At ArchCity Defenders, our clients and their loved ones are inescapably targeted and punished by the criminal legal system of police, courts, and jails. Not only do we represent our clients in court, we reframe misleading narratives, help families rebuild their lives, file civil rights lawsuits, and organize for meaningful change. We invite you to watch and share this *NEW* video which highlights our holistic legal advocacy through the voices of clients, staff, and board members.
ArchCity Defenders
Legal Services
St Louis, Missouri 1,412 followers
Holistic legal advocacy from the courtroom to the community.
About us
ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence, especially in communities of color. ACD’s foundation of civil and criminal legal representation, social services, impact litigation, policy and media advocacy, and community collaboration achieves and inspires justice and equitable outcomes for people throughout the St. Louis region and beyond. ArchCity Defenders envisions a society liberated from systems of oppression where the promise of justice and racial equity is realized; communities where our approach to public safety prioritizes investment in well-being, health, and transformation without relying on criminalization and incarceration; and people living freely in their communities, thriving regardless of their race or income. In 2009, Thomas Harvey, Michael-John Voss, and John McAnnar co-founded ArchCity Defenders with a goal to prevent and end homelessness by providing free legal services to the poor and those experiencing homelessness. The model of holistic legal advocacy was pioneered by the Bronx Defenders in New York, and includes providing civil and criminal legal services as well as connecting clients to social services all under one roof. To date, we have filed 55 (and counting) civil rights lawsuits challenging policies and practices—predatory policing, debtors’ prisons, illegal housing practices, cash bail, jail conditions—that disproportionately impact Black people throughout the region. Our successes include ending debtors’ prisons in municipalities like Jennings and Ferguson where residents were targeted for decades on the basis of poverty and race by police and courts. Municipalities throughout the region have reduced their unlawful and predatory practices and we have recovered $10 million in damages for those thousands impacted by revenue-based policing and racial profiling.
- Website
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http://www.archcitydefenders.org
External link for ArchCity Defenders
- Industry
- Legal Services
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- St Louis, Missouri
- Type
- Public Company
- Founded
- 2009
- Specialties
- indigent defense, impact litigation, and holistic legal advocacy
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
440 N 4th St
St Louis, Missouri, US
Employees at ArchCity Defenders
Updates
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Join ArchCity Defenders lawyers for upcoming Continuing Legal Education seminars: "Wanteds" in November, "Fair Housing and Homelessness" in December, and "Municipal Ordinance Defense" in January. We're going to keep the Continuing Legal Education coming and invite you to join us in the fight! 🥊 Learn more: bit.ly/ACD-CLE
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The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy, but for many facing financial hardships, it can be a real struggle. ACD's Annual Holiday Gift Drive aims to brighten the season for families in need, helping them celebrate in their own meaningful way. Your generous donations can bring joy and warmth into their homes this holiday season. Please consider donating today to help make their holidays a little brighter: bit.ly/ACDholiday24
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ACD's special edition annual report is now online! It celebrates 15 years of holistic legal advocacy and highlights key moments from 2023 to 2024. Check it out here: https://loom.ly/6lP1Qgg
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We're #hiring a new Director of Finance and Operations in Greater St. Louis. Apply today or share this post with your network.
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We're #hiring a new Director of Finance And Operations in St Louis, Missouri. Apply today or share this post with your network.
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Only a few spaces left!! Join us at our upcoming 15-year Anniversary Showcase. There will be drinks; dancing; and reminiscing about the journey thus far, the pivotal moment we currently find ourselves in, and time to dream together about what the next 15 years look like. To register: bit.ly/ACD15years
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Event update! We are excited to announce Mo E All-Stars and Tracy (T-spirit) Stanton will be joining our 15-year Anniversary Showcase! We’re delighted these #STL legends will be part of the program. Have you got your tickets yet? bit.ly/ACD15years
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🌞FREEDOM SUMMER IS A WRAP!🥵 Across four events, we connected with 900+ people; provided one-on-one legal consultation to more than 110 people on housing and expungement issues; hosted political education conversations on abolition, voting, democracy, tenant rights, and transformative justice; distributed hundreds of Pro Se legal guides; and so much more. Deep appreciation to our partners, teams, interns, volunteers, and community for making it possible. This is only the beginning! Connect with our partners to learn how to stay involved: Action St. Louis Freedom Community Center Missouri Voter's Protection Coalition Tenants Transforming Greater St. Louis Deaconess Foundation
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