Lawyers for Civil Rights - Timeline & Case History - Timeline & Case History
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Lawyers for Civil Rights
Timeline & Case History
2021 Worcester Interfaith Savino Suffolk Downs
20 Years of BizGrow v. City of Worcester v. Souza Successful Title VI
BizGrow celebrates 20 Federal Voting Rights Act First-of-its-kind class complaint on behalf of
years of building wealth in lawsuit filed on behalf of action filed on behalf of GreenRoots and City Life/
low-income communities, Black and Latinx voters in immigration detainees Vida Urbana with HUD
serving over 1000 small Worcester, challenging an held in overcrowded and alleging national origin
businesses a year. all “at large” method of unsanitary conditions at discrimination in zoning
electing school commit- the Bristol County House and planning processes
Vaccine Equity & Justice tee members as illegally of Correction during in Boston. The complaint
Collaborating with diluting the vote of com- COVID-19 pandemic. resulted in a landmark
medical providers and munities of color. Within a year of filing, agreement between the
community organizations the facility population City and HUD promoting
to address racial dispari- Redistricting dropped from a capacity language access and
ties in COVID-19 vaccine Launched Democratizing of over 200 individuals community engagement
access. Redistricting to ensure to less than 10. Lawsuit in future planning and
that the redistricting served as a blueprint development.
BECMA process is fair, equitable, for COVID-19 litigation
v. City of Boston transparent, and commu- across the country. Cruz
Title VI Complaint filed nity driven. Coordinated v. C&W Facilities Services
with DOJ to address efforts with the Drawing Bertin Successful race and reli-
racial disparities in Bos- Democracy Coalition. v. Galvin gion discrimination case
ton’s public contracts on Filed a landmark emer- on behalf of an immigrant
behalf of BECMA, Amplify 2020 gency SJC petition on be- janitorial worker at Logan
Latinx, and the Greater Pandemic Relief for Small half of Black, Latinx, and Airport.
Boston Latino Network. Businesses Asian-American voters,
Co-led the creation of the as well as Common Cause NSTAR Title VI Complaint
Boston Parents Coalition Covid Relief Coalition, the and MassVOTE, to com- Filed Title VI complaint
v. BPS Coalition for an Equita- pel the Commonwealth on behalf of GreenRoots
Successful intervention ble Economy, and Small to send applications for with Conservation Law
with NAACP Boston Business Strong to pro- mail-in ballots to all regis- Foundation regarding the
Branch, Greater Boston vide free legal assistance tered voters, as specified state’s refusal to provide
Latino Network, Asian to hundreds of struggling in an emergency elec- meaningful language
American Resource small businesses during tions law passed at the access. EPA launched a
Workshop, and Asian-Pa- the pandemic. height of the COVID-19 probe of the MA Office of
cific Islander Civic Action pandemic. Energy and Environmen-
Network in lawsuit con- George Floyd tal Affairs to assess their
cerning the admissions In response to George Commonwealth compliance with federal
policy for Boston’s exam Floyd’s murder, filed v. Long civil rights law.
schools. complaints on behalf of Amicus resulting in major
Black men and women state criminal law reform Henry
Greenroots racially profiled by local providing victims of racial v. Needham
v. EPA and state police. profiling with opportu- Represented Black father
Lawsuit filed with Green- nities to challenge the of four, who was hand-
roots and Conservation Cofield legality of race-based cuffed in broad daylight
Law Foundation challeng- v. McDonald traffic stops. on a main street because
ing EPA’s interpretation of Taxpayer lawsuit chal- police falsely believed he
Title VI. lenging entanglement Morgan was a shoplifter. Town of
and 287(g) contracts v. Boston Police Needham launched an in-
Pandemic Relief for between local sheriffs and Department ternal affairs investigation
Tenants and Workers immigration officials. Successful case on behalf and hired an independent
In response to housing of a Black man improp- investigator.
instability, launched a pro Juarez erly bypassed by BPD.
bono initiative to con- v. SoFi Client is now in the police
nect hundreds of families Class action challenging academy.
