First: contact NLG
Most protest-related arrests in Chicago are best handled through National Lawyers Guild mass defense, which is staffed by attorneys and legal workers who coordinate across cases arising from the same action. NLG representation is typically at no cost to the arrestee, and the infrastructure around mass defense — co-defendant coordination, shared motions, collective strategy — is often more effective than individual representation for movement cases.
NLG Chicago Mass Defense Hotline: 872-4NLG-CHI (872-465-4244)
Email: nlg.chi.crimdefense@gmail.com
When you call or email, leave your name, phone number, charges, and next court date. Messages are checked regularly and are confidential and privileged — but do not leave sensitive facts of your case on the voicemail.
If you are currently in police custody or lockup right now — that is a different situation, and the NLG hotline above is not the fastest route. Call First Defense Legal Aid's Police Custody Hotline at 1-800-LAW-REP-4 (1-800-529-7374), which is staffed 24/7 for people in City of Chicago police custody.
When MALC is the right fit instead
There are protest-related legal situations that fall outside what mass defense typically handles. For these, MALC can take the matter:
- Serious or federal charges that need dedicated representation through trial. Mass defense is optimized for ordinance violations, misdemeanors, and coordinated disposition. When the case is a serious felony or a federal charge, dedicated representation is often necessary
- Collateral consequences arising from a protest arrest. Immigration exposure, employment or licensing issues, housing fallout, and educational consequences often require separate representation from the criminal defense itself
- Civil rights litigation after the criminal matter resolves. Excessive force, false arrest, First Amendment retaliation, and other § 1983 claims are civil matters that mass defense doesn't typically handle
- Cases where NLG isn't the right fit for other reasons — your arrest wasn't at an NLG-supported action, your co-defendants are represented elsewhere, or the case has evolved beyond what mass defense can absorb
How we handle these matters
Fee arrangement depends on the matter and is discussed at consultation. For individual representation of protest-related matters, we apply our standard sliding scale; for fee-shifting civil rights litigation, we can sometimes take the case without upfront cost to you. Some matters we handle as part of our pro bono commitment.
If you've already contacted NLG and they've indicated mass defense isn't the right structure for your case — or if you're not sure — you can start an intake and we'll figure it out together.
Start an intake
Tell us what's going on. The form takes 5–10 minutes and is confidential.
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