What’s The Center’s Connection to the National Lawyers Guild?
We are proud to have been founded as a project of the National Lawyers Guild. Through our work, we help to reaffirm the NLG’s basic principle that human rights are more important than property rights. Past presidents and current leaders of the national and local NLG sit on our board and guide our organization. For more information on the National Lawyers Guild, see the NLG’s website.
Who were Maurice and Jane Sugar?
Maurice and Jane Sugar were a husband and wife team who shared a lifelong dedication to the cause of social justice. Through legal advocacy and grassroots activism, they were prominent figures in the early labor movement and in the formation of the National Lawyers Guild. As part of their legacy, they endowed a foundation that provided the primary funds for Sugar Law’s first years. Read more about the Sugars in the book “Maurice Sugar: Law, Labor, and the Left in Detroit, 1912-1950″ (available from Wayne State University Press).
Whom Does The Center Serve?
As a national legal resource center, we are dedicated to helping individuals, unions, community organizations, attorneys, and other progressive-minded people who are working for social justice and fighting corporate and government abuses. In some cases, we offer direct legal representation or assistance in grassroots efforts. For others, we offer legal support, expert advice, or referrals to private attorneys skilled in specific fields. We have also been consulted by governmental bodies seeking advice as they enact protections for workers and community members.
Where Does The Center Work?
We are based in Detroit and do a significant amount of work in the Midwest. However, we are actively involved in litigation and other work across the United States. We are available on a case-by-case basis to provide legal assistance or representation anywhere in the country. For more information, contact us. (Please note that we are not, and should not be viewed as, the attorneys in a case until we formally agree to represent you.)
What’s in a Name?
Our formal name is the Maurice and Jane Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice. We call ourselves the Sugar Law Center. You may have heard of us as the Maurice Sugar Center; because of our connection to the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), we have also been known at various times as the NLG/Sugar Law Center, or the Guild-Sugar Law Center.
What Does The Center Charge for Services?
In most cases, we provide our services for free or at a rate affordable by those in need. Sometimes, we will recover the cost of our services through court-awarded fees. To ensure that we can continue to provide no-cost or low-cost services to poor and disempowered people, we actively seek grants and tax-deductible donations. Because these sources do not always cover all of our costs, we cannot provide representation to everyone who requests or needs help.
How Can I Make a Donation?
We are a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status, and your contribution is tax-deductible under the terms of the tax law. You can make a donation online or by mail. Click here for more information on how to help.
Are There Other Ways That I Can Help?
Yes, you can provide in-kind donations and non-monetary donations. And there are numerous volunteer opportunities as well as cases for which we seek cooperating counsel. Click here for more information on how to help.