You have the right to equal opportunities and equal protection under the law.
For more than 25 years, we have defended our clients’ rights.
Civil Rights Attorneys Serving North and South Carolina
Key Takeaways
- Look for experience with the specific type of civil rights violation involved in your potential claim.
- Ask whether the lawyer has experience litigating against government or institutional defendants.
- Evaluate the firm’s investigative resources and litigation readiness, not simply years in practice.
- Ask who will actually handle your case and how the firm communicates with clients.
- Confirm the attorney’s license status and understand fees and case expenses before signing an agreement.
- Use the initial consultation to determine whether the lawyer’s experience matches the facts and challenges of your case.
H2: 7 Things to Look for in a Civil Rights Attorney
Begin with a highly scannable comparison table.
| What to Evaluate | Why It Matters | What to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant civil-rights experience | Civil rights law covers many different claims and legal frameworks | “Have you handled cases involving circumstances like mine?” |
| Experience with similar defendants | Government agencies and institutions can create different litigation challenges | “Have you litigated against this type of defendant before?” |
| Litigation readiness | Some civil rights disputes cannot be resolved without filing suit | “Are you prepared to take this case to court if needed?” |
| Investigative resources | Video, records, policies, witnesses, experts, and other evidence may need to be obtained and analyzed | “How would your firm investigate a case like mine?” |
| Relevant track record | Comparable experience can provide useful context when evaluating counsel | “Can you discuss similar matters your firm has handled?” |
| Communication and staffing | Clients should understand who is responsible for their case | “Who will handle my case and who will I communicate with?” |
| Fees and costs | Fee arrangements and litigation expenses should be understood before representation begins | “How are attorney fees and case costs handled?” |
Civil rights laws were created to protect you from discrimination and mistreatment in law enforcement, education, employment, voting, and other significant areas of your life. A civil rights attorney can help you fight back when people, organizations, and government institutions violate your rights.
Your civil rights include your right to equal opportunities, treatment, and protections under the law, regardless of your race, religion, or other personal characteristics. You deserve to feel safe and free from harassment, and you should have the same opportunities and protections as others.
Your civil rights include the right to:
- be free from policy brutality and misconduct
- have a fair trial and treatment in prison
- freedom of speech and freedom of religion
- be free from discrimination in education and employment
- vote freely
If your civil rights were violated, contact the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin today at 1-866-900-7078 for a free case evaluation. We serve North and South Carolina, and we have the experience, resources, and drive to help you in the following types of civil rights cases.
Police Brutality and Misconduct
While most police officers honor their commitment to protect and serve citizens, there are instances when officers abuse their position of power and use it to victimize others.
- Police brutality occurs when an officer uses unwarranted and excessive force.
- Police misconduct occurs when an officer acts illegally or unethically to deprive you of your Constitutional rights.
Both police brutality and police misconduct are a violation of your civil rights.
Malicious Prosecution
Sometimes, people corrupt the criminal justice system and try to bend it to serve their own purpose or mistreat others.
Malicious prosecution is when the government uses prosecution or the threat of prosecution against you for an improper purpose, such as to intimidate or harass you. It can also refer to improper actions related to prosecution, such as the fabrication of evidence, and often goes hand-in-hand with acts of wrongful arrest.
Prison Abuse
Prison abuse is the mistreatment of inmates while they are under arrest or incarcerated, and it can include physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.
Education Discrimination
Students have civil rights, too. They must be given equal educational opportunities in our nation’s schools and should be protected from discrimination and abuse.
First Amendment Constitutional Violations
The First Amendment of the Constitution protects your right to freedom of religion and freedom of speech. If the government improperly regulated or interfered with these rights, you should pursue justice.
Employment Discrimination
Employees should be free from hostile work environments and discriminatory hiring, firing, and employment practices based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, and gender.
Voting Rights
Our country has a painful history of gerrymandering and voter suppression. If your voting rights are being restricted, we can guide you in what to do next.
What Should I Look for in a Civil Rights Attorney?
