The current regime is bringing an unprecedented level of criminal cases against people exercising their First Amendment rights; organizers, protestors, rapid responders, constitutional observers, and press. Most recently, everyday people simply seeking to document the illegal actions of ICE, CBP, and other federal law enforcement officers have been faced with criminal charges, violence, and even deadly force.

Throughout history, criminal law has been weaponized against movements for change, especially against community organizers, activists, and those who actively voice their opposition to governmental policies and repression. State and federal prosecutors targeted organizers from the Civil Rights, anti-Vietnam War, Black Power/Liberation movement eras to the Standing Rock pipeline protests. Most recently, organizers opposed to the creation of a police training facility in Georgia (“Cop City”) were charged with racketeering, conspiracy, domestic terrorism, and financial fraud. These prosecutions sit in the backdrop of ongoing attempts to pass legislation expanding definitions of “rioting” to criminalize constitutionally protected speech and assembly at the state and Congressional level.  

 In the midst of this rapidly evolving legal landscape, there is a growing need for more attorneys capable of providing zealous criminal defense representation fulfilling all people’s Sixth Amendment Right to counsel. There is also a need for more movement-aligned attorneys who are capable of handling politically driven criminal prosecutions. We need to expand our ranks and deepen our bench of movement-aligned defenders throughout the nation.

Fortunately, there are those who have been here before: defense attorneys who have represented organizers targeted during the COINTELPRO, post-9/11, and other eras of governmental repression. Movement Law Lab is gathering these veteran defenders so that they can pass on their wisdom and skill to the next generation. The Legal Resistance Defense Fellowship will provide you with the unique opportunity to receive training and mentorship to be prepared to take on these complex cases. Many of these veteran lawyers say they wish there had been an opportunity such as this, as opposed to learning it in a trial by fire. That is why MLL is creating this fellowship.