Issues

Immigrant Rights Initiative Undocumented immigrants and even those who possess temporary lawful status are often subjected to discrimination, harassment, exploitation, or are in other ways denied civil rights and other protections. Through impact litigation, public education, and policy advocacy, the Lawyers’ Committee seeks to defend the rights of immigrants as well as other groups treated as immigrants in the US due to skin color, ethnic/racial background, accent, religious affiliation, place of residence, or family relation. Learn More »
Judicial Diversity Program The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law seeks enthusiastic applicants from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds for a pilot Judicial Diversity Program, to launch in October 2011. Applicants should be interested in pursuing a career on the bench in Washington State. Judicial diversity is essential to helping our judiciary deliver equal justice, countering perceptions of systemic bias, and fostering the public’s faith in the legal system. Learn More »
Loan Modification Scam Prevention Network In the midst of the current economic turmoil and foreclosure crisis, millions of distressed homeowners have become vulnerable targets to unscrupulous and sometimes criminal third-party scammers, con-artists, and thieves. These homeowners, desperate to keep their homes, are at risk from individuals and companies posing as “loan modification specialists,” some of whom are the very people who previously peddled subprime loans. The alleged “rescuers” employ various scams with disastrous consequences for homeowners: phantom foreclosure counseling, lease-back or repurchase scams, fraudulent refinance, fraudulent loan modification, bankruptcy foreclosure, and reverse mortgage fraud. While waiting for the promised relief, homeowners not only lose their money but often fall deeper into default and lose valuable time. In response, a coordinated national campaign has been initiated to strengthen the fight against these scammers and support existing efforts at the national, state and local levels. Learn More »
Redistricting To reflect changes in population distribution, local, state, and congressional electoral districts are redrawn during the redistricting process to ensure that they have equal numbers of people. Because new district boundaries can have a large impact on election outcomes, public participation in the redistricting process is needed to ensure that new boundaries provide fair electoral opportunities for all. With decades of experience and knowledge in voting rights advocacy and the redistricting process, the Lawyers’ Committee provides support and a wealth of resources to help facilitate the involvement of citizens and communities in the redistricting process. Learn More »
Voter Registration Modernization The current means of registering American voters is inefficient and wasteful in terms of time, labor, and resources. As it stands now, the process disenfranchises millions of voters who should be eligible to participate in elections, often including racial and ethnic minorities, low-income Americans, military service members, seniors, students, and Americans with disabilities. Modernizing voter registration to make the process automatic, permanent, and corrective on Election Day would strengthen democracy and remove unnecessary obstacles and red tape. Learn More »
Foreclosure Prevention The waves of foreclosures across America have resulted in economic and civil rights crises that need tangible, strategic solutions. The Lawyers’ Committee has collected a variety of resources from the federal government, individual states, and select cities and banks to help Americans safeguard themselves from foreclosures. Learn More »
Payday Lending Predatory lending schemes target people across the United States, especially members of low-income and minority communities. It is important to provide these communities with affordable short-term credit options in order to combat predatory payday lending and to encourage asset development. The battle to prevent predatory lending continues in the courts: the Payday Loan Reform Act of 2009 threatens to legitimize triple digit interest rates, which would only increase the disproportionate effects of payday lending on minorities and members of the working class. The Lawyers’ Committee works to raise awareness of these issues and support legislation that promotes (rather than prevents) asset development, while simultaneously fighting the clear discrimination of payday lenders against communities of color. Learn More »
Lawyers' Committee Supreme Court Cases Throughout its dynamic history, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has been at the forefront of civil rights impact cases and legislation. Today, the Committee continues to fight against preventive legislation threatening justice and equality particularly in the areas of voting rights, employment, and fair lending. Learn More »