Civil Rights Litigation
We advocate for victims of civil rights abuses, confronting systemic injustice and discrimination to protect fundamental freedoms.
700%
U.S. prison population growth from 1972-2009, far outpacing crime rates and population growth.
1
Nazgol Ghandnoosh, “U.S. Prison Population
Trends 1997-2017: Massive Buildup and
Modest Decline,” The Sentencing Project
(Sep. 17, 2019).
Trends 1997-2017: Massive Buildup and
Modest Decline,” The Sentencing Project
(Sep. 17, 2019).
$182B
The U.S. spent an estimated $182 billion on its criminal justice system in 2023, reflecting costs beyond
incarceration.
2
Prison Policy Initiative, “United States
Profile,” Prison Policy Initiative (2024).
Profile,” Prison Policy Initiative (2024).
2.7M
Approximately 2.7 million U.S. children have at least one parent in prison, disproportionately affecting children of
color.
3
Dionne Barnes-Proby, Celia J. Gomez,
Monica Williams, Matt Strawn, Isabel
Leamon, “Programs for Incarcerated
Parents: Preliminary Findings from a
Pilot Survey,” RAND Corporation
(Feb. 8, 2022).
Monica Williams, Matt Strawn, Isabel
Leamon, “Programs for Incarcerated
Parents: Preliminary Findings from a
Pilot Survey,” RAND Corporation
(Feb. 8, 2022).
21,000+
In 2017, Massachusetts dismissed 21,587 drug convictions due to a state chemist’s falsification of evidence, exposing systemic criminal justice corruption.
4
ACLU of Massachusetts, “Bridgeman
v. District Attorney for Suffolk County,”
(April 19, 2017).
v. District Attorney for Suffolk County,”
(April 19, 2017).
The U.S. makes up 5% of the global population but holds nearly 25% of the world’s incarcerated.
5
NAACP, “Criminal Justice Fact Sheet,” (2024).
In the U.S., justice often intersects with wealth and racial bias, leading to widespread civil rights abuses. Systemic discrimination continues to result in unequal treatment, especially for Black and Brown people.
Mass incarceration does not make us safer or deliver true justice. Its consequences are stark: nearly 10 million Americans, including millions of children, have a family member incarcerated. Additionally, over 5 million people are disenfranchised due to past convictions. This system also impacts our economy, with an annual GDP loss estimated between $78 and $87 billion.
Our firm advocates for justice and compensation for victims of civil rights abuses.
Overview
The United States, a beacon of democracy rooted in principles of justice, freedom, and equality, continues to grapple with its history of oppression. Persistent racial disparities in education, employment, housing, and justice, coupled with mass incarceration and unequal sentencing, remain prevalent. Our firm helps those affected seek justice and compensation.
The prison-industrial complex profits from incarceration, paying inmates as little as $0.12 an hour.
6
Wendy Sawyer, “How much
do
incarcerated people earn in each
state?” Prison Policy Initiative
(April 10, 2017).
incarcerated people earn in each
state?” Prison Policy Initiative
(April 10, 2017).
Justice for Wrongful Convictions
The revelations surrounding the malpractices of state chemists, Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan, as detailed in the Netflix documentary How to Fix a Drug Scandal, have profoundly shaken the Massachusetts justice system. The misconduct of these individuals, ranging from drug theft and use to falsifying thousands of test results, brought into question the integrity of over 40,000 drug cases. Such a significant breach highlights not just the actions of two individuals but exposes serious systemic failures at the state level. Those wrongfully convicted are entitled to seek legal remedies, including possible compensation.
From 1980 to 2022, the number of incarcerated women in the U.S. increased by more than 585%.
7
Kristen M. Budd, Ph.D., “Incarcerated
Women and Girls,” The Sentencing
Project (July 24, 2024).
Women and Girls,” The Sentencing
Project (July 24, 2024).
Your Civil Rights
The United States is recognized globally for its strong commitment to civil rights, yet violations remain alarmingly common.
U.S. residents are entitled to:
- Protection from discrimination as a member of a protected class under laws such as Title VII, the ADA, and the Fair Housing Act.
- The freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly under the First Amendment.
- Procedural due process under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.
- The right to petition the government for grievances.
