Legal Momentum
Encyclopedia
Legal Momentum, formerly known as NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, is the oldest legal advocacy
group for women in the United States. Founded in 1970, Legal Momentum is a liberal multi-issue organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights across the country. It is headquartered in New York City with an office in Washington, DC that focuses primarily on policy initiatives and immigration
issues.
In its advocacy role, Legal Momentum maintains a public-access database of current and recent cases in litigation of interest to legal practitioners and people involved in or affected by gender discrimination
.
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
group for women in the United States. Founded in 1970, Legal Momentum is a liberal multi-issue organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights across the country. It is headquartered in New York City with an office in Washington, DC that focuses primarily on policy initiatives and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
issues.
In its advocacy role, Legal Momentum maintains a public-access database of current and recent cases in litigation of interest to legal practitioners and people involved in or affected by gender discrimination
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
.
Major initiatives and involvement
- Wins Sprogis v. United Airlines (marital statusMarital statusA person's marital status indicates whether the person is married. Questions about marital status appear on many polls and forms, including censuses and credit card applications.In the simplest sense, the only possible answers are "single" or "married"...
discriminationDiscriminationDiscrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
and age discrimination), 1971. - Establishes the Judicial Appointment Project and the National Judicial Education Program to increase the number of female federal judges and eliminate gender bias in the courts, 1978-88.
- Wins Tallon v. Liberty Hose, (women as firefighters and gender-bias), 1982.
- Robinson v. Jacksonville Shipyards (workplace pornography constitutes sexual harassment), 1991 and 1995.
- Crafts the Violence Against Women ActViolence Against Women ActThe Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is a United States federal law. It was passed as Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, , and signed as by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994...
, 1994. - Authors and works to enact the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances ActFreedom of Access to Clinic Entrances ActThe Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act is a United States law that was signed by President Bill Clinton in May of 1994, which prohibits the following three things: the use of physical force, threat of physical force, or physical obstruction to intentionally injure, intimidate, interfere...
, 1994. - Amicus curiaeAmicus curiaeAn amicus curiae is someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information to assist a court in deciding a matter before it...
in United States v. VirginiaUnited States v. VirginiaUnited States v. Virginia, , is a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the Virginia Military Institute's long-standing male-only admission policy in a 7-1 decision...
involving the Virginia Military Institute's denial of admission to women, 1996. - Founded Women's eNewsWomen's eNewsWomen's eNews is a nonprofit online news service based in New York City. It publishes international news articles specializing in coverage of women's lives.- History :...
in 1999 as an online news service highlighting women's issues. - Lobbyist in favor of the Child and Dependent Care tax creditChild and Dependent Care CreditThe Household and Dependent Care Credit is a nonrefundable tax credit available to United States taxpayers. Taxpayers that care for a qualifying individual are eligible. The purpose of the credit is to allow the taxpayer to be gainfully employed. This credit is created by 26 U.S.C...
, 2001. - Apessos v. Memorial Press Group, (employer's discrimination against abuse victim by denying leave from work to obtain protection orders is unlawful), 2002.
- Amicus curiaeAmicus curiaeAn amicus curiae is someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information to assist a court in deciding a matter before it...
in Nevada Department of Human Resources v. HibbsNevada Department of Human Resources v. HibbsNevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs, 538 U.S. 721 , was a United States Supreme Court case which held that the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 was "narrowly targeted" at "sex-based overgeneralization" and was thus a "valid exercise of its power under Section 5 of the Fourteenth...
, 2003. - Argued United States v. The City of New York, (interpreting the Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation...
as applied to welfareWelfareWelfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
recipients), 2004.
Name confusion and notability
When Legal Momentum changed its name in 2004 it appeared to lose its identity in the eyes of both the non-profit world and the general public, and so hired a marketing firm to address the loss.See also
- Civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
- Constitutional lawConstitutional lawConstitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
- Employment law
- Equal Pay Act
- Gender discriminationSexismSexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
External Links
- Legal Momentum's official blog
- NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund Records.
- Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.