Fighting for Students With Disabilities in DC and VA

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Parents Seek Relief for Immunocompromised Students as Governor Youngkin Moves to Enforce His Mask-Optional Mandate

Parents of children with disabilities filed suit challenging Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's mask-optional mandate, which effectively bars their children from schools. One week later, in pursuit of immediate relief for immunocompromised children, we filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction together with the ACLU of Virginia, Brown Goldstein & Levy, the disAbility Law Center of Virginia, and Arnold & Porter.

Read more about the case here.

Judge Finds DC Failed to Comply with Court Order to Provide Special Education to Students at the DC Jail

DC has been found in contempt by a federal judge for failing to provide special education to students with disabilities who are incarcerated at the DC Jail. In June 2021, the court ordered DC to provide these students the education they deserve. Yet, by the District's own records, they have never met that benchmark. DC's failure is inexcusable. We are proud to represent these students with the School Justice Project and Terris, Pravlik & Millian, LLP.

Read our full press release here.

We're Building Momentum 2022 Associates Campaign

2022 Associates Campaign!

Our annual Associates Campaign has had an amazing start this month!

We have already raised $15,736.00 and are on track for another record-breaking year. Thank you to everyone who is making this possible!

Get your firm involved by contacting gregg_kelley@washlaw.org

Support your firm's campaign today!

Dear Friend,

For decades, DC's autonomy has been held back in part by racist ideology and fear of a city with a plurality Black population to govern itself. While DC statehood still has not been granted, in 1973 the Home Rule Act significantly expanded the rights of DC residents by creating a local government and allowing for local elected officials.

DC Home Rule is not enough yet, Republicans have threatened to strip the City's autonomy if they win control of the House this November.

Removing the Home Rule Act threatens the civil rights of the nearly 700,000 residents of DC and will remove their already limited access to democracy. Learn more about this critical civil rights issue from the Washington Post.

Jonathan M. Smith
Executive Director

More News

Join us for Defund the Police, Part 2: Police-free Schools on Tuesday, March 2nd, at 12PM together with the DC Bar, Washington Council of Lawyers, Black Swan Academy, and DC Justice Lab. Early bird registration for this virtual event closes next Friday. RSVP Today!

Carlos Andino, Equal Justice Works Fellow, testified yesterday, calling on the DC Council to abolish the secret DC Gang Database used by DC Police.

Jacqueline Kutnik-Bauder, Deputy Legal Director, submitted testimony urging the DC Council adopt legislation that would stop abuses by special police officers.

Stacey Litner, Prisoners' Rights Advocacy Director, and the Committee together with a coalition of civil rights groups, submitted testimony in support of removing all barriers to the right to vote for people who are incarcerated.

The Committee sent a joint letter urging the DOJ to overrule the Insular Cases which undercut the rights of residents of Puerto Rico and other territories.

Stop Police Terror DC and the Defund MPD Coalition held a kickoff event for the next stage of our #NoMoreStopAndFrisk campaign. Watch it here.

The Committee was quoted by the Washington Post in support of a lawsuit fighting prison conditions on behalf of DC prisoners.

The Washington Post’s piece on the prosecution of the officers who killed Ahmaud Arbery quoted Jonathan Smith about the Justice Department’s precedent on similar cases.

Our case against celebrity chef Mike Isabella was featured in Law360.

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.