When the fight for fairness seems never-ending, Relman Colfax draws upon the resilience and perseverance of the generations of civil rights advocates who preceded us and those actively fighting for equality today. No great movement, no significant law, and no long-lasting change has ever been possible without sustained resistance to injustice and communities coming together to use their collective power for good.
This month, we are inspired by John Relman’s observations on our collective responsibility to encourage our allies to continue fighting uphill battles. John recently wrote for Bloomberg, one of the most influential global news sources, on the importance of standing up to the bullying of the Trump Administration. In his op-ed, John’s final lesson for readers is: For those who have faith in the rule of law and the conviction to persevere, an authoritarian can be defeated.
Supporting HUD’s Oath For Fair Housing Enforcement
Throughout National Fair Housing Month, we have been reflecting on the passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, those who fought courageously to have this law enacted, and those who continue to enforce it today. Relman Colfax stands with the brave current and former employees of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) who launched a website this month, detailing how the Trump administration has been blocking enforcement of federal fair housing laws.
“Federal workers at HUD are being silenced and retaliated against for doing their jobs—fighting to protect people from discrimination while being forced to violate their oath to serve the American public," the site reads.
Despite Administration attempts to cut funding to fight discrimination and to gut agency enforcement capacity, fair housing laws remain intact and Relman Colfax and its allies are working in the courts and with state and local agencies to ensure that those protections are enforced.
We are proud of those who are raising alarms about these injustices. We encourage our allies to read and share these employees' letters and join them in demanding action.
Resisting The Unconstitutional Assault On The Legal Profession
For more than 40 years, Founding Partner John Relman has worked as a civil rights lawyer and dedicated his career to upholding the rule of law. Last year, it came as a shock to many in the legal profession and beyond when President Trump issued the first of his executive orders targeting for retaliation and punishment a number of law firms who represented clients or causes he did not like. It came as an even greater shock when nine of the country’s biggest firms responded by capitulating to Trump’s demands, agreeing to provide the administration with a total of nearly $1 billion in free legal assistance in exchange for an unenforceable promise from the President not to pursue punitive sanctions.
John spoke up during this time of uncertainty, rallying opposition from firms and partners and encouraging the industry to stick together to defend the rule of law. Collectively, the legal profession has enormous power. And ultimately, four firms that chose to fight won federal district court rulings holding that the orders violated their First Amendment rights to advocate for clients and causes of their choosing.
A year later, the administration told the Court of Appeals that it intended to abandon its appeal of the district court decisions, only to reverse course 24 hours later. In light of this news, John took the time to reflect on the past year and share his expertise about the consequences for those who stood firm and those who acquiesced to intimidation. His Bloomberg column, “Big Law Firms Who Surrendered to Trump’s Demands Ended up Losing,” shares those lessons. He hopes this proves to be a cautionary tale for anyone who might be in Trump’s current crosshairs. As Judge Howell put it, those who fought “will be the models lauded when this period of American history is written.”
Opposing Unlawful Settlements Used For Immigration Enforcement
Last month, Relman Colfax submitted an amicus brief on behalf of a coalition of the nation’s premiere nonprofits defending fair housing, civil rights, and immigration advocacy. The amicus asked the federal court in Houston, Texas to refuse to enter a proposed settlement agreement in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau et al. v. Colony Ridge Development LLC, et al.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Colony Ridge, a collection of six subdivisions in Liberty County, Texas, in December 2023 for operating an illegal land sales scheme and targeting tens of thousands of Hispanic borrowers with false statements and predatory loans.
On February 10, 2026, following a change in Administration and the appointment of a new Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, the Government announced it had reached a settlement agreement with Defendants. The settlement agreement proposed by the Trump-Vance administration would end this case with no monetary relief for the borrowers who suffered foreclosure or other severe financial harm from this scheme. Instead, the agreement would require Colony Ridge to set aside $20 million for increased law enforcement presence, including immigration enforcement.
