During the Fall 2023 semester, the NLG-MA Litigation Committee partnered with the Boston University Spark! program on a project to use machine learning to analyze complaints against the Boston Police Department. Spark! is an interdisciplinary program for undergraduates combining artificial intelligence, data science, and investigative journalism approaches to help organizations with real-world data projects. This project represents one facet of … Read more>>
Category | News
Mass Dissent – AJTF Update
12/15/2023
ABORTION JUSTICE TASK FORCE CALL TO ACTION!
NLG-Mass’ Abortion Justice Task Force (AJTF) was established in response to the Dobbs decision. The AJTF is currently researching the most pressing legal questions for those seeking an abortion, helping with accessing an abortion, and performing abortions in Massachusetts. Additionally, AJTF is researching the added legal concerns for more vulnerable populations, such as … Read more>>
UMass Dartmouth Law School
12/15/2023
This year, our student chapter has hosted a wide range of events. In the spring semester, we hosted a movie screening “Philadelphia” to help raise awareness about employment discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. We also hosted a panel on the “School to Prison Pipeline” where we brought in speakers from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, CPCS Youth Advocacy Division, Citizens for Juvenile … Read more>>
Suffolk Law School
12/15/2023
Suffolk University Law School’s NLG Chapter has been busy organizing and advocating this year. The goal was to bolster our ranks and try to build out our operational capacity. This goal has been largely achieved and we’re hoping to turn our attention towards even bigger and bolder ideas.
Our semester started with Disorientation event in September. We had the opportunity … Read more>>
Northeastern Law School
12/15/2023
The NLG student chapter at Northeastern has been quite busy these past months. Throughout last September, NLG members at Northeastern participated in Election Observing as the greater Northeastern community voted on a Graduate Worker Union; on September 30th, our members attended the NLG Student Brunch hosted by the NLG-Mass Chapter at Andala Cafe in Cambridge; we participated in the MA … Read more>>
Harvard Law School
12/15/2023
Harvard Law School NLG is going strong, with an executive board of 7 students and two dozen students who have attended our general body meetings.
In the Fall 2023 semester, HLS NLG recruited 36 students and community members for NLG Legal Observer training, conducted by NLG-Mass Chapter Co-Chair Melinda Drew. Our members participated as Legal Observers in over 20 protest … Read more>>
Boston University Law School
12/15/2023
Boston University chapter of the National Lawyer Guild has been very busy this year. At our general meeting we planned what we wanted to do this last semester.
In addition to hosting the NLG Disorientation event for first year students, we also organized a “Know Your Rights” training for BU students, held a phone bank for Gaza, and our members … Read more>>
INDEPENDANT ORGANIZING NETWORK (ION)
12/15/2023
We’re having a big organizing committee meeting on Friday, where we will hash out all of our plans to wrap up 2023 and hit the ground running with tangible next steps for 2024 (including ironing out our budget).
I would say the main things to share for I.O.N. this month are:
We’re seeking attorneys, law students, and organizers who are pro-union… Read more>>Fighting for Police Accountability:
12/15/2023
2023 Retrospective and 2024 Agenda
Mass NLG fought for police accountability through four public records-based projects in 2023—three of which will continue in 2024. The three continuing projects are comprised of two public records issues about notorious Boston protests involving right-wing extremists and wounded citizens, as well as Mass NLG’s broader inquiry into all complaints against the Boston Police … Read more>>
State of the Guild – Mass Chapter – 2023
12/15/2023
As always, the Mass Chapter of the NLG has had a busy year. With the support of our members, we have achieved several goals and are making progress on others. See details below.
Our active Committees have been continually busy. The Mass Defense Committee volunteer lawyers have provided legal advice to dozens of activist groups and free representation to arrested … Read more>>
Stop Cop City: Conversation with Local Activist
11/20/2023
Imagine enjoying yourself at a music festival with your friends and comrades, and then cops swarm in and start randomly arresting people without any probable cause. What was the charge – domestic terrorism!
This is what Alex experienced when he went to Atlanta to stand in solidarity with fellow activists and organizers opposing Cop City.
Prior to this gathering of … Read more>>
MASS DEFENSE COMMITTEE
11/20/2023
Since mid-October, the NLG Mass Defense Committee has been working non-stop to assist local political activists, students, health care professionals, and interfaith organizations in providing them with everything they need, so they could continue their fight for ceasefire in Gaza and against the war.
Legal Observers served at over 30 actions related to the war on Gaza and the crisis … Read more>>
MASS DEFENSE COMMITTEE EVENT
11/20/2023
DEFENDERS, UNITE!
