Our History
The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs was born in 1968 out of the Civil Rights Movement following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leading Washington, DC law firms came together to form a network of pro bono lawyers to provide high quality services on civil rights and poverty issues in the Washington, DC region. In the 56 years since, we have provided legal assistance to individuals and groups in a variety of civil rights matters. More recently, our commitment to dismantling white supremacy has expanded and deepened. Through systemic litigation, we have challenged racial oppression in the areas of education, housing, employment, prisoners’ rights, policing, disability, and immigration.
Who We Are Today and Going Forward
We remain committed to protecting and advancing civil rights for disadvantaged and underrepresented individuals and groups. Located in the Nation’s Capital, we are on the frontlines of the nation’s justice battles. We stand with low-income communities under threat — prioritizing strategic litigation but also using public policy advocacy and communications strategies to dismantle systems of oppression and to achieve lasting change in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, and across the country.