Lawyers for Civil Rights

Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) is a Boston-based nonprofit legal organization with roots stretching back to 1968, when it was founded in the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by a coalition of Boston attorneys committed to advancing racial justice and equal opportunity. For more than five decades, LCR has provided free legal services to people of color, immigrants, and other marginalized communities throughout Massachusetts, taking on cases involving discrimination, civil rights violations, and abuses of government power.

LCR has a strong record of challenging discriminatory conduct by law enforcement and government agencies, filing civil rights lawsuits under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and related statutes on behalf of individuals who have suffered excessive force, racial profiling, false arrest, and other violations of their constitutional rights. The organization regularly litigates against municipal police departments and state agencies in federal and state courts, seeking accountability and systemic reform alongside individual remedies for clients.

Beyond individual representation, Lawyers for Civil Rights engages in impact litigation and policy advocacy designed to drive structural change in how law enforcement interacts with communities of color. LCR has partnered with civil rights coalitions, submitted amicus briefs, and supported legislative efforts aimed at increasing police transparency and reducing discriminatory policing practices throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

LCR is widely recognized as one of New England's most respected civil rights legal organizations, having received numerous awards for its service to underrepresented communities. The organization operates with a staff of attorneys supported by a large pro bono network of volunteer lawyers from major Boston law firms, multiplying its capacity to take on complex civil rights matters and hold powerful institutions accountable.