Climate Change Activists Fined for Peaceful Protest

On September 24, 2020, member of the NLG-Mass Chapter Mass Defense Committe Attorney Jeff Feuer appeared in person in Roxbury District Court to represent ten climate change activists who had been arrested for hanging a huge CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW banner over the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square during a Red Sox game this summer. 

Despite the fact that this was … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Boston Denounces Boston Globe’s Smear of Mass Bail Fund

On August 6, 2020, the Boston Globe run a story title “Sex Offender Just Set Free by Mass Bail Fund” which was an attack against Massachusetts Bail Fund, an organization which prides itself in bringing some justice to poor people who suffer under our very unjust cash bail system. On August 7, 2020, the NLG-Mass Chapter wrote the following letter … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Stands Against Deployment of Feds in Boston!

Dear Mayor Walsh, District Attorney Rollins, Boston City Council, and all State and other local elected officials:

The National Lawyers Guild-Massachusetts is gravely concerned with the ongoing
situation in Portland, Oregon. As we write this letter, reports continue to roll in from
Portland, where unidentified federal agents have been arresting protestors without due process. According to reports, people have been … Read more>>

NLG-Mass LO’s at Lynn Anti-Police Brutality Protest

On Friday, June 26, 2020, at an anti-police brutality protest in Lynn, NLG Legal Observers were hard at work providing the forward facing, on-site support that we are proud to supply to organizers and protesters alike.

From left to right:  Katarina Ezikovich, Charley Gibson, Max Fowler, and Ren Workman… Read more>>

NLG Mass Defense Committee in Action

by Noah Meister

The COVID-19 crisis has created a Catch-22 for activists and organizers: the more dangerous the virus makes in-person actions, the more necessary they become. As a result of the pandemic, one of the first big concerns I noticed amongst activists in Massachusetts was a concern for people imprisoned or detained by the police, and the lack of … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Chapter Keeps Busy Through June

June has been a very busy month for the NLG-Mass Chapter. Despite the pandemic, our members have been working on many different front providing communities in Massachusetts with legal and political help.

Here’s a report from Jeff Feuer, member of the NLG Board, Mass Defense Committee, and Litigation Committee, on the NLG work he been involved in:

• Work together … Read more>>

Boston Ordinance – Chemical Weapons used by BPD

NLG Board member Jeff Feuer coordinated a group of NLG attorneys (including Board members Lee Goldstein and David Kelston) and attorneys from the Boston law firm Wilmer Hale in drafting a proposed Ordinance for the City of Boston that would severely restrict the use of tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, flash-bang grenades, smoke bombs and other chemical and so-called “less lethal” weapons by… Read more>>

NLG-Mass Stands in Solidarity with Protesters of Police Brutality

The death of George Floyd has sparked protests against police brutality and the all too frequent loss of black people’s lives at the hands of police. The NLG-Mass Chapter stands in firm support and solidarity with all those who have taken to the streets to bring one, loud and unwavering voice in protest against police brutality and oppression!

Click Here Read more>>

NLG-Mass Chapter against Facial Recognition Technology

The National Lawyers Guild-Massachusetts Chapter stands in support of the Ordinance which would ban the use of facial recognition technology in Boston. We are firm believers that the people should be able to walk the streets without worry of being identified and tracked. These technologies undermine our privacy and can be used to track political protesters or anyone who would … Read more>>

NLG Ends Frivolous Lawsuit Attacking BDS Movement

May 19, 2020

NEW YORK—Anti-Palestinian activist and serial litigant David Abrams has voluntarily agreed to dismiss a lawsuit against the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), filed after NLG refused to publish Abrams’ advertisement indicating that Gush Etzion is part of Israel. Gush Etzion is an illegal settlement on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank.

“We’re pleased to end this time-consuming … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Student Chapter UMASS Dartmouth wins an award!

Exciting news! Our very own Deb Wilmer has lead the NLG-Mass student chapter at UMASS Dartmouth to winning the Most Improved Student Organization of the Year Award! Congratulations to Deb and to the student chapter!

Watch her acceptance speech here!Read more>>

#Law4ThePeople has a new date!

Nearly 200 of you responded to the National Office survey about a digital #Law4thePeople convention this year—thank you! Based on your helpful feedback, we’re thrilled to announce that the 2020 #Law4thePeople Convention will take place online September 21-October 4!

