WPLC, IADL, and NLG file joint Amicus Brief Supporting the Hawaiian Kingdom’s Complaint against the US Requesting a Declaratory Judgment and Effective End of U.S. Occupation

Contact: Natali Segovia, Staff Attorney, WPLC: defense@waterprotectorlegal.orgNLG International Committee: international@nlg.org Honolulu—The Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC), alongside the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) and National Lawyers Guild (NLG), filed an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief today in support of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s complaint against the United States government, President Joe Biden, and […]

NLG Southwest Region & Water Protector Legal Collective Joint Statement on Federal Troops in Albuquerque, NM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: director@waterprotectorlegal.org The Southwest Region chapters of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG-SW) and Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) call on New Mexico state officials and federal officials to act quickly to halt the deployment of federal law enforcement officers to Albuquerque, New Mexico. On July 4, 2020, President Trump deployed federal agents […]

NLG & WPLC Joint Statement of Solidarity With Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Leoyla Cowboy Giron, Executive Director, WPLC / 805-699-1126 or organizer@waterprotectorlegal.org Natali Segovia, Chair, NLG Indigenous Peoples Rights Committee / 602-796-7034 or segovia.natali@gmail.com The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) and Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) stand in solidarity with the governments of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (the territorial government of Mnicoujou, Itazipco, […]

WPLC: Federal Subpoena Dropped Against Grand Jury Resister Steve Martinez

A federal grand jury subpoena issued to Water Protector Steve Martinez was withdrawn yesterday, without warning or explanation. Mr. Martinez had been summoned to appear on Wednesday March 1, as a witness before a grand jury in Bismarck, ND. The putative subject of the investigation is the November 20 incident on Backwater Bridge, and in […]

Army Corps Will Grant Easement for DAPL – Waives Notification Period

Water Protector Legal Collective is outraged by the U.S. Department of the Army’s notification to Congress today that it intends to grant the easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) to drill under the Missouri River at Lake Oahe in North Dakota. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ stated intention to disregard its policy of […]

WPLC Wins Change in Rules For Out of State Attorneys to Defend Water Protectors

Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) applauds the ND Supreme Court’s ruling today in their Petition to Permit Temporary Provision of Legal Services by Qualified Attorneys From Outside North Dakota. The request filed on December 14, 2016 sought to relax the rules governing pro hac vice admission for out of state attorneys in order to meet […]

WPLC Calls for Morton County Prosecutor Resignation and Permission for Out-of-State Lawyers to Represent Water Protectors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2016 Contact: Brandy Toelupe, WPLC President: (720) 876-8300 | Btoelupe@tildentoelupe.com Tasha Moro, NLG Communications Director (212) 679-5100, ext. 15 | communications@nlg.org MANDAN, ND—Yesterday, the North Dakota Supreme Court issued an order calling for public comments on a petition filed by the Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC), an initiative of the National Lawyers […]

WPLC Calls on Morton County to Remove Illegal Blockade of Hwy 1806 to Water Protector Camps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brandy Toelupe, WPLC President (720) 876-8300 | Btoelupe@tildentoelupe.com Robin Martinez, WPLC Secretary: (816) 694-6304 | robin.martinez@martinezlaw.net Tasha Moro, NLG Communications Director: (212) 679-5100, ext. 15 | communications@nlg.org MANDAN, ND—The Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC), an initiative of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), sent a letter yesterday to the Morton County Commission and Sheriff’s Department […]

Arrests of NLG Legal Observers Call Attention to Rights Violations during Protests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 2016 Contact: Tasha Moro, NLG Communications Director 212-679-58100, ext. 15 | communications@nlg.org King Downing, NLG Mass Defense Director 212-679-5100, ex. 14 | massdef@nlg.org NEW YORK—Last month’s arrest of Amy Mei Willis, a member of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) Georgia Chapter and Legal Observer (LO) during a #FightFor15 demonstration in […]