Nelson Mullins is among dozens of private firms that have agreed to work pro bono on the ACLU of Louisiana’s “Justice Lab” project, filing up to 1,000 civil complaints alleging racist policing tactics.

The project seeks to create a civil litigation blueprint in Louisiana’s courts that can then be used in other states to fight racist tactics used by law enforcement, such as challenges to the court-created doctrine of qualified immunity and asserting equal protection claims. The project comes on the heels of the mass demonstrations over the police killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans, fueling calls for police reform.

Los Angeles partner Jahmy Graham said he joined Nelson Mullins four months ago with the goal of continuing to do the kind of pro bono work he had done at his last firm. He said the mass outrage and movement stemming from Floyd’s killing reaffirmed that motivation.

“I’m excited to get started and to help do justice and give victims the support that they need and the legal remedies they need,” Graham said. “But at the same time, recognize that we need good law enforcement, and we need law enforcement that’s accountable. But we also need law enforcement that’s supported by the community because, ultimately, we have to get through this together.”