When choosing a civil rights attorney, look for a lawyer with experience handling civil rights claims like yours, the ability to litigate against government agencies or other powerful institutions as needed, and the resources to thoroughly investigate your case. You should also consider the attorney’s litigation experience, results in relevant matters, communication practices, and fee structure.
Important factors to evaluate may include:
- Relevant civil rights experience: Ask whether the attorney has handled claims involving circumstances like yours, such as police misconduct, malicious prosecution, prison abuse, discrimination, or constitutional violations.
- Litigation readiness: Civil rights claims can involve complex defendants and may require litigation in state or federal court. Ask whether the lawyer is prepared to take the case to court if necessary.
- Resources to investigate the claim: A civil rights case may require reviewing video footage, law enforcement records, government policies, witness testimony, medical records, or other evidence.
- Experience with institutional defendants: Ask whether the lawyer has experience pursuing claims involving government agencies, municipalities, employers, schools, or other large institutions.
- Clear communication: Ask who will handle your case, how you will receive updates, and who you should contact when questions arise.
- Transparent fees: Make sure you understand how attorney fees and case expenses will be handled before hiring the firm.
During an initial consultation, ask the attorney to explain their experience with cases like yours, how they would evaluate the potential claim, what challenges they anticipate, and who would be responsible for handling the case.
Want a more detailed checklist? Read our guide to what to look for when choosing a civil rights attorney.
Experience Matters When the Opposing Party Is a Powerful Institution
Civil rights claims may involve government agencies, municipalities, law enforcement departments, employers, schools, or other well-resourced institutions. You want an attorney and firm with experience managing complex litigation and pursuing claims against institutional defendants.
The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin has experience taking on government entities in civil rights matters. The firm led a team of law firms in the Black Farmers discrimination litigation, which resulted in a $1.25 billion settlement designed to compensate Black farmers who had experienced discrimination by the USDA.*
*Re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin led a team of firms to recover $1.25 billion for Black farmers from the U.S. government for discrimination.1
What Is a Violation of Civil Rights?
A violation of civil rights can occur when you are treated unequally or denied constitutional freedoms (such as the freedom of religion or speech). Violations can include harassment, discrimination, and discriminatory or abusive treatment due to your race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics.
What Does a Civil Rights Lawyer Do?
Civil rights attorneys advocate for their clients’ civil rights, and their responsibilities on a case can include:
- Providing objective advice
- Conducting research and analysis of claims
- Investigating law enforcement recordings, reports, policies, and practices for violations of Constitutionally-protected rights
- Filing a complaint in State or Federal court
- Preparing and conducting discovery of evidence
- Reviewing autopsy and medical examiner reports for officer-involved injuries and deaths
- Negotiating possible resolutions
- Assisting and supporting families through wrongful death claims involving government or municipal employees
- Representing clients in court as needed
At the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, our attorneys always put your needs first. Contact us any time for a free case evaluation.
The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Has a Long History of Fighting for Civil Rights
Protecting people’s civil rights is in our DNA.
Our North and South Carolina attorneys have a history of helping people and fighting to protect their rights. We led a team of attorneys in one of the largest civil rights cases in U.S. history, which resulted in a $1.25 billion settlement1,3 for thousands of Black farmers who suffered discrimination by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
If you feel that your civil rights have been violated, contact us today for a free and confidential case evaluation. We want to use our legal experience, knowledge, and resources to help you. We have 15 offices in North Carolina and one in South Carolina – we take cases all across both states and can even come to you.
Our civil rights department is led by Nichad Davis, a committed civil rights attorney who is passionate about standing up for the rights of his clients. The legal community has recognized his professional and civic contributions and accomplishments, and Nichad was honored on the National Black Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40” list in 2023 and 2024.4
You don’t have to worry about whether or not you can afford quality legal representation. We work on a contingency fee basis which means we advance all costs, and you don’t pay an attorney’s fee at all if we don’t get compensation for you.2
We’ve recovered more than $2 billion in total compensation for 78,000+ people since opening our doors in 1997.1 Read about some of our results for clients, then call us at 1-866-900-7078 for a free professional opinion on your case.
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