with emergency rental discriminatory policy of
assistance (RAFT) and denying DACA recipients
unemployment benefits. access to loans.Lawyers for Civil Rights
Timeline & Case History
Haitian-Americans Students for Fair Huot Ryan
United v. Trump Admissions v. Harvard v. City of Lowell v. ICE
Lawsuit filed on behalf of Represented multi-ra- Successfully settled Groundbreaking federal
Haitian-Americans Unit- cial group of students landmark federal voting lawsuit filed on behalf
ed, Centro Presente, the in landmark trial to rights lawsuit filed on of prosecutors, public
Chelsea Collaborative, support Harvard’s behalf of Asian-American defenders, and commu-
and the Brazilian Worker use of race-conscious and Latinx residents of nity groups including the
Center challenging Pres- admissions. Federal Lowell, which charged Chelsea Collaborative to
ident Trump’s exclusion court ruled in our favor, that city’s at-large block civil immigration
of undocumented resi- upholding Harvard’s electoral system illegally arrests in and around
dents from the congres- admissions process, and diluted the votes of peo- Massachusetts court-
sional apportionment the ruling was affirmed ple of color. Settlement houses. Lawsuit served
base following Census by the First Circuit. requires city to change to as a blueprint for similar
2020. The memorandum a more fair and equitable cases nationally.
was rescinded by Pres- 2019 system, accompanied by
ident Biden in January LCR | BizGrow a robust public education African Communities
2021. Rebranded our campaign in English, Together v. Trump
Economic Justice Project Spanish and Khmer, Case on behalf of Liberi-
New York as LCR | BizGrow allowing all residents to an nationals who are the
v. Trump participate in selecting beneficiaries of Deferred
Supreme Court amicus Baker the new electoral system. Enforced Departure
brief in support of enjoin- v. MA Trial Court (DED), a humanitari-
ing President Trump’s MCAD complaint filed on Gregory an program which the
memorandum excluding behalf of a Black female v. Commonwealth Trump Administration
undocumented people court officer who was Class action complaint sought to terminate in
from the congressional improperly disciplined challenging overly-strin- violation of Equal Pro-
apportionment base at work after reporting a gent background regula- tection. Hours before our
following Census 2020. colleague for calling her tions by the MA Depart- preliminary injunction
The memorandum was the N-word. ment of Early Education motion was set to be
rescinded by President and Care, which impose a heard in federal court,
Biden in January 2021. Mussotte lifetime ban on childcare the Trump Administra-
v. Peyser work for juvenile offens- tion backed down and
Martin In response to major es, many decades-old, extended the program.
v. Rollins lawsuit brought on behalf and have a disparate
Amicus brief on the of low-income students impact on employees of Figueroa
importance of filming and students of color color. v. Boston Police Dep’t
police officers. This right challenging discrimina- Race discrimination case
was upheld by the First tory and unequal Massa- IIIC v. Cuccinelli filed by civilian women
Circuit. chusetts school funding Lawsuit filed to stop of color against BPD,
formula, state enacted the recission of medical identifying a pattern and
Hernandez v. Strega landmark Student Op- deferred action program practice of failing to pro-
Favorable settlement portunity Act providing which allows immi- mote candidates of color
on behalf of Latina who the largest investment grants being treated for and a discriminatory
was sexually harassed in public education in life-threatening con- distribution of overtime
while working in upscale decades. The Act result- ditions to be protected hours.
restaurant. ed in millions of dollars from removal. Adminis-
flowing to low-income tration backed down and Commonwealth
Health Disparities school districts. reversed the recission v. Espinal
Expanded Medical-Le- after lawsuit filed. Amicus brief filed in the
gal Partnership to MGH Washington Supreme Judicial Court
health centers in Chel- v. DHS Centro Presente successfully arguing
sea, Everett, Revere and Amicus brief filed on v. McAleenan that jurors should be
Charlestown. behalf of healthcare pro- Federal litigation filed asked about bias against
viders across the country in Washington, DC., to non-English speakers
MFHC challenging the Trump stop the Trump Ad- during voir dire.
v. HUD Administration’s “public ministration’s dramatic
Secured nationwide charge” rule. Favorable expansion of “expe-
injunction against HUD decision extensively dited removal,” which
preserving disparate cited the amicus. The eliminates due process
impact protections of Biden Administration for immigrants facing
the Fair Housing Act on subsequently announced deportation.
behalf of the MA Fair that it will not enforce the
Housing Center and “public charge” rule.
