Supporting Social Movements: A Brief Guide for Lawyers and Law Students

Authors

Jim Freeman

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a surge in grassroots organizing and activism, creating new possibilities for advancing social, racial, gender, and economic justice. As a result, lawyers now have a rare opportunity to help create powerful and sustainable social movements by supporting, strengthening, and amplifying these on-the-ground efforts. However, there is a long history of would-be "movement lawyers" who have inadvertently undermined many promising grassroots-led initiatives. This article summarizes, from a practitioner's perspective, the essential elements of effective movement lawyering and how they can help to avoid the mistakes of the past and promote transformative social change.

Recommended Citation

Jim Freeman, Supporting Social Movements: A Brief Guide for Lawyers and Law Students, 12 Hastings Race & Poverty L.J. 191 (2015).
Available at: https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_race_poverty_law_journal/vol12/iss2/3