Today, full of pain, anger and sorrow, we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all those who are victims of the violence of a racist system. They should be with us today. We watch in admiration demonstrators who put themselves on the line to make us face the reality of […]
COVID-19 has highlighted and exacerbated stark disparities within communities across the country. Our mission is to help people who face discrimination and poverty assert their right to access fundamental resources like housing, employment, education and more. We have continued this work during the present crisis. All Law Center staff continue to work remotely, supporting our […]
We were sad to learn of the passing of Bob Smith, a lifelong supporter of service to the community and social justice who served as a voter plaintiff in our successful 2018 challenge to partisan gerrymandering. Bob died on April 4, 2020 in Wilkes-Barre at the age of 75. Bob played a pivotal role in […]
The Law Center is excited to welcome two new members to our Board of Directors, Zakia Elliott and Shauna Itri. Both were elected at our March 2020 Board of Directors meeting. Zakia Elliott is a Program Manager at Philly Climate Works, a coalition of labor and environmental groups working to build a safe climate future […]
Dear friends, This pandemic is revealing more plainly than ever the cracks in the system between the ‘have-nots’ and the ’haves,’ with the ‘have-nots,’ least able to provide the missing resources. The Public Interest Law Center remains open, with our dedicated staff working remotely, throughout the crisis to help Philadelphians access those resources. See our […]
March 4—On February 26, Montgomery County Commissioners fired the leaders of the County’s Public Defenders Office, Chief Dean Beer and Deputy Chief Keisha Hudson. The firing came shortly after the County forced the Defenders Office to withdraw an amicus brief that described in distressing detail the unfairness and harm caused by the County’s cash bail […]
January 20, 2020 – On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in recognition of decades of work advancing civil rights, Public Interest Law Center attorney Michael Churchill was honored as a Drum Major for Civil Rights at the Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Association for Nonviolence’s annual awards and benefit luncheon. The Drum Major awards recognize […]
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in recognition of decades of work advancing civil rights, staff attorney Michael Churchill will be honored as a Drum Major for Civil Rights at the Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Association for Nonviolence’s annual awards and benefit luncheon. The Drum Major awards recognize persons and organizations whose deeds are […]
This obituary was prepared by Lawrence Hoyle’s former colleagues at Schnader Harris Segal & Lewis LLP. December 30, 2019 — Lawrence Truman Hoyle, Jr., one of the leading trial lawyers of his generation, died on November 30, 2019, at the age of 81 in his home in Philadelphia. “Larry was an attorney of unchallenged integrity, […]
December 18, 2019 — The Public Interest Law Center joins the entire disability rights community in remembering the life of Eleanor Elkin, who passed away on December 4 at the age of 103. Friends and colleagues recall her as a driven advocate, who spoke with passion and grace about the rights of people with disability. Eleanor […]