Housing Works.Lawyers for Civil Rights
Timeline & Case History
Dep’t of Commerce Finley Rivas BizGrow Conference
v. New York v. Lexington v. Bristol County Sheriff Launched signature
Amicus brief filed in U.S. Successfully settled a Damages action against event, connecting more
Supreme Court arguing discrimination lawsuit on the Bristol County Sheriff than 200 entrepreneurs
against inclusion of a behalf of a Black female filed on behalf of immi- with free legal and busi-
citizenship question on METCO social worker grant father who was ness support.
the 2020 Census. Brief who was unlawfully ter- unlawful detained and
focused on the impor- minated after advocating denied bail based solely Cook
tance of the Adminis- for the students of color in on his immigration status. v. Mystic Valley Regional
trative Procedure Act to the school district. Charter School
communities of color and Sexual Harassment Represented Black
low-income communi- Centro Presente Settlement students in successful
ties as a check on illegal v. Trump Successfully settled sex- challenge to school’s
agency action. First lawsuit filed in the ual harassment charge at discriminatory hair policy,
country to save Tempo- MCAD brought by Latina which banned hair exten-
Census Advocacy rary Protected Status immigrant against whole- sions and other hairstyles
Launched multi-pronged (TPS), humanitarian sale food preparation worn disproportionately
campaign to ensure a protection for Salvador- company in Everett. by students of color.
full and accurate Census an, Honduran and Haitian
count, including a multi- immigrants. Affected Finklea Lawyers’ Committee
lingual Census Hotline. individuals and communi- v. City of Boston v. Hodgson
ty groups allege that TPS Secured favorable Suffolk Successful lawsuit to
Amazon Class Action termination was racially Superior Court decision compel disclosure of
Nationwide class action motivated and discrimi- addressing the practice records related to Bristol
filed on behalf of Black natory. of police departments County sheriff’s enforce-
and Latinx former Am- using overly stringent ment of federal immigra-
azon drivers who were Coleman background checks to bar tion law. Within hours of
suddenly terminated v. City of Boston qualified minority candi- filing the complaint, the
based on an overly strin- In response to #Black- dates from employment sheriff apologized and
gent background check LivesMatter, lawsuit filed opportunities. released records.
policy, which included old on behalf of a mother
and minor offenses, and whose son—an unarmed 2017 Lawyers’ Committee
disproportionately affect- Black young man with Romero et al. v. Spence
ed people of color. a disability—was fatally v. McCormick & Public records lawsuit
shot by the Boston Police Schmick’s filed with the SJC to com-
2018 Department. In response to #MeToo, pel the Massachusetts
50th Anniversary & Name filed sexual harassment Trial Court to release in-
Change to Lawyers for K.O. v. Sessions lawsuit on behalf of five formation on its employ-
Civil Rights Emergency petitions filed low-wage Latina workers ment practices.
Celebrated our 50th anni- in response to family sep- against a national restau-
versary and rebranded as aration crisis to secure rant chain, alleging a 2016
Lawyers for Civil Rights. the release and reunifica- hostile work environment Boston Latin School
The U.S. Congress tion of children torn apart filled with lewd behavior Complaint
marked this landmark oc- from their families at the and unwanted touching. Federal civil rights com-
casion with a Congressio- border. Filed the first na- plaint requesting that
nal Resolution honoring tional class action seek- City of Chelsea the U.S. Attorney inves-
our 50 years of impactful ing damages on behalf of v. Trump tigate racial harassment
work. The Boston City separated children. Suit Federal lawsuit filed on at Boston Latin School.
