Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Basic facts

Formal name

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Founded

1963

Founding impetus

Call from President John F. Kennedy and 1963 White House lawyers’ meeting

Type

Nonpartisan nonprofit civil-rights legal organization

Core work

Civil-rights litigation, pro bono legal services, voting rights and policy advocacy

Founding and early work

In June 1963 President John F. Kennedy convened a White House meeting of lawyers to involve the profession more directly in the civil-rights movement. Harrison Tweed and Bernard Segal served among its early leaders. The committee supported civil-rights legislation, helped provide legal resources in the South and developed affiliates.

Johnson administration support

The committee’s institutional history records President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting its leaders in May 1965 and endorsing its work. This direct, dated contact is distinct from claiming that the Johnson administration owned or directed the independent nonprofit.

Civil rights and voting rights litigation

The organization uses litigation, pro bono resources, election protection and policy advocacy to address racial discrimination and voting-rights barriers. It is an independent institution, legally and historically different from federal Justice Department civil-rights offices.

Governance and name distinctions

The national Lawyers’ Committee should not be confused with other local Lawyers’ Committees or independent groups with similar names. Staff appointments and case positions can change; official organizational records and dated court dockets are required for specific litigation or leadership claims.

Related entries

• Lyndon B. Johnson

References

1. Lawyers’ Committee original organizational history
2. Lawyers’ Committee organizational mission
3. Lawyers’ Committee board and leadership listing