Five Questions with (my law school classmate), Civil Rights Lawyer Michael Allen Joyce Vance May 9 ∙ In March, I wrote to you about Zoe Ann Olson, the director of the Intermountain Fair Housing Council in Idaho. Musk, Trump, and DOGE called her work to ensure people had access to fair and affordable housing a waste of taxpayer dollars. It took lawyers to make sure the council’s modest funding, which did so much good for so many people, was restored. That takes us to my law school classmate Michael Allen who, since we left law school, has dedicated himself to some of the best and highest work a lawyer can set their talents to. His firm, Relman Colfax, brings plaintiffs civil rights cases. And they are very, very good at it. Even in normal times, that’s important. But now, with the Trump administration gutting DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, it’s essential. One of the Division’s top enforcement priorities is the Fair Housing Act. But that didn’t even get a mention in Pam Bondi’s memos setting out priorities for employees in the Division. Michael’s law firm, however, is a different story. They remain committed to the work, and their story is the story of lawyers across the country who are quietly fighting for people and for democracy. These are the stories we need to hear right now. They help us understand how important the rule of law is and why we can’t give up on it. Why does housing matter so much? The National Fair Housing Alliance explains it like this: “Where we live is more than just an address. That is because place is inextricably linked to opportunity: where we live determines our access to fresh air, clean water, well-resourced schools, healthcare facilities, reliable transportation, good jobs, quality internet service, and much more. It impacts our credit score, chances of attending college, health and educational outcomes, ability to buy a home; even our lifespan.” Tonight, we’re lucky to have Michael with us to help us understand what is at stake if this work goes away and why we have good reason to believe that at least some of it will continue to move forward. Lawyers, it turns out, really are heroes. Like so much else in this moment, there are reasons to be concerned, but there are also reasons to have hope. “Five Questions” is a feature for paid subscribers to Civil Discourse. The rest of my posts are also available to free subscribers. This is my way of thanking people who support my work financially, which allows me to devote more time and resources to it. But I want to make sure you know how much I value having each and every one of you here.