Council issued a resolu- seeks creation of desig- behalf of Chelsea and U.S. Attorney found that
tion honoring Lawyers for nated fund to address the Lawrence, challenging BLS violated federal law
Civil Rights and declaring mental health conse- the constitutionality by failing to adequately
October 18 as Civil Rights quences of separation. of President Trump’s respond to racial ha-
and Economic Justice Executive Order targeting rassment, and the City
Day in Boston. At our Pilot v. Brookline sanctuary cities. The suit of Boston agreed to take
50th Anniversary Gala, Successfully settled helped to preserve feder- steps to improve the
Anita Hill called for na- discrimination lawsuit al funding and to protect racial climate at BLS.
tional and legal solutions filed by two Black police local control over law
to sexual harassment and officers in the Brookline enforcement priorities.
violence. Police Department.2012 2006
Lawyers for Civil Rights
Timeline & Case History
Fisher Doe
v. Univ. of Texas at Austin v. Peyser NAACP Bradley v. City of Lynn
Amicus brief filed on be- Intervention filed on be- v. Galvin Intervened on behalf of
half of prominent national half of students of color, Challenge to the Com- the NAACP and the Bos-
empirical scholars in a students with disabilities, monwealth’s failure to ton Society of Vulcans to
case concerning the use and English language offer voter registration challenge discriminatory
of a race-based admis- learners in support of opportunities to public civil service exams for
sions policy at the Univ. of retaining Massachusetts’ assistance recipients, in police and firefighter jobs
Texas at Austin, arguing charter school cap. The violation of the National in twenty communities.
that the “mismatch” the- SJC upheld the consti- Voter Registration Act. In a settlement, the state
ory espoused by affirma- tutionality of the charter Commonwealth agreed agreed to offer back pay
tive action opponents is cap, preserving vital to policy changes and and jobs to 66 minority
flawed. The Court upheld resources for traditional ongoing monitoring, en- candidates who took the
the policy, affirming use public schools. franchising thousands of discriminatory exams.
of race as one of many low-income individuals.
factors in college admis- 2015 EEOC v. Home Depot
sions. Defay Ortiz Successfully represented
v. Boston Police v. Boston a Black employee who
Lawyers’ Committee MCAD found that Bos- Children’s Hospital experienced a racially
v. Evans ton Police discriminated Employment discrimi- hostile work environment
Successful lawsuit to against Black recruits in nation case challenging and was wrongfully termi-
compel the Boston its Training Academy. wrongful termination nated.
Police to release records MCAD ordered Boston of Latina health care
concerning the racial Police to “cease and de- workers. Case resulted in 2005
impact of its employment sist” from discriminatory favorable settlement, in- Arise for Social Justice
practices. At a time of conduct and to reinstate cluding a bilingual public v. City of Springfield
growing tension between and compensate affected apology. Successfully challenged
police and communities individual. Springfield’s “at-large”
of color, the data was the 2010 election system, which
subject of intense public 2014 Bonds diluted minority voting
scrutiny concerning the Not Measuring Up – v. Boston School power in violation of the
lack of diversity in the School Discipline Report Committee Voting Rights Act.
police force. Published groundbreak- Successful employment
ing report analyzing discrimination case on 2004
Airbnb Massachusetts school behalf of a Black teacher Alshrafi
Urged HUD to investi- discipline data and find- at Boston Latin School v. American Airlines
gate Airbnb’s compliance ing that students of color, who received less de- Federal court ruled that
with civil rights laws, students with disabili- sirable teaching assign- the Airline Deregulation
citing research show- ties, and charter school ments than less-qualified Act did not preempt a dis-
ing that Airbnb renters students are dispropor- White teachers. crimination claim by an
with distinctively Black tionately suspended, Arab-American passen-
names are 16% less likely particularly for minor EEOC ger who was barred from
to be accepted by hosts misbehavior, bringing na- v. Autozone a flight after 9/11.
than other renters. In tional attention to dispari- Successfully represented
response, Airbnb took ties in school discipline a Sikh employee, who Black Political Task Force
immediate steps to rates. faced religious discrimi- v. Galvin
eliminate discrimination nation. Federal court struck
by hosts against minority City of Brockton down the 2001 State
renters. v. Energy Facilities Siting 2008 House redistricting plan
Board Amara for 17 districts serving
School Discipline Toolkit Filed an environmental v. Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston, and enjoined
Released toolkit to ed- justice amicus brief chal- Successfully represent- the Commonwealth from
ucate teachers, admin- lenging decision to locate ed seven Moroccan and holding elections for
istrators, students and a power plant in a minori- Muslim employees of the those seats until the court
parents about school ty community. Fairmont Copley Plaza approved a new plan.