On Thursday, October 19, the NLG-Mass Chapter’s Mass Defense Committee (MDC) welcomed nearly 40 NLG members and allies – lawyers, legal workers, law students, and activists – to its first ever “Defenders, Unite” social gathering at Beantown Pub in Boston.
The event provided a great opportunity for the MDC members to chat and discuss the Committee’s work with … Read more>>
540+ Legal Community Members Demand Action To Stop Racist and Unlawful Targeting of Palestine Advocates
11/07/2023
The NLG-Mass Chapter is among nearly 550 signatories (legal professionals, firms, and organizations) on a call to stop targeting and attacks of Palestine advocates.
Read the Press Release and Full Coalition Letter Here
Palestine Legal continues to receive an unprecedented number of intakes that need referrals, and they especially need attorneys with expertise in employment matters, criminal defense, and civil rights, … Read more>>
Boston University School of Law Students and Alumni Stand with Palestine
10/28/2023
October 16, 2023
“It is easy to blur the truth with a simple linguistic trick: start your story from ‘Secondly.’” Mourid Barghouti
This “secondly” hovers over Dean Onwuachi-Willig’s response to the events of the past ten days, isolating these events from the context of over 75 years of brutal settler colonialism. The response denounces the violence of resistance while leaving … Read more>>
Student Debt Crisis – Panel at Suffolk Law School
10/19/2023
Panelists (left to right): Natalie Higgins (State Rep.), Max Page (President of Mass. Teachers Association), Eileen Connor (Director of Litigation, Project on Predatory Student Lending), Alyssa (student borrower), Renée Landers (Professor of Law & Faculty Director at Suffolk Law School); Moderators (center, left to right): Michell Fallon (Suffolk Law School student) & Tim Scalona (President of… Read more>>
NLG Student Brunch
10/16/2023
NLG students met this past September to plan some exciting projects over brunch! A small group of students and members met at Andala Coffee House in Cambridge to enjoy some food and tea. We discussed some exciting new projects for the next year, brainstormed ways to expand our social media presence, and discussed ways to get more involved with local … Read more>>
Mass Dissent – Mass Defense Committee Update
10/16/2023
In the midst of daily heartbreaking news, we supported several powerful Palestine Solidarity actions this month.
On Monday, 10/9, our Legal Observers served at a rally and vigil in front of Cambridge City Hall, attended by people who are concerned with the decades-long plight of Palestinians.
On Thursday, 10/12, also in Cambridge, several activists chained themselves to the doors of … Read more>>
WELLPATH AND INADEQUATE MEDICAL CARE
10/16/2023
By Stanley Donald
Senior Law Clerk for Prisoners
Norfolk Inmate Council Unit Representative
On January 10, 2023, the inmates of MCI-Norfolk prison declared Wellpath Medical Services inadequate. The Inmate Council of MCI-Norfolk, who represents the entire inmate population, took a vote and unanimously declared Wellpath provides inadequate medical care.
A survey was conduct and the results were troubling. It was … Read more>>
Return the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) Back to Health and Human Services
10/16/2023
There are several issues which emerge from prisons in MA such as Lack of Health Care, Mental Health, Substance Use Disease (SUD) Programing, Education and failures in overall behavioral health treatment. The shift to the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security (EOPSS) from Health & Human Services {HHS) ushered in a Culture of Punishment. The attitude and approach of … Read more>>
Never Silent
10/16/2023
By Roberto Mendes, W98774
Looking around this room I see so many stories and I want to say that you create greatness just in your presence. Whether it’s the trails and trials of what life ”had been” to the whirlwinds of the “should bes” or the ”what could have beens.”
Just know that they are not only written in mistakes … Read more>>
Wrongful First-Degree Murder Convictions in Massachusetts: Too Many and Justice Too Long Delayed
10/16/2023
By Dirk Greineder
Over the last 14 years an eye-opening 7.2% (74 of an average of 1032) of all the Massachusetts prisoners convicted of first-degree murder sentenced to Life Without Parole ( LWOP) were ordered released by the courts because of wrongful convictions. 29 have been identified and have cumulatively served 911 years before release, for an average of 31 … Read more>>
The Massachusetts Chapter of the NLG opposes City of Boston Funding for BRIC
10/05/2023
Dear Boston City Councilors,
The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) strongly opposes the City of Boston’s funding for the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC) and enabling its spying and surveillance practices of citizens engaged in protected First Amendment political activities.
Since its inception in 2005, BRIC has not produced anything significant for the City of Boston in … Read more>>
Commentary on Recent Supreme Court Decision by Mason Kortz
09/18/2023
Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard
Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard realizes the conservative goal of ending affirmative action programs. In it, the Court sets down three requirements that affirmative action programs must satisfy: they must pass strict scrutiny, they must not use race as a “negative,” and they must have an explicit end date. The majority claims these … Read more>>
