Contact the Independent Network of Legal Observers if your group is planning an action that may require legal observers – please try to notify as soon as possible, preferably at least two weeks. Legal observers do not give legal, tactical, or political advice, negotiate with police to recruit protesters, or speak to the press or the public on behalf of protesters. Legal observers do not intervene in any way in arrests or police activities. As with protests, legal compliance has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We strongly recommend that you take precautions to protect your health and that of those around you. General information comes from the Idaho ACLU. With mass movements, we often handle more requests than our team can handle. The good news is that anyone can serve as a legal observer. You don`t have to be a lawyer. You just need to know a few basics and commit to your role. Legal observers can be identified by actions by their orange Hi-Viz vests with the inscription „Legal Observer“. The NLG Legal Observer program is part of a comprehensive legal aid system designed to enable people to express their political opinions as widely as possible, without unconstitutional or government interference and with the least possible impact of the criminal justice system.

The program strives to establish and maintain trusting, principled relationships with activists and organizations that request our services. The National Lawyers Guild is the primary resource for preparing legal observers. NLG`s website offers a wealth of information on this topic, as well as a comprehensive training manual for legal observers that explains the roles and responsibilities of legal observers, as well as recommendations for setting up a team of legal observers for your next event. The Legal Observer program® is part of a comprehensive legal support system for our Mass Defense Committee, designed to allow people to express their political views as fully as possible without unconstitutional or police interference and with the least possible consequences of the criminal justice system. In addition to legal observers®, guild lawyers often provide legal defense for arrested protesters and file civil lawsuits if necessary. Legal observers® are usually, but not exclusively, law students, legal staff, and lawyers, who may or may not be licensed locally. Legal observers are trained and led by guild lawyers who have often established lawyer-client® relationships with activist organizations or are in litigation that challenges police tactics at mass rallies. The presence of legal observers can have a deterrent effect on unconstitutional® behaviour by law enforcement during a demonstration. To request legal observers® for an upcoming event, contact the National Office. Often, legal compliance requires a surprising amount of focus and energy.

Prepare for this and if you feel that you are physically or mentally exhausted, try to relieve yourself. It`s a stressful and responsible role. Never do this if you have been drinking alcohol. No matter your experience, you`ll always miss something, so don`t blame yourself afterwards. Everyone feels nervous and probably unprepared the first time – you learn a lot „on the job“, but it can be extremely rewarding. Don`t worry if you feel you need more knowledge, you will acquire it over time, and we hope this briefing will give you most of what you need. What is a legal observer? What are the key roles of a legal observer? Essential equipment Mental preparation Interaction with police Observation – the 5 Ws Observation of police tactics Observation of arrests Observation of stops and searches Liaison officers include lawyers, paralegals, paralegals and law students who have participated in training supervised by lawyers. The training emphasizes professionalism, ethics, non-violence and the requirement that non-lawyers avoid unauthorized practice of the law. Legal monitors help protesters exercise their right to freedom of expression by recording interactions between police and protesters. Role is about accountability, not intervention. Please be prepared to provide detailed information about the event.

We only send requests to our network of legal observers if an application has been properly processed by NLG staff and sufficient information has been provided. Stop and search. This is a police tactic that is often abused during protests. Legal observers should carefully note all stops and searches, especially if the police appear to be focusing on a particular group or ethnicity. Dissipate when prompted. Do not talk to the police. Keep in mind that while the media have been exempted from curfews, legal observers do not enjoy the same protection. Please contact liberty@aclu-wi.org and give us as much time as possible. The observers are volunteers and we need time to contact them to set up a team. We will not be able to provide observers for all events. The police may ask questions about the role of legal observers. There is no particular reason why you need to explain your role or tell them if you have a legal background or not.

You can state that you are there to supervise the work of the police, that you have been trained as a legal observer, but that you are not (as is sometimes claimed) „promoting business“ on behalf of certain law firms. Email chicago.lo.program [at] gmail.com! We encourage organizers to contact us as early as possible before the action so that we can improve our ability to engage our volunteers. We consider your request to Legal Observers to be a privileged® legal communication and the information provided will be treated confidentially in accordance with applicable law. NOTE: Legal observers do not give legal, tactical or political advice®, negotiate with police for protesters, or speak to the press or the public for protesters.