disciplinary policies and Hotel who faced religious Court found that the state
alternatives to suspen- 2013 and national origin dis- plan violated Section 2
sions, in order to improve Pulido crimination. of the Voting Rights Act,
school discipline and v. National Grid resulted in “extreme”
combat race and disabil- Successfully represented packing of the 6th Suffolk
ity related disparities in Filipino electrical worker district, and improperly
suspension rates. in employment discrim- stripped minority voters
ination matter against out of the 11th and 12th
National Grid. Suffolk districts.2003
Lawyers for Civil Rights
Timeline & Case History
Mayor of Cambridge Thornton Bennett
Grutter Amicus Brief v. Secretary of the v. Amtrak v. City of Boston
Co-authored amicus brief Commonwealth Employment discrimina- Federal lawsuit on behalf
filed by the Boston Bar Filed amicus brief with tion class action lawsuit of families challenging
Ass’n. and leading Boston the SJC to protect several on behalf of minority unlawful searches and
law firms in the U.S. majority African- Ameri- track workers resulting in seizures by police during
Supreme Court in support can State House districts. a $16 million settlement the Carol Stuart murder
of affirmative action in and systemic changes in investigation.
admissions to the Univ. of 2001 hiring, training, promo-
Michigan Law School. Established Economic tion, and discipline. 1992
Justice Project Culbreath
Comfort In its first year, the proj- 1997 v. BayBanks
v. Lynn School Committee ect provided free legal Julks BayBanks agreed to an
Filed amicus brief, along support to over 250 small v. Neptune Towers $11 million settlement in
with the NAACP, success- businesses and entrepre- Successful lawsuit a lawsuit over its indi-
fully defending Lynn’s neurs. against federally -subsi- rect home improvement
voluntary school deseg- dized housing develop- financing program, which
regation plan against a Morris v. City of Lawrence ment that maintained a used illegal sales tactics
constitutional attack. Federal court enjoined pattern and practice of to lure homeowners in
the City of Lawrence from discrimination. communities of color to
Jones implementing a voter ID take out high interest
v. City of Boston policy that would have 1996 loans, in violation of con-
Landmark legal challenge discouraged Latinos from Barrett sumer protection and civil
to a discriminatory and voting. v. Danca Realty World rights laws.
unreliable hair test used Housing discrimination
by the City of Boston 2000 case at the MCAD result- 1988
to determine drug use. Mendes ed in a $60,000 award At the Lawyers’ Commit-
In 2014, the First Cir- v. Sullivan for emotional distress, tee’s 20th Anniversary,
cuit ruled that the hair Successfully represented the largest amount ever Sen. Edward Kennedy
test disproportionately a Cape Verdean couple awarded at that time. called for “a new abo-
affects Black officers. In a who were assaulted and litionist movement” to
companion case, the MA had their property van- Mak v. Fall River Housing stamp out racism.
Civil Service Commission dalized by White neigh- Authority
found in 2013 that the bors. Successfully represent- Black Political Task Force
hair test is scientifically ed Cambodian tenants v. Connelly
unreliable and required 1999 against the Fall River Federal court invalidated
Boston Police to reinstate Jane Doe Housing Authority, which the State House redis-
six officers. v. Boston Housing failed to protect them tricting plan based on
Authority from racial violence and the 1985 state census for
Health Disparities Project Class action lawsuit harassment. violating the “one person,
Established Health Dis- against the Boston Hous- one vote” principle. First
parities Project centered ing Authority for failing to 1993 Latino state legislator
on Medical-Legal Part- protect minority tenants McDuffy elected from newly creat-
nership with Massachu- from chronic, racial- v. Secretary of the ed Boston district.
setts General Hospital in ly-motivated violence and Executive Office of
Chelsea. harassment at historically Education NAACP
White housing develop- SJC struck down Massa- v. Boston Housing
2002 ments. Case resulted in chusetts’ public school Authority
South Boston Betterment HUD’s first-ever finding financing system, which Federal class action law-
Trust Corporation of “systemic discrimina- relied heavily on local suit against the Boston
v. Boston Redevelopment tion,” and the Housing property taxes and re- Housing Authority for
Authority Authority agreed to a sulted in gross disparities maintaining racially seg-
Filed amicus brief to $1.5 million settlement, between districts. SJC regated public housing.
