Civil Rights Advocacy

Michel & Associates’ civil rights lawyers advocate on behalf of a variety of civil rights, including the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, the right to self-defense, student rights, and the rights of medical marijuana patients and their caregivers.

First Amendment Rights

Michel & Associates proudly fight to protect the First Amendment rights of its clients to free speech and political expression.  If a client is blacklisted,  censored in commercial or political speech, compelled by the government to make statements the client disagrees with, or subjected to disciplinary or criminal sanction because of the overreach of a government agent, we can help. Our lawyers have experience in fighting back to protect our client’s rights.

Among other cases, our legal team has successfully represented school-aged clients who’ve had their free speech rights trampled through dress codes or other censorship, we’ve helped individuals and businesses blacklisted from bidding for government contracts, we’ve fought for clients who have lost their employment because of their political beliefs and speech, and we’ve successfully helped gun shows strike down bans on their rights to speak and assemble. Our efforts have stopped the introduction of ill-conceived politicized laws in multiple jurisdictions through winning court rulings and the well-reasoned argument that the government does not get to decide what speech is accepted and what is denied based on the speaker’s popularity or political influence.

The Second Amendment and the Right to Self-Defense

Michel & Associates has one of the nation’s most recognized and respected Second Amendment and firearms law practices. We are proud to be on the front lines of the Second Amendment and self-defense civil rights battle. Litigation and test cases moving through the courts today will establish the parameters of the right to keep and bear arms for future generations. We have won multiple cases striking down ill-conceived and unconstitutional gun control laws and helped hundreds of clients defend against civil and criminal prosecutions.

Student Rights and Special Education

Having legal representation at student disciplinary proceedings has become increasingly important. Students facing disciplinary proceedings before a school board often simultaneously face criminal charges in juvenile court stemming from the same conduct. Because the lawyers of Michel & Associates have experience in both criminal and education law, we can represent students before both venues.

Cannabis Law

Michel & Associates’ lawyers use their specialized experience in a variety of legal fields to assist those associated with the cultivation, distribution, and use of marijuana. Michel & Associates’ attorneys typically assist our clients in business formation, licensing, permitting, tax collection, leasing of facilities, establishment and implementation of best management practices, interaction with and lobbying of state and local law enforcement and government representatives, seeking the return of seized property including marijuana, bringing civil actions to protect the rights of our clients, and defending against criminal prosecutions.

LGBTQ Civil Rights

Michel & Associates fights to ensure full and fair compliance with all laws protecting the rights of members of the LGBTQ community. Michel & Associates’ experience in defending our clients’ civil rights gives us a unique and informed perspective in tackling civil rights claims based on the sexual orientation, gender identification, or other protected class status of our clients.  Every individual deserves equal treatment under the law, and our lawyers fight to ensure that treatment. Our lawyers have experience bringing claims to adjudicate the rights of the most vulnerable populations when government agencies or private businesses attempt to trample their rights. 

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