Legal Solidarity Bay Area (LSBA) is an autonomous law collective committed to mutual aid and popular education. The collective operates a hotline (510-250-1700) that people can call from jail and during and after a protest.
LSBA was formed in Summer 2023 as an offshoot of the National Lawyers Guild Demonstrations Committee. Members of the collective have many years of experience as lawyers, organizers, and legal solidarity workers. LSBA operates in a formal partnership, the Bay Area Legal Collaborative, with local legal groups such as the Anti-Repression Committee and National Lawyers Guild.
LSBA got off the ground in Autumn 2023 when we were asked to coordinate hotline support for mass mobilizations in response to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) free trade summit. In Autumn 2023 we also began receiving support requests for mobilizations in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance.
LSBA has an “each one teach one” approach to legal work which aims to demystify the criminal justice system and to combat the gatekeeping of critical legal information. We believe it is communities in struggle who create the knowledge and strategy that is spotlighted by radical legal work, and it is with these communities that we aim to build power and foster strong anti-repression practices.
LSBA decides collectively who to work with and which actions we will support; taking into consideration our capacity, affinity with the action, and what we can offer. We do not discriminate based on tactics. We strive to cultivate lasting relationships with the organizations, crews, and individuals who request our support, forming a reciprocity that defies a typical service model. Depending on the day LSBA members are out in the streets, not just in the office, and we welcome people who request us to join as members.