This evening, a small group of activists, community members, legal workers and lawyers met at the University of Baltimore Law School in an effort to revitalize the Baltimore chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild, which has lain dormant in recent times. One of the major topics of discussion was how the Guild can support protesters in the Baltimore area, whom the police have increasingly targeted. Not only have protests been disrupted, but many protestors are facing charges for crimes that carry potential fines and jail time. The Guild plans to conduct a training for individuals who would like to serve as legal observers to protect the rights of protesters and record instances of police misconduct. Guild members also plan to provide legal support for those who have been detained or who are facing trials.

The following paragraph, taken from Guild literature, describes a little background about the organization:

“Founded in 1937 as the first racially integrated national bar association, the National Lawyers Guild is the oldest and largest public interest/human rights bar organization in the United States. Over 5,000 volunteer lawyers, law students, legal workers and jailhouse lawyers are working together ‘in the service of the people, to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests.’”

The Baltimore chapter of the National Lawyers Guild can be contacted by mail at PO Box 50206, Baltimore, MD 21211 or by email at nlg_baltimore-AT-hotmail.com

More information about the National Lawyers Guild, including a Legal Observer manual and a Know Your Rights pamphlet, can be obtained at the website below.