Baltimore Action Legal Team (BALT)

BALT provides legal support to Baltimore communities as they exercise their civil liberties protesting against injustices rooted in structural racism and economic inequality. BALT exercises a community lawyering approach because we believe that communities' organizing efforts should drive legal advocacy. We support and advance mass defense employing a human rights and racial equity framework.

BALT is committed to building the power of the local Movement for Black Lives. We take our direction from community organizing groups who are on the ground, and we respect the leadership of local activists. BALT is committed to anti-racist practices and to black leadership. BALT is dedicated to politically-conscious lawyering and to using creative, collective solutions to support the Movement for Black Lives in Baltimore.

BALT seeks to build the capacity of the local Movement for Black Lives by providing four key services to address the justice system: 1) legal observation teams during community protests, 2) jail support services, 3) the bail fund, and 4) human and civil rights training.