Movement Lawyering Clinic | Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center

Howard University School established the first movement lawyering clinic in the United States. This 6 credit experiential course instructs students in practical advocacy on behalf of mobilized clients, activists and organizations with political goals. Our student attorneys are trained to be movement led and utilize advocacy advancement strategies including and exceeding traditional legal advocacy.

Spirit of Mandela Tribunal

In the tradition of the Paul Robeson We Charge Genocide petition, Clinic students examined and documented U.S. genocide against Black Brown and Indigenous People as part of a People’s Tribunal. The tribunal documented and examined witnesses in the areas of Police Violence, Mass Incaceration, Environmental Racism, Health Disparities, and

Learn more about the outcome of the tribunal here

Geneva Presentation

During the first session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, The Fall 2022 Movement Lawyering Clinic presented at an official side event. Their work documented the human rights of the black residents in multiple cities measured by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. (link already uploaded presentation). This work began what is now know as the Black Audit Project (BAP).

Howard Law students assess the UN's progress towards its Sustainable Developmen…

The McKesson Amicus

Black Lives Matter Protester Deray McKesson was sued for the assault of an officer injured by other people in a Baton Rouge protest. The case centered around the free speech of activist and movement protest. The court recognized that there is no duty to protect others. The Movement Lawyering Clinic submitted an amicus brief to support Deray McKesson and all movement protest organizers.

Read our brief here

Letter to Evanston City Council

At the request of then Evanston councilmember Robin Rue Simmons, TMCRC responded to the questions of the legal viability of municipal reparations. The city of Evanston, IL would go on to be the first U.S. municipality to pass reparations. Since then, many municipalities and several states have passed reparation efforts. Robin Rue Simmons has gone on to lead the organization First Repair, which provides support to other municipal reparation efforts. First Repair continues to partner with Howard University School of Law through the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center and The African American Redress Network.

Letter to Evanston City Council

Movement Collaborators

Student Attorneys in the clinic have assisted and represented the following organizations with their legal work or campaigns:

Advancement Project Advancement Project | National Office - Advancement Project

Law 4 Black Lives Law For Black Lives (law4blacklives.org)

RFK Human Rights Human Rights Advocacy for Social Justice | RFK Human Rights

American Civil Liberties Union Home | American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org)

Bunche Center Ralph J. Bunche Center | (howard.edu)

The Center for Media Justice MediaJustice – MediaJustice and the MediaJustice Network are leading the fight for racial and economic equity in a digital age

National Lawyers Guild National Lawyers Guild (nlg.org)

The Center for Constitutional Rights Center for Constitutional Rights (ccrjustice.org)

Life After Release Life After Release

Michael O.D. Brown “We Love Our Sons & Daughters” Foundation Michael O.D. Brown Foundation (michaelodbrown.org)

Defending Rights and Dissent Defending Rights & Dissent | Protecting the Bill of Rights for Everyone (rightsanddissent.org)

Georgetown Law’s Innovative Policing Program (IPP) Center for Innovations in Community Safety | Center for Innovations in Community Safety | Georgetown Law

San Francisco Human Rights Commission Human Rights Commission | San Francisco (sf.gov)