FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why should you join membership?
If you are a lawyer, legal worker, jailhouse lawyer, or law student committed to movement lawyering and supporting movements for social transformation, Law for Black Lives is your political home! Here, you’ll find community, resources, and opportunities to grow in your work. As a member, you can:
Deepen Your Political Practice: Engage in regular political education sessions that sharpens your analysis and ground your work in abolition, anti-capitalism, Black queer feminism, and other theories.
Hone Your Skills: Receive top-tier training and mentorship to become a more effective movement lawyer or advocate in your community.
Build Community: Connect with a network of like-minded legal professionals who share your values and commitment to Black liberation.
Can I become a member if I am not a lawyer, legal worker, or law student?
Membership at Law for Black Lives is open to lawyers, jailhouse lawyers, law students, and legal workers. Legal workers include individuals working in legal, policy, or related fields, such as paralegals, law office managers, policy advocates, and academics. The legal worker membership is designed to support anyone engaged in legal work, whether paid or volunteer. If you’re not a lawyer or law student, we encourage you to consider whether your role fits into this broad definition of legal work.
If you are not a lawyer, legal worker, jailhouse lawyer, or law student, then membership may not be for you. You can support L4BL and join our list serv.
If I am a lawyer, do I have to actively practice law in order to sign up?
No! You do not have to practice law or have an active bar license to join. Even if you have never practiced and do not have plans to, you can join and find ways to support the movement!
Do lawyers/legal workers and law students get different benefits?
No, all members receive the same benefits and access to the same opportunities!
All members can attend membership events, training, and CLEs.
Non-licensed attorneys will not receive CLE credits for attending a CLE or training.
What are my membership dues used for?
Your membership dues contribute directly to the resources, events, and training programs that supports our members and strengthens the movement.
With your dues, Law for Black Lives can provide:
Dynamic Membership Events: From radical lawyer dinners to member meet-ups, we create spaces where you can connect, strategize, and build relationships with other movement lawyers, legal workers, and law students.
High-Quality Training and Skills-Building: We offer members workshops and specialized training that expands your skillset and equips you to work more effectively with movement organizations.
Support for Local Legal Organizing: Whether it’s helping members develop community-based legal infrastructure, providing resources to build with your local community, or hosting regional gatherings, your dues allow us to support members in building localized power across the U.S.
Convenings and Conferences: Your contributions also help us host conferences and gatherings, where members come together for political education, skills-building, and collaborative strategy development for movement support.
By contributing dues, you’re not only gaining access to these valuable experiences and resources but also supporting the work that Law for Black Lives and our members do alongside movement organizations.
To learn more about Law for Black Lives visit our website www.law4blacklives.org.
What if I can't afford to pay dues but really want to join?
You can email membership@law4blacklives.org and ask for our Solidarity Membership form. Please don’t let money be a reason to not become a member! We will work with you to find a solution.
A Solidarity Member is a member who sees the opportunity to contribute their skills and help build the legal arm of the movement. Our solidarity membership is here for lawyers, law students, and legal workers who want to join but need a more accessible and cost-friendly option. There is no fee associated with solidarity membership.
Will I have to travel to attend membership events?
Travel is optional! We offer a mix of virtual and in-person membership programs, so you can choose what works best for you. Many activities in our programming are hosted online, making it easy to participate from anywhere. For those interested in meeting in person, there will be opportunities to attend local and national gatherings, meetups, dinner parties, and training, but attendance at in-person programming is not required.
How do I connect with other members?
To connect with other members of Law for Black Lives, you have several options! First, join our digital community, where you can meet other members and join discussions. The digital membership community is currently going through an upgrade and will be completed soon.
Beyond the digital community, we invite you to connect in person and virtually through our many events, including webinars, workshops, skill-building trainings, local meet-ups, and legal field trips. Our radical lawyer dinner parties are another favorite way for members to connect in meaningful ways. You will also have the opportunity to join affinity-based or practice-based community circles, where you will be provided specialized trainings and thought partnership.
If you’re interested in a more active role, stay tuned for our Crew leadership opportunities. Joining a Crew allows you to work alongside other members on specific projects, co-host programming, and lead outreach activities.
If you'd like help connecting with a particular member or group, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Membership Team. We’re here to help you find the connections that will support your work and strengthen the movement!
What if I am not ready to become a member?
No problem at all—when you're ready, we'll be here! In the meantime, you can stay connected and up-to-date with Law for Black Lives by signing up for our newsletter. You’ll receive the latest updates on our work, upcoming events, and opportunities to get involved.
If you'd like to learn more about membership, feel free to schedule a one-on-one chat with someone from our Membership Team at membership@law4blacklives.org. We're happy to answer your questions and help you explore how Law for Black Lives can be a meaningful space for you.
If you have more questions about membership you can reach out to membership@law4blacklives.org.