Disability Law Center, Inc. - Boston, MA

Massachusetts' Official Protection and Advocacy Agency for Disability Rights

The Disability Law Center (DLC) is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' designated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency, a private, non-profit organization with a powerful mandate: to provide free legal advocacy on disability issues that promote the fundamental rights of all people with disabilities. 🏛️ Since our inception, we have been a steadfast guardian of civil and human rights, working to ensure our clients can participate fully and equally in the social and economic life of Massachusetts. We are not a government agency; we are an independent organization that provides zealous, free legal services to residents with disabilities facing legal challenges related to their disability. Our work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and justice.

Core Advocacy and Legal Services

As the state's P&A, DLC provides a wide range of free legal services, from information and referral to direct representation in high-impact cases. Our advocacy is guided by the needs of the disability community and focuses on protecting and advancing independence, integration, and equal opportunity. ⚖️

• Employment Discrimination Lawyers: We fight to end discrimination in the workplace. We represent individuals with disabilities who have been denied reasonable accommodations, wrongfully terminated, or otherwise discriminated against in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state law.
• Harassment Lawyers: We advocate for clients who have been subjected to harassment or a hostile work environment because of their disability.
• Special Education Rights: We are a crucial resource for students with disabilities and their families, fighting to ensure they receive the free and appropriate public education to which they are entitled under the law.
• Community Integration and Fair Housing: We challenge barriers that prevent people with disabilities from living in the most integrated community settings of their choice, including fighting housing discrimination.
• Rights in Institutions and Facilities: Our federal mandate grants us extensive access to facilities where people with disabilities live or receive services. We investigate and act to prevent abuse and neglect in these settings.

A Commitment to Systemic Change

Beyond individual casework, DLC is committed to creating broad, systemic change that benefits the entire disability community. 🤝 We achieve this through class action lawsuits, legislative and regulatory reform efforts, and by providing extensive training and technical assistance to other attorneys, advocates, and community organizations. We are a vital resource, working to build a more inclusive and accessible Massachusetts for all.