ensure that community including adoption of a ruled that Massachusetts
benefits derived from “zero-tolerance policy” has a duty under the state
Seaport District devel- for racial harassment. constitution to provide an
opment were equitably adequate education for
distributed to minority 1998 all children, regardless of
neighborhoods. Lawyers’ Committee par- the wealth of their local
ticipated in the formation communities.
of the Fair Housing Cen-
ter of Greater Boston.1987 1979 1968
Lawyers for Civil Rights
Timeline & Case History
Castro & NAACP
Thong Lim Brown v. Beecher The Lawyers’ Committee
v. Somerville Housing v. City of Salem Successfully challenged for Civil Rights Under Law
Authority Successfully represented discriminatory police and of the Boston Bar As-
Federal class action minority applicant who fire department hiring sociation was formed in
lawsuit against the was not hired as a police practices in communities 1968 in the midst of riots
Somerville Housing officer despite ranking across Massachusetts, and the assassination of
Authority for its failure to first on the civil service including Boston. As a Dr. Martin Luther King,
protect minority tenants exam. result of consent decrees, Jr., and the findings of
from racial violence and there are now hundreds the Kerner Commission
harassment. 1978 of police officers and report (concluding that
Latino Association for firefighters of color in the nation was “moving
Hispanic Parents Progress & Action Massachusetts. toward two societies, one
Advisory Council v. Worcester Public Black, one White – sepa-
v. City of Lowell Schools 1974 rate and unequal”). Fund-
School desegregation Lawsuit to compel the Morgan ed with a grant from the
and bilingual education Worcester Public Schools v. Hennigan Ford Foundation and con-
case in Lowell, resulting to provide equal educa- Federal court ordered the tributions from Boston
in a favorable settlement. tional opportunities to Boston Public Schools law firms, the Committee
children with limited En- to desegregate in 1974, a became the first of eight
1986 glish proficiency. Settled landmark decision upheld independent affiliates
Established Fair Housing by a consent decree. by the U.S. Supreme of the national Lawyers’
Project Court. Committee. President
Latinos Unidos de Kennedy’s vision of the
1983 Chelsea en Acción 1970 legal profession mobi-
Latino Political Action v. HUD Published “The Quality lizing its resources to
Committee Challenged the disburse- of Justice in the Low- support progress in civil
v. City of Boston ment of federal funds to er Criminal Courts of rights came home to his
Federal court invalidated the City of Chelsea under Metropolitan Boston,” birthplace. Gaspard
Boston’s redistricting the 1974 Housing and a groundbreaking report D’Andelot “Don” Belin
plan for violating the Community Development that lead to systemic served as the first Chair of
constitutional principle of Act. court reforms. the Committee.
“one person, one vote,”
under section 2 of the NAACP 1963
Voting Rights Act. v. HUD On June 21, 1963,
Class action lawsuit President John F.
1982 challenging the discrimi- Kennedy and Attorney
Established Project to natory use of HUD funds General Robert F.
Combat Racial Violence disbursed to Boston, Kennedy met with 244
resulting in a favorable leading American lawyers
1981 settlement. in the White House.
Rendell-Baker The President and At-
v. Kohn MAMLEO torney General made a
Represented several v. Boston Police special appeal to mobilize
teachers at a private Challenged a discrimina- the legal profession to
special education school tory civil service exam for support the struggle for
in Brookline. promotions to sergeant, civil rights. The national
resulting in a consent Lawyers’ Committee for
Hispanic Parents decree that led to the first Civil Rights Under Law
Advisory Council permanent Boston Police was created.
v. City of Holyoke sergeants of color. The
School desegregation consent decree survived
case in Holyoke, resulting a challenge as “reverse
in a favorable settlement discrimination” in MAM-
including bilingual and LEO v. Boston Police. A
special education plans. court upheld the consent
decree’s extension to
lieutenants and captains
in Stuart v. Roache.You can also read
