Inequality and oppression in society are still significant problems today. It is necessary to identify their roots to address them adequately. A civil rights lawyer is an attorney who works with cases that violate your civil rights on a federal or state level.
One of the most common cases a civil rights attorney can help with is employment discrimination.
You should hire lawyers civil rights when your civil rights have been violated. Your civil rights are laid out in the first 10 amendments of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Some examples of situations when you should hire civil rights attorneys near you include:
Where Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is violated. Prohibits discrimination in the workplace, discrimination in terms of access to education, boating, or housing based on several factors such as sexual orientation, disability, age, sex, religion, race, and more.
Where the Age Discrimination Act is violated. Prohibits people from discriminating against workers who are 40 years or older. If you are in the workplace and discriminated against because of your age, you might need attorneys civil rights.
Where the Americans with Disabilities Act is violated. It prohibits people from discriminating against people with disabilities in transportation, employment, telecommunications, public accommodations, and commercial facilities. So, if you are unable to access something like a disabled restroom in a hotel, you might need civil rights law firms to help you.
Where the Fair Housing Act is violated. It prohibits discrimination in terms of housing based on things like family status, gender, age, or race. If you are trying to purchase a home and the realtor or lender tells you that because of your gender or your race, they will not let you live in this area, consider hiring civil rights specialists.
Where the Voting Rights Act is violated. There should be no barriers to discourage minorities from voting in any election. If you are a minority who has faced obstacles in terms of voting, you might consider hiring a civil rights attorney.
When looking for the best Civil Rights lawyer near you, you want to make your choice based on a few things:
The average cost of hiring a civil rights attorney near me will vary depending on the case. Most civil rights lawyers will charge by the hour, ranging between $200 and $500 per hour, depending on where you live. For example, if you live in California, in a major city like San Francisco, the average hourly cost for lawyers for civil rights is $400 per hour. There are some situations where your case is so significant that it has to go beyond your local Court, in which case you might pay a senior partner at a major law firm up to $800 per hour or more.
In many cases, yes, you can get pro bono legal advice. Most civil rights attorneys work for the common good, so as legal professionals, they will set aside a specific amount of time every year to help with civil rights violations for free.
When you consult with an attorney, their job is to protect citizens like yourself, so they will help you determine what type of evidence you need for your case. Hard evidence will be what helps you win a civil rights case, and this might include landlord tenant lease agreements, employment records, company guidelines that prevent sexual harassment. If you have that hard evidence and you collect data that prove parts of that agreement or guidelines were violated, you have a higher chance of a successful case.
Any compensation you get is based entirely on your situation. It's best to consult with an attorney to go over what potential outcomes your case might have.