Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Trusted Legal Advocates for Social Justice in Detroit
Founded in 1937, the National Lawyers Guild Detroit & Michigan Chapter has served as a cornerstone of legal advocacy for social justice. Our organization unites lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers committed to prioritizing human rights and ecosystem protection over property interests. For over 85 years, we have functioned as the legal arm of social justice movements, providing critical support for civil rights, protest defense, and systemic reform. Our Legal Observer Program, established in 1968, documents police actions during demonstrations while offering arrest support and legal defense. We specialize in mass defense litigation, immigration advocacy, and challenging unconstitutional practices through strategic lawsuits and policy reform.Our work extends to prison and police abolition initiatives, environmental justice campaigns, and international solidarity efforts. With deep roots in Detroit's labor and civil rights history, we continue fighting for equitable access to legal representation and systemic change. Our team combines decades of collective experience in civil liberties litigation, grassroots organizing, and legal education programs for marginalized communities. We maintain strict adherence to ethical standards while advocating for policy reforms that align with our mission of justice over profit.
Services
Legal Observer Program
Mass Defense Litigation
Prisoners' Rights Advocacy
Immigration Legal Support
Constitutional Law Challenges
Details
- Year established: 1937
Highlights and features
- We offer 85+ years of proven expertise in civil rights litigation and social justice advocacy
- Our Legal Observer Program provides unmatched protest defense and documentation services
- We maintain a 100% commitment to ethical legal practices without corporate conflicts
- Our team includes nationally recognized experts in constitutional law and mass defense
- We combine grassroots community engagement with sophisticated legal strategy development
Services
Legal Observer Program
Trained volunteers document law enforcement activities during demonstrations to protect civil liberties. Our observers serve as deterrents to unconstitutional behavior while collecting evidence for potential legal proceedings. This service helps ensure protesters can exercise their rights with minimal interference from authorities.
Mass Defense Litigation
Comprehensive legal support for groups facing charges related to political activism and protests. We coordinate defense strategies, provide courtroom representation, and challenge systemic abuses of power against demonstrators. Our approach combines individual case management with broader civil rights litigation.
Prisoners' Rights Advocacy
Legal representation and advocacy for incarcerated individuals facing human rights violations. We challenge solitary confinement practices, support prison abolition initiatives, and work to expose systemic abuses within correctional facilities. Our efforts focus on improving conditions and securing fair treatment for all prisoners.
Constitutional Law Challenges
Strategic litigation to protect constitutional rights against government overreach. We specialize in First Amendment protections, police accountability cases, and challenges to unconstitutional laws. Our work establishes legal precedents that benefit broader civil rights movements.
Legal Education Programs
Training initiatives for law students and legal workers focused on social justice advocacy. Our programs include radical law student projects, dis-orientation manuals, and practical training in movement lawyering. We prepare future legal professionals to prioritize human rights over corporate interests.
People
Lisa Carlson
Legal Observer Coordinator
Experienced legal professional managing protest documentation and defense programs with over 15 years of social justice advocacy experience in Detroit's legal community.
Sara Habbo
President
Leading the NLG Detroit chapter with expertise in civil rights litigation and community legal empowerment, focusing on racial justice and police accountability initiatives.
Bill Goodman
Board Member
Veteran civil rights attorney with decades of experience in constitutional law, police brutality cases, and movement lawyering strategies across Michigan.
Questions
What legal services do you provide for protesters?
We offer Legal Observer coverage, arrest support, court representation, and constitutional defense for individuals participating in lawful protests.
How can I request legal observers for an event?
Submit a request through our website or contact the Legal Observer Coordinator directly at least two weeks before your demonstration.
Do you provide immigration legal assistance?
Yes, we offer immigration legal resources and support for detainees facing deportation proceedings or immigration-related legal challenges.
Are your services available statewide?
Our primary focus is Michigan, with legal support available across the state for social justice-related legal matters.
How do you fund your operations?
We rely on donations, grants, and member contributions to maintain our public interest legal services and community programs.
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