Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research and summarize state-level laws regarding Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports at public schools. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce a report and uplift model legislation. We estimate that each state will take approximately 4-8 hours of work. Deadline is July 31, 2023.
Lawyers for Racial Justice: Ending School Pushouts
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research and summarize state-level laws regarding school suspensions and expulsions. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce a report and uplift model legislation. We estimate that each state will take approximately 6 hours of work. Deadline is June 16, 2023.
Transgender Health § 1557 Project
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level laws that either expand or contract protections for transgender and non-binary health. The research generated through this project will allow advocates to target comments about the administration’s proposed rulemaking to frontline states and to develop model policies to increase these protections. We estimate that each state will take 2 - 3 hours of work. Deadline is September 12, 2022.
Lawyers for Racial Justice: Shackling of Pregnant Incarcerated Individuals
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level laws permitting shackling of pregnant incarcerated individuals. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 1 - 2 hours of work. Deadline is March 10, 2022.
Right to Water in Michigan - Document Review
Seeking 5 attorneys to review and analyze documents from a FOIA response to determine how and why the Benton Harbor, Michigan Water Crisis took place and to ensure the infrastructure is fixed as quickly as possible. We estimate that the work will take about 20 hours per attorney. Deadline is January 31, 2022.
Sentencing for Felony Crimes
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level law regarding criminal felony sentencing. The research generated through this project will be incorporated into every future Lawyers for Racial Justice report where a current or potential criminal charge is relevant. We estimate that each state will take 1-2 hours of work. Deadline is January 10, 2022.
Sentencing for Misdemeanor Crimes
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level law regarding criminal misdemeanor sentencing. The research generated through this project will be incorporated into every future Lawyers for Racial Justice report where a current or potential criminal charge is relevant. We estimate that each state will take 1-2 hours of work. Deadline is January 10, 2022.
Juvenile Solitary Confinement: Part 2
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level law where solitary confinement for juveniles is authorized for non-punitive reasons. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 3 - 4 hours of work. Deadline is December 20, 2021
Juvenile Solitary Confinement: Part 1
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level law where solitary confinement for juveniles is authorized for punitive reasons. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 1 - 2 hours of work. Deadline is December 20, 2021
Expungement Fees
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level code regarding expungement process and fees. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 3 - 5 hours of work. Deadline is November 30, 2021
Criminal Expungement Eligibility
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level code regarding expungement eligibility, timing, and resources. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 3 - 5 hours of work. Deadline is November 30, 2021
Criminal Expungement
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level code regarding the types of criminal records that can be expunged. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 3 - 5 hours of work. Deadline is November 30, 2021
Automatic Expungement
Seeking attorneys from law firms and in-house legal departments to research state-level code regarding automatic expungement laws. The research generated through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that each state will take 3 - 5 hours of work. Deadline is November 23, 2021
Lawyers for Racial Justice: Election Day State Holidays
Seeking law firms and in-house legal teams to research state-level code regarding state election day holidays. The research produced through this project will allow us to produce model legislation. We estimate that the full project will take 52 - 104 hours of work, but it can be broken up between multiple pro bono partners.
Lawyers for Racial Justice: State Laws on Corporal Punishment in Public Schools
Seeking law firms and in-house legal teams to research state-level code and/or case law regarding the use of corporal punishment in public schools. The research produced through this project will allow us to produce a report that will enable advocates or legislators to easily draft legislation to forbid the use of corporal punishment. We estimate that the full project will take 50 - 100 hours of work, but it can be broken up between multiple pro bono partners.
Work Authorization Applications for Asylum Seekers [5-10 hours per matter]
Seeking pro bono attorneys to help asylum seekers in the United States fill out an Application for Employment Authorization, prepare supporting documents, and file with USCIS. We estimate each matter will require approximately 5 - 10 hours of attorney time. Attorneys will be required to file a G-28 but representation will be limited to the employment authorization application.
Lawyers for Racial Justice: Disparate Impact Project
We are seeking up to 25 law firms and corporate legal departments to help create a pathway to reinstate a private cause of action for disparate impact discrimination from the federal government. The research and analysis completed in this project has the potential to create a new way to prevent racial discrimination in the US.
Lawyers for Racial Justice: Agricultural Child Labor Project (Phase 2)
[22 projects remaining, roughly 25-30 hours each] Seeking law firms and/or in-house legal teams to assist with the second phase of a 50-state research project regarding state law on agricultural child labor. We estimate that each assignment will take 25-30 hours, and request that the projects be completed by April 15.
State Legislative Research Project
Seeking law firms and in-house legal teams to research state-level legislation that has been drafted or proposed during the last full legislative session in each state, whether passed or not, and answering a number of questions about it so that the approach of different states regarding different topics can be compared and synthesized by organizations that are part of Lawyers for Good Government’s coalition-based model of impact work. Each participating attorney will be assigned to one issue area (e.g., voting rights, police misconduct, education, etc.) in one state.
Lawyers for Racial Justice: Homework Gap / Education Technology Access
Seeking law firms and/or in-house legal teams to assist with a 50-state research project regarding access to technology. Often described as “the homework gap,” access to technology is often a barrier to success in schools. Because lack of access to technology is more pronounced in Black, Hispanic, and lower-income households, the homework gap is a structural inequity that expands other inequities in our society.