Power Inequities Disrupted by Tenants & Officers of Color

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Park 7 Residential Sued for Illegally Suppressing Tenants' Right to Organize

Under District law, tenants have a right to organize and collectively address concerns with their landlord. That right has never been more important as tenants face the end of the eviction moratorium and increased displacement. The tenants at Park 7 have been attempting to organize for years and met with opposition and retaliation by the building management. In the first case under the District statute, we sued to protect the Park 7 tenants' right to organize. “I believe housing to be a human right, tenants should not fear the housing provider because they have the expectation of living in a well maintained, decent, clean and safe community.” - Tara Maxwell, President of the Park 7 Tenant Union. Our co-counsel in the case is Cohen Milstein.

Black and Latinx police officers have for years fought racism inside the Prince George Police Department and in the way policing is done in the County. They were met with retaliation and discrimination. Three years ago, together with Arnold & Porter, the ACLU of Maryland and with the expertise and assistance from BDO, we sued and after hard fought litigation achieved compensation for our clients and significant policy reforms. New policies will transform the discrimination complaint process, eliminate racial bias from promotions, enhance penalties for retaliation, excessive force and bias in policing, and implement a new bias-free policing policy.

Dear Friend,

This month we are proud to announce the settlement of our years-long litigation against the Prince George’s Police Department. Our clients who are Black and Latinx police officers successfully fought for change to not only eliminate bias in their workplace, but address longstanding harms to persons of color during police encounters.

I encourage you to hear the powerful words of Lt. Sonya Zollicoffer, Vice President of the United Black Police Officers Association and one of the many officers who was retaliated against after challenging racism inside the Prince George’s Police Department and against their community here.

As we celebrate this tremendous victory, we also recognize that this is just one step on path to transform our criminal legal system locally and nationally. We remain determined to push forward and pursue the lasting change.

Jonathan M. Smith
Executive Director

More News

Join us August 3^rd for “What does Defund the Police mean here in DC and in 2021?" with two DC experts on policing – Tahir Ducket, Relman Colfax PLLC, and Christy Lopez, Georgetown Law

Donald M. Remy, long time Board member, was confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Please join us in congratulating him!

A judge dismissed DC Police Union’s attempt to block the implementation of an amendment that will allow the public release of body-worn camera footage. The Committee filed a joint amicus brief in October 2020 supporting the District's motion.

Together with a coalition of educations law and equity experts, the Committee filed a joint amicus brief in a case challenging the education deprivation for children of the Havasupai Tribe.

Our success combatting source of income discrimination together with the Equal Rights Center was highlighted in Vox.

Our 2018 report on the discriminatory enforcement of fare evasion in DC was included in Transit Center’s new resource on alternatives to transit police and addressing safety on public transit.

An opinion piece by Pam Bailey, co-founder of More Than Our Crimes, in the DC Line highlighted the importance of local control of parole in DC and our 2018 presentation to the DC Council on this issue.

Daniel Katz, Senior Counsel, was quoted by the Washington City Paper on the power imbalance of non-compete agreements.

Jonathan Smith, Executive Director, was quoted by TownHall on the Capital Police’s lack of transparency.

The Daily Beast quoted Jonathan Smith in response to the overturned conviction of Bill Cosby.

Jonathan Smith was quoted on the lack of accountability in the US Marshals Service and with taskforces.

Get Involved

The Committee is always looking for co-counsel on important cases. If you want to receive regular emails with available matters, please email jonathan_smith@washlaw.org. Or take a compassionate release or a parole matter or help at our workers’ rights clinic.

Compassionate Release and Parole

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to sicken and kill persons incarcerated in prison. While through our parole representation program and our participation in the Compassionate Release Clearinghouse, we have secured attorneys for hundreds of prisoners seeking release, we continue to need help.

Attorneys interested in taking a parole case should contact Stacey_litner@washlaw.org.

To take a compassionate release case go to CRClearinghouse.org.

Workers' Rights Clinics

The Committee conducts Workers’ Rights Clinics which provide one-on-one consultation with a trained Intake Volunteer who will provide legal advice brief services, under the supervision of an experienced employment law attorney. These clinics are currently held remotely during the pandemic.

Attorneys wishing to volunteer should contact clinic@washlaw.org.

To schedule an intake with our Clinic, call (202) 319-1000 ext. 118. For Spanish please call (202) 319-1000 ext. 123.