Bird Marella partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Southern California (AJ-SOCAL) and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) to file an amicus brief in the Central District Court of California in support of the State of California’s position in United States v. California, defending SB 627 (the No Secret Police Act) and SB 805 (the No Vigilantes Act) (the Acts). The Acts prohibit all law enforcement officers from concealing their identities and prohibit non-officers from impersonating law enforcement.
Bird Marella has a long-standing partnership with AJSOCAL and supports its mission to demonstrate that trust and transparency in law enforcement are indispensable for protecting vulnerable communities. Both organizations partnered as lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the El Monte Thai Worker Slavery Case from 1996 to 2004, in which the firm defended over 100 undocumented clients who were forced to sew garments behind barbed wire and under armed guard in El Monte, California. In addition to preventing their deportation, Bird Marella helped secure an unprecedented settlement of over $4 million on behalf of the workers. The case also set a precedent concerning clothing companies’ responsibility for their subcontractors’ conduct. In recognition of these successful efforts, the California Bar Journal awarded the firm the 2004 State Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award.
Read community member experiences in the full amicus brief here.
Read AJSOCAL’s press release here.
Click here to read more on Bird Marella’s legacy of pro bono litigation.
