Ways to Stay Engaged While You Stay Home - June 24th Edition

We know most of you are staying at home now, doing your part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many of you are caring for family and friends. Others are looking for ways to keep busy as you practice social distancing.

During these unprecedented times, ACS continues to provide a virtual forum for our network to engage and work toward a Constitution that is truly “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Here are some ways to help you stay connected with ACS while in-person events are canceled. Do you have ideas we should include in future editions? Let us know by emailing info@acslaw.org! 

Open Justice Police Accountability Volunteer Project: Law students are needed to assist the Chicago Justice Project in transparency research related to the impact of state legislation, collective bargaining agreements, & court precedent on the accessibility of data & records from local, county, and state criminal justice agencies across all 50 states. CJP asks that volunteers dedicate 10 hours per week to research this summer. All work will be done remotely. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Director of Network Advancement, Ashley Erickson (aerickson@acslaw.org).

Jim Crow Juries - Pro Bono Help Needed: The Jim Crow Juries Project is seeking volunteers to represent those in Louisiana prisons who seek relief after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Ramos v. Louisiana this term. That case struck down a Louisiana Jim Crow law that required courts to convict even when some jurors did not unanimously find that the prosecutors proved guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The law sought to silence black jurors and disproportionately impacted black defendants. Volunteers will co-counsel with local attorneys to draft and file post-conviction relief applications seeking retroactivity. Training guides, forms, and resources will be provided. No prior criminal law experience is required, and volunteers can be barred in any state. Volunteers should be prepared to volunteer to file at least five petitions. To volunteer, please email ACS Director of Network Advancement, Ashley Erickson, at aerickson@acslaw.org.

Volunteer with Law 4 Black Lives: Fill out this form below if you are interested in assisting organizers with legal support. The nature of the requests do range but can include bail support and release for protestors, security and surveillance, research or policy support, technical assistance and consultations. Please email LCEmails@acslaw.org to let us know if you get involved.

Join a Webinar: Join the ACS Chicago Lawyer Chapter on June 26th, 12-1pm CT for a discussion on Use of Force, Accountability, and the Future of Policing in Chicago. Join ACS on June 30^th, 5-6pm ET for a discussion on Elevating and Engaging with Black Lives on Law School Campuses.