While we’re disappointed that our usual in-person convening won’t be possible this year due to the pandemic, we’re encouraged by our … Read more>>

Petition against Harvard Law School’s action on Students

Recently, Harvard Law School (HLS) has taken action against three of its students, among them Anna Nathanson, president of the HLS NLG Chapter, who organized a campaign against the school’s investment in companies that profit from prisons.  In coordination with NLG member Lee Goldstein, the students have filed a lawsuit against Harvard, and now they’ve been investigated and threaten with expulsion.  … Read more>>

April Happy Hour: NUSL Criminal Law Project on Campus Police

Northeastern Law students Chase Childress, Christine Farolan, and recent grad Alex Stein described at our April Zoom Happy Hour how they came together under the auspices of the their NLG chapter and the NUSL Criminal Law Project to take an in-depth look at how campus police operate, what is the legal framework, and what exactly are they doing. … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Working Through The Pandemic

Your NLG-Mass Chapter continues to provide unique legal and political support in this time of crisis to the underserved populations that are most affected by the pandemic:

•  Our Mass Defense Committee is providing Legal Observers and pro bono legal assistance to activists participating in “in-car” protests, risking arrest in acts of civil resistance while seeking the release of people
Read more>>

Who is Protected and Who is Served?

“Who is Protected and Who is Served?” is a report put together by Northeastern University’s School of Law’s Criminal Justice Project. In brief, the paper outlines a discrepancy between the broad exercise of authority wielded by campus police departments and the oversight of their conduct as required by law. 

Below is an excerpt from the report’s introduction:

“Police violence has … Read more>>

NLG Student Chapter at UMass Honored!

The National Lawyers Guild Student Chapter at UMass School of Law was recently honored with the “Most Improved Student Organization of the Year” award. The group has held several fundraisers, hosted many excellent speakers, organized a group of students to attend the Robert M. Cover Retreat and trained several legal observers, raising awareness of the Guild and helping to educate … Read more>>

#Law4thePeople 2020 goes Online!

NLG’s 2020 #Law4thePeople convention was originally scheduled to take place in Detroit this year but due to the ongoing health crisis, it will be making the transition online!

However, to make this event as successful as possible, we need your input! So, please visit the link below and complete the survey before next Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLo1wvpVQAt5u_uhs7BATyGTyc9PDOJl0nQzr7_0MGzVqiag/viewform

We look … Read more>>

Emergency Update on Housing during Coronavirus!

Friends and Comrades. As we go to press, the Coronavirus has changed everything, including the rights of tenants and homeowners.

On March 22, 2020, as a result of mass protest, the president signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT’). The CARES ACT declares a moratorium (120 days after March 27, 2020) on evictions and foreclosures in … Read more>>

NLG-Legal Observers Improvise during Pandemic

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, good people are still busy fighting for a better world! Yesterday, Thursday March 26, our comrades from several organizations were in Bristol fighting to free all those who are in ICE detention during the COVID 19 crisis. The protest was carried out in cars, so the NLG Legal Observers – Makis Antzoulatos & Matthew Shepard – … Read more>>

City Life/Vida Urbana Sit-in at Mayor Walsh’s office

On Thursday, March 5, 2020, Patricia Cantor, Jeff Feuer, and Lee Goldstein served as NLG Legal Observers as 40-50 members and supporters of City Life/Vida Urbana staged a sit-in in Boston Mayor Walsh’s office to demand a meeting with him to discuss the totally inadequate amount of affordable housing to be developed and built at Suffolk Downs over the next … Read more>>

National Lawyers Guild Northeast Regional Conference is Cancelled

Unfortunately, due to mounting concerns and increased preventative measures being taken for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) The Northeast Regional Conference is Cancelled. The conference will be rescheduled for sometime this Fall. Please be on the lookout for updates surrounding this event.

Event Description:

NLG members & friends from all over the northeast will gather to deepen our connections with each other … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Settles Lawsuit against BPD and BRIC!

NLG PUBLIC RECORDS LAWSUIT AGAINST BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT PRODUCES EVIDENCE OF WIDESPREAD SURVEILLANCE OF ACTIVISTS

 

Boston, January 30, 2020 –  In late August 2019, the National Lawyers Guild-Mass Chapter (NLG) settled its public records lawsuit against the Boston Police Department (BPD) and Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC), our local fusion center.  The lawsuit was filed in 2017 on behalf … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Development Committee Members Hard At Work

On Monday, January 27, the NLG-Mass Chapter Development and Fundraising Committee members sat down together for dinner and to discuss the roadmap for 2020. They discussed new projects, strategies for chapter growth and expansion as well as the future of political actions that the chapter would be taking part in. Needless to say, this is going to be another exciting … Read more>>

NLG-Mass Chapter Holiday Party 2019

Last Friday, December 6, NLG-Mass Chapter members and lawyers gathered at Encuentro 5 to celebrate a long year of hard fought cases in pursuit of justice for the people. The evening was lively and all those present enjoyed good food, drink and company. At the end of the night, the annual fundraising raffle was held and winners enjoyed prizes like … Read more>>