Civil rights violations may include workplace discrimination, wrongful termination, or retaliation against whistleblowers under statutes like the False Claims Act. Other examples include disability rights violations, sexual harassment or assault, police misconduct, excessive force, unlawful searches or seizures, cruel and unusual punishment, housing discrimination, retaliatory evictions, labor law violations, hate crimes, human trafficking, and inequities in education or public accommodations.
We represent clients seeking accountability and justice to address violations and pursue remedies.
From 1989 to 2020, 375 people were exonerated in the U.S. based on DNA evidence, with 69% of exonerees being people of color, highlighting systemic issues like eyewitness misidentification, false confessions, and forensic science errors.
8
Innocence Project, “DNA Exonerations
in the United States (1989 – 2020),”
(accessed September 2024).
in the United States (1989 – 2020),”
(accessed September 2024).
“Slavery didn’t end in 1865. It just evolved.” – Bryan Stevenson
9
Liz Mineo, “The need to talk about race,”
The Harvard Gazette (Dec. 7, 2017).
The Harvard Gazette (Dec. 7, 2017).
Lawyers' Role
We represent clients in both civil and criminal trials:
- Discrimination and Harassment: Handle employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace retaliation cases, working to secure fair compensation.
- Police Misconduct: Represent victims of excessive force, racial profiling, unlawful searches, and other civil rights violations by law enforcement.
- Unlawful Arrests: Defend clients detained or arrested without probable cause or legal justification.
- Wrongful Termination: Help secure settlements for clients whose terminations violate anti-discrimination laws or retaliation protections.
- Settlement and Trial: Seek fair settlements and prepare to take cases to trial when necessary to promote accountability.
How We Can Help
Challenge Systemic Civil Rights Violations and Wrongful Convictions
Advocate for individuals subjected to wrongful incarceration, excessive sentencing, or prosecutorial misconduct. Pursue post-conviction relief, compensation claims, and systemic litigation against government entities responsible for unjust imprisonment.
Combat Workplace Discrimination and Retaliation
Litigate cases of racial, gender, disability, or religious discrimination under Title VII, ADA, and Massachusetts employment laws. Represent workers in retaliation cases, especially those involving whistleblower claims under the False Claims Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Dodd-Frank.
Hold Corporations Accountable for Algorithmic and AI-Based Discrimination
Pursue claims related to bias in automated hiring systems, credit scoring, facial recognition, and algorithmic policing. Challenge discriminatory impacts under Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, and consumer protection laws.
Protect Individuals from Unlawful Surveillance and Digital Privacy Violations
Litigate cases involving illegal government surveillance, biometric data misuse, and workplace monitoring practices that violate privacy rights under the Fourth Amendment, CCPA, and emerging state and federal privacy laws.
Confront Police Misconduct and Abuses of Authority
Represent victims of unlawful arrests, excessive force, racial profiling, and wrongful shootings. File claims under Section 1983 and other federal and state laws against law enforcement agencies and municipalities.
Seek Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes and Targeted Violence
Represent individuals harmed by bias-motivated attacks and threats under state and federal hate crime laws, advocating for civil remedies and criminal enforcement.
Hold Institutions Accountable for Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking
Represent survivors of institutional sexual abuse, workplace harassment, and trafficking-related exploitation. Pursue claims against corporations, religious institutions, and government entities under state and federal law.
Fight for Reproductive Justice and Healthcare Access
Challenge restrictions on reproductive rights and medical discrimination under state and federal constitutional protections, ERISA, and the Affordable Care Act. Represent individuals denied essential medical services due to religious exemptions or bias.
Pursue Legal Action Against Public and Private Entities for Environmental Racism
Represent communities disproportionately impacted by pollution, hazardous waste, and toxic exposure in environmental justice cases under state and federal laws, including CERCLA, the Clean Air Act, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
Address Housing Discrimination and Algorithmic Redlining
Challenge discriminatory lending practices, landlord bias, and inequitable access to housing exacerbated by AI-driven tenant screening and credit scoring. Litigate cases under the Fair Housing Act and Massachusetts consumer protection laws.
Protect Public Protesters and Free Speech Advocates
Litigate First Amendment cases involving unlawful arrests, excessive force at demonstrations, and retaliatory legal actions against activists, journalists, and whistleblowers.
Advocate for Disability Rights and Public Accommodation Protections
Pursue legal action against businesses, schools, and government entities that fail to provide reasonable accommodations under the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Massachusetts state laws.
