2013 ANNUAL REPORT Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of the Lawyers’ Committee LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE SERVING GREATER BOSTON SINCE 1968 LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE 2013 ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS MISSION AND HISTORY 2 Mission And History he Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice is a 3 Message from the Executive Tprivate, non-profit, non-partisan organization formed to marshal Director the resources of the legal community to address racial and national origin discrimination throughout Massachusetts. For 45 years, the Lawyers’ 4-5 Economic Justice Project Committee has worked to safeguard the civil, social, and economic 6-7 Equal Employment rights of our constituency. We handle impact litigation as well as legal Opportunity Project actions on behalf of individuals. We also engage in community economic 8-9 Health Disparities Project development, community education, and public advocacy. 10 Education Law Project The National Lawyers’ Committee was established in 1963 at the request Voting Rights Project of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal 11 Other Forms of representation to address racial discrimination. The Boston Lawyers’ Discrimination Committee was founded in 1968 as the first of what are now eight local Convening of the Lawyers’ affiliates of the Washington-based National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Committee Affiliates Rights Under Law. In 1973, the Lawyers’ Committee became the first 12-13 2013 Annual Reception pro bono project of the Boston Bar Association and was the only Lawyers’ Committee in the nation affiliated with a major bar association. Although 14 Who Seeks Our Help: The Lawyers’ Committee’s the organization is now separately incorporated with its own 501(c)(3) Intakes tax-exempt status, the Lawyers’ Committee continues to maintain very strong ties to the private bar. 15 Member Firm Contributions Membership by private law firms in the Lawyers’ Committee still forms Individual and Non- the working foundation of the organization. These member firms fund Member Firm more than 60% of our annual operating expenses and provide million of Contributions dollars in pro bono legal services by co-counseling with the organization’s Grants legal staff. In this way, the Lawyers’ Committee has for decades harnessed 16-17 Co-Counsel and Pro Bono the resources and legal talent of Boston’s law firms to secure the civil Volunteers rights of area residents. 18 Collaborations with Other Organizations The Lawyers’ Committee has also grown, adding new projects and initiatives to fit the changing face of discrimination. While working 19 New and Outgoing Board Members closely with an ever-increasing number of community partners, it has always remained true to its core mission to challenge discrimination. Subcommittees 20 Member Firms and Organizations Regarding the Cover 2013 Board Members Memorial Service for slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers at the Emeritus Board Members Boston Commons on June 26th, 1963, two weeks after his death. 21 Awards, Fellows, Interns (Associated Press) 22 2013 Staff 2 LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE 2013 ANNUAL REPORT MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 013 was the 45th Anniversary of the Lawyers’ Sadly, many challenging barriers 2Committee. For four and a half decades, the Lawyers’ to inclusion remain. 2013 was Committee, its partners in the private bar, its coalition marked by a lack of affordable colleagues, and its sponsors have challenged all forms of housing, essentially segregated race and national origin discrimination. I am inspired by public schools, a devastating the long list of people who then and now have worked school to prison pipeline, the zealously with this organization to foster equality. mass incarceration of minorities, harsh anti-immigrant sentiment, It is only natural on an anniversary such as this to reflect and other harmful forms of on the reasons why the organization was formed and discrimination. The need for an organization like ours is how the mission is implemented today. In so doing, still apparent. we created a Founders Award recognizing the important spirit of social responsibility shown by our founders who 2013 was also the 50th anniversary of the tragic slaying of responded to the crisis in race relations by creating the civil rights activist Medgar Evers on June 12. The photo- Lawyers’ Committee. They built an organization that has graph on the cover, taken two weeks later at a memorial been a force for social justice over the last 45 years. service on the Boston Commons, is a reminder of the ter- rible hatred that is an inextricable part of discrimination. As this report shows, the Lawyers’ Committee remains The photograph is also, however, a reminder of the power committed to the same vision of an equitable society and of a community coming together as a force for change. spirit of partnership. Our member firms provide financial The Lawyers’ Committee is grateful to the individuals and support and the valuable expertise of their volunteer organizations noted in this report for their support and attorneys. We are lucky to have a dedicated staff and continued commitment to racial justice. strong relationships with other non-profit organizations. Together, we have challenged discrimination, economic Norma P. D’Apolito, Executive Director injustice, health status disparities, and more. Lawyers’ Committee Staff (left to right): Laura Maslow-Armand, Jessica Sommer, Sarah Gautier, Rahsaan Hall, Sasha Kopf, Michael Perez, and Kendra Sena. 3 LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE 2013 ANNUAL REPORT BELIN ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROJECT ince 2001, the Belin Economic Justice Project (EJP) technical assistance providers to present on topics such Shas assisted individuals in low-income, minority as business planning, marketing and social media, communities to create and expand their small businesses. accounting, access to capital, and legal basics. We held two By assisting entrepreneurs with legal matters that must seminars in 2013 and helped 40 entrepreneurs learn basic be addressed in order for businesses to grow and increase fundamentals to launch their businesses. A few graduates wealth in their communities, EJP contributes to the of the seminar have recently launched or expanded their Lawyers’ Committee’s efforts to promote racial equality, businesses with the help of pro bono representation from economic opportunity, and social justice. EJP Director member firms. Jess Sommer and EJP Staff Attorney Sarah Gautier collaborate with member firms and various community Haley House organizations to reach out to entrepreneurs in under- n 2013, EJP, Goodwin Procter’s Neighborhood served communities. IBusiness Initiative (NBI), and Haley House Bakery Typically, EJP and our partners offer workshops that Café, a neighborhood café in the Dudley Square present business legal basics, including entity formation, community, teamed up to offer two successful workshops contracts, leases, and employment law. Following a legal at the Haley House Bakery Café. In May, the NBI workshop, EJP and member firms host business legal team held a general legal workshop to provide advice clinics which give small businesses and entrepreneurs an on protecting and growing a business. In fall 2013, a opportunity to speak one-on-one with an attorney about follow-up workshop was held that was more tailored to their businesses’ legal needs. In 2013, EJP and partner entrepreneurs starting a food service or catering business firms held workshops and clinics throughout Greater and the importance of contracts and client expectations Boston, including Dorchester, Roxbury, Chinatown, in this context. EJP provided additional resources to Jamaica Plain, and Lowell. strengthen the partnership. In addition, EJP expanded our regular programming Pro Bono Clients to address on-going concerns of entrepreneurs in the ue largely to these new initiatives and ongoing communities that we serve. These new initiatives include collaborations with strong community partners, a seven-week business basics seminar and industry-specific D EJP saw a rise in the number of pro bono clients in 2013. programming. Last year, member firms represented about 40 small businesses with a variety of legal business issues. While “Create Your Own Job” Seminar we get our referrals from many sources, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Community Development Corp. n 2013, EJP launched a partnership with the Urban provided a large number of viable small businesses for pro League of Eastern Massachusetts in response to I bono assistance. For example, Ropes & Gray advised a both organizations’ concerns with the high levels of Jamaica Plain house cleaning business about employment unemployment and underemployment in Greater Boston’s issues. Mintz Levin assisted on a potential purchase of black community. To address these issues, EJP launched a a popular Ethiopian restaurant in Boston. Examples “Create Your Own Job” seminar for individuals who have abound of business owners and entrepreneurs, who skills, experience, and ideas to start their own businesses. could not afford an attorney, receiving great advice and EJP partnered with Latham & Watkins and various assistance from our volunteer attorneys. 4 LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE 2013 ANNUAL REPORT EJP Pro Bono Client Demographics Women Men 5% 24 5% 3% 28% 18 12 23% African American Latino/a 6 European American / Caucasian Indian 38%