and entrepre-
The President and Attorney equal educational opportunities At the Lawyers’ Committee’s neurs.
General made a special appeal to children with limited English Hispanic Parents Advisory
Council v. City of Holyoke
20th Anniversary, Sen. Edward 1997 Morris
to mobilize the legal profession proficiency. Settled by a consent Kennedy calls for “a new aboli-
School desegregation case in Julks v. City of Lawrence
to support the struggle for civil decree. tionist movement” to stamp out
v. Neptune Towers Federal court enjoined the City
rights. The national Lawyers’ Holyoke, resulting in a favorable racism.
Committee for Civil Rights Under Latinos Unidos de Chelsea en settlement including bilingual Successful lawsuit against feder- of Lawrence from implementing
Law was created. Acción and special education plans. 1992 ally-subsidized housing develop-
ment that maintained a pattern
a voter ID policy that would have
discouraged Latinxs from voting.
v. HUD
Culbreath
1968 Challenged the disbursement of 1982 and practice of discrimination.
federal funds to the City of Chel-
v. BayBanks
2002
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil sea under the 1974 Housing and
Established Project to Combat
Racial Violence
BayBanks agreed to an $11 million 1998 South Boston Betterment Trust
Rights Under Law of the Boston Community Development Act. settlement in a lawsuit over its in-
direct home improvement financ- Lawyers’ Committee participates Corporation
Bar Association was formed in
1968 in the midst of riots and NAACP 1983 ing program, which used illegal in the formation of the Fair Hous- v. Boston Redevelopment
Authority
the assassination of Dr. Martin sales tactics to lure homeowners ing Center of Greater Boston.
v. HUD Latino Political Action Filed amicus brief to ensure that
Luther King, Jr., and the findings Committee in minority neighborhoods to take
Class action lawsuit challenging Thornton community benefits derived from
of the Kerner Commission report v. City of Boston out high interest loans, in viola-
the discriminatory use of HUD v. Amtrak Seaport District development
(concluding that the nation was tion of consumer protection and
funds disbursed to Boston, re- Federal court invalidated Bos- Employment discrimination class were equitably distributed to
“moving toward two societies, civil rights laws.
sulting in a favorable settlement. ton’s redistricting plan for violat- action lawsuit on behalf of minori- minority neighborhoods.
one Black, one White – separate ing the constitutional principle
and unequal”). Funded with a MAMLEO of “one person, one vote,” under 1993 ty track workers resulting in a $16
Mayor of Cambridge
grant from the Ford Foundation million settlement and systemic
v. Boston Police Department section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. McDuffy v. Secretary of the
and contributions from Boston changes in hiring, training, pro-
Challenged a discriminatory civil v. Secretary of the Executive motion, and discipline. Commonwealth
law firms, the Committee became
the first of eight independent
service exam for promotions to 1986 Office of Education Filed amicus brief with the SJC to
sergeant, resulting in a consent
affiliates of the national Lawyers’ decree that led to the first per-
Established Fair Housing Project SJC struck down Massachusetts’
public school financing system,
1999 protect several majority African-
American State House districts.
Committee. President Kennedy’s manent Boston Police sergeants Jane Doe
which relied heavily on local prop-
vision of the legal profession 1987 v. Boston Housing Authority
mobilizing its resources to sup-
of color. The consent decree
survived a challenge as “reverse
erty taxes and resulted in gross 2003
Thong Lim disparities between districts. SJC Class action lawsuit against the
port progress in civil rights came discrimination” in MAMLEO v. v. Somerville Housing Authority Grutter Amicus Brief
ruled that Massachusetts has a Boston Housing Authority for
home to his birthplace. Gaspard Boston Police Dep’t., 780 F.2d Co-authored amicus brief filed by
Federal class action lawsuit duty under the state constitution failing to protect minority tenants
D’Andelot “Don” Belin served as 5 (1st Cir. 1985). A court upheld the Boston Bar Ass’n. and leading
against the Somerville Housing to provide an adequate education from chronic, racially motivated
the first Chair of the Committee. the consent decree’s extension to Boston law firms in the U.S.
Authority for its failure to protect for all children, regardless of the violence and harassment at his-
lieutenants and captains in Stuart minority tenants from racial vio- wealth of their local communities. torically White housing develop- Supreme Court in support of af-
1970 v. Roache, 951 F.2d 446 (1st Cir. lence and harassment. ments. Case resulted in HUD’s firmative action in admissions to
1991). Bennett first-ever finding of “systemic the Univ. of Michigan Law School.
Published “The Quality of Justice
in the Lower Criminal Courts of Hispanic Parents Advisory v. City of Boston discrimination,” and the Housing
Castro & NAACP Council Federal lawsuit on behalf of Authority agreed to a $1.5 million Comfort
Metropolitan Boston,”a ground- v. Lynn School Committee
v. Beecher v. City of Lowell families challenging unlawful settlement, including adoption
breaking report that lead to
systemic court reforms. Successfully challenged discrimi- School desegregation and bilin- searches and seizures by police of a “zero-tolerance policy” for Filed amicus brief, along with the
natory police and fire department gual education case in Lowell, re- during the Carol Stuart murder racial harassment. NAACP, successfully defending
hiring practices in communities Lynn’s voluntary school deseg-
1974 across Massachusetts, including
sulting in a favorable settlement. investigation.
2000 regation plan against a constitu-
Morgan
v. Hennigan
Boston. As a result of consent
decrees, there are now hundreds
1988 1996 Mendes
tional attack.
Black Political Task Force Barrett v. Sullivan Jones
Federal court ordered the Boston of police officers and firefighters
Public Schools to desegregate in of color in Massachusetts. v. Connelly v. Danca Realty World Successfully represented a v. City of Boston
1974, a landmark decision upheld Federal court invalidated the Housing discrimination case at Cape Verdean couple who were Landmark legal challenge to a
by the U.S. Supreme Court. 1979 State House redistricting plan the MCAD resulted in a $60,000 assaulted and had their property
vandalized by White neighbors.
discriminatory and unreliable hair
based on the 1985 state census award for emotional distress, the test used by the City of Boston to
Brown for violating the “one person, one largest amount ever awarded at determine drug use. In 2014, the
v. City of Salem vote” principle. First Latino state that time. First Circuit ruled that the hair
Successfully represented minori- legislator elected from newly test disproportionately affects
ty applicant who was not hired as created Boston district. Black officers. In a companion
a police officer despite ranking case, the Massachusetts Civil
first on the civil service exam. Service Commission found in
36 37You can also read
