Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

06/05/2026

Pride Month is a time to celebrate the courage, resilience, and contributions of LGBTQ+ people and communities.

We honor those who have fought for equality, recognize the work that remains, and recommit ourselves to advancing dignity, opportunity, and justice for all.

Happy Pride Month. 🏳️‍🌈

06/04/2026

As AAPI Heritage Month came to a close, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law reflected on the voices, experiences, and leadership of Asian American and Pacific Islander advocates helping advance justice and equity.

Maya Raghu, national director of our Protecting and Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative, shared what AAPI Heritage Month means to her and how her identity shapes the work she does every day.

We honor the advocates, leaders, and changemakers who continue to advance civil rights, protect democracy, and push us closer to a nation rooted in equity, justice, and belonging for all.

As AAPI Heritage Month came to a close, the Lawyers’ Committee for ...

06/04/2026

In a new Associated Press feature examining the federal government’s shifting approach to civil rights enforcement in education, Michael Pillera, director of the Educational Opportunities Project (EOP), underscored what is at stake:
“It’s literally flipping the purpose of civil rights law on its head, not just harming Black students and students of color, but entire school communities. It’s unmoored from the actual history of our country and untethered to the reality of life in this country.”

For generations, civil rights laws have served as tools to address systemic discrimination and expand educational opportunity. Programs designed to help close longstanding racial disparities should not be recast as discrimination.

Read the full Associated Press piece: apnews.com/article/trump-education-civil-rights-49a9916076cb5fba533e6d42462bf1f0

06/02/2026

We’re happy to share that Dariely Rodriguez, Chief Counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil RIghts Under Law will speak at the MBK | MSK 2026 Fellowship Summit in New York City on June 5.
Dariely will join the panel “Practicing Law in a Polarized Era: Navigating Power, Politics, and Professional Risk as a Lawyer of Color,” a timely conversation on how lawyers of color navigate legal practice, leadership, public discourse, institutional power, and professional risk in this moment.
The session will explore how attorneys can remain strategic, grounded, and effective while working across government, private practice, corporate environments, and public life.
📍 New York, NY
🗓️ June 5, 2026
⏰ 10–11 AM ET
🔗 RSVP: https://www.mbkmsk.com/fellowship-summit

06/01/2026

📻 On May 28, Robert Weiner, director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, was featured nationally on NPR’s 7 p.m. ET radio newscast and NPR News Now podcast.
Listen to the NPR segment: https://tinyurl.com/ycy2h9sn

The segment followed a federal court ruling on the administration’s mail-in voting executive order. While the court declined to issue a preliminary injunction at this stage, civil rights groups will continue challenging the order and monitoring further implementation.
As Weiner said in our recent statement: “This executive order will cause a catastrophic train wreck in our elections.” Read our full statement: www.lawyerscommittee.org/after-federal-court-ruling-civil-rights-groups-plan-to-continue-challenging-mail-in-voting-executive-order/

05/26/2026

Join Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights on May 28 at 1 PM ET / 12 PM CT for a timely virtual conversation on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in uncertain times.

Dariely Rodriguez, chief counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, will join Jocelyn Samuels, former EEOC commissioner and vice chair; Chai Feldblum, former EEOC commissioner; Michael Ortega, program counsel at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights; and Amy Cook, director of economic justice at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, for a discussion on legal obligations, DEI program risk, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), and the evolving landscape following the end of EO 11246.

RSVP required: www.clccrul.org/events/advancing-dei-in-uncertain-times

05/25/2026

George Floyd’s murder sparked a national reckoning over police violence. But national attention alone has not delivered the systemic reform communities deserve.

According to the 2025 Police Violence Report, police killings remain near record highs in the years since George Floyd was murdered. At the same time, the federal government has retreated from key oversight and enforcement efforts that once helped drive reform.

The Lawyers’ Committee continues to fight for accountability. In Lexington, Mississippi, we joined the fight on behalf of Black residents subjected to baseless arrests, excessive force, and retaliation for speaking out against police misconduct. We are also pushing for passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to help hold law enforcement accountable for violating constitutional rights.

The outrage was real. Accountability must be too.

Photo by Lorie Shaull via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

05/21/2026

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is looking for passionate professionals committed to advancing racial justice, protecting democracy, and defending civil rights for all.

If you’re ready to do purpose-driven work alongside advocates, organizers, litigators, and changemakers, we invite you to explore opportunities to join our team.

✨Apply today and help shape the future of civil rights advocacy:
www.lawyerscommittee.org/career-opportunities

05/18/2026

On Saturday, May 16, voting rights advocates gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, for the National Day of Action for Voting Rights.

The Lawyers’ Committee’s President & Executive Director Damon Hewitt joined advocates, faith leaders, organizers, and community members to lift up the fight for fair representation, equal access to the ballot, and a democracy that works for everyone.

The dismantling of the Voting Rights Act is a reminder that we have unfinished business. This fight is ours, and we are going to finish it.
If you experience voting issues, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE. Learn more at 866ourvote.org

Photo credit: Butch Dill for AP Images/Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

05/18/2026

Today the Supreme Court vacated a lower court ruling that had created three majority-Black districts in Mississippi, where voters had already made history electing new candidates. It also vacated a ruling protecting Native American voting rights in North Dakota. Both were sent back to lower courts in light of Callais.

With the progress we’ve made, this Court is erasing it. Read our full statement:
https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/supreme-court-sends-two-voting-discrimination-cases-back-to-lower-courts/