Relman Colfax submitted the amicus brief on behalf of the National Fair Housing Alliance, League of United Latin American Citizens, Center for Responsible Lending, the National Consumer Law Center, UnidosUS, the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Public Justice, and Southern Poverty Law Center. The amici argued that the Court should deny the parties’ motion to enter the agreement because the settlement is improper.
At a hearing on April 10, 2026, U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett questioned whether the settlement’s structure was appropriate for a fair lending case. The judge made clear he was not comfortable endorsing and enforcing the immigration law enforcement provisions, which he agreed was not related to the allegations.
In light of the hearing, the U.S. withdrew its motion for the court to endorse and enforce the settlement with Colony Ridge. While the private settlement remains in place, we hope that this example of resistance deters other attempts by the Administration to hijack civil rights claims and federal court jurisdiction in service of its unpopular assault on the rights of immigrants to be free from discrimination.
The Relman Colfax team consists of Yiyang Wu, Nick Abbott, with paralegal assistance from Therese Harmon.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau et al. v. Colony Ridge Development LLC, et al.
Strategizing To Combat Authoritarianism
Founding Partner John Relman recently had a letter to the editor published in The New York Times defending the need for legal strategy to combat authoritarianism. John offers an important perspective on the role of the courts in safeguarding democracy. A country based on the rule of law requires courts to provide the legal and constitutional foundation for political movements, he argues.
Drawing on lessons from the Civil Rights era, the letter underscores a central truth: "We will need more of both political resistance and the litigation that produces courageous court rulings if we are to stop our current would-be autocrat."
We invite you to read John’s letter here.
Addressing The Spike In Unhoused Families
Co-Managing Partner Tara K. Ramchandani recently spoke to The American Prospect on the rising number of families experiencing homelessness and how social service rollbacks by the current administration are exacerbating the crisis.
“Unhoused families, like everyone else who is unhoused, are facing renewed financial pressures as social programs and housing support that was already woefully insufficient is stripped down under the Trump administration and wages fail to keep up with the hefty cost of apartments,” Casey Quinlan writes.
There were hundreds of layoffs at HUD last year, including of investigators who work with people who believe they have experienced housing discrimination, which adds insult to injury.
Tara told the Prospect that HUD consolidating its fair housing enforcement office represents a “pretty bleak moment for civil rights protections in our country.” She hopes that a network of fair housing groups will help fill the gap.
Landlords often practice familial discrimination with subtle approaches, such as occupancy restrictions per bedroom. Parents struggling to balance child care and other responsibilities may not have the energy to take on housing discrimination, so it’s important that they have assistance, Ramchandani said. “When you are grappling with the day-to-day of having young families and young kids, being able to step back and realize there is discrimination happening is tough.”
Read the full piece here.
Catching Up With Relman Colfax
This month, Partner Lila Miller was a featured speaker for the 2026 Virtual Fair Housing Conference hosted by the Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California. Lila’s work focuses on eliminating race- and disability-based discrimination and expanding housing opportunities for marginalized communities. Lila spoke on ways to strengthen fair housing advocacy through organizational standing, one of the most important tools nonprofit organizations have to enforce civil rights laws. Organizational standing cases can lead to policy changes across multiple units, properties, and practices, and are critical for effective enforcement. To hear more about Lila’s insights on ways to achieve meaningful, wide-ranging fair housing relief, contact her directly.
Recently, Partner Michael Alllen spoke at the Mississippi Center for Justice’s Fair Housing Month Celebration. Michael’s session, “Disability Rights & Reasonable Accommodations,” examined how fair housing protections work for people with disabilities and how we can strengthen access and opportunity for all. He shared his legal insights for housing providers, advocates, community leaders, and residents. Michael’s civil rights litigation practice focuses on the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and related civil rights laws, with an emphasis on dismantling barriers to integration on the basis of disability. To hear more from Michael on this critical work, reach out here.
Recently, Relman Colfax hosted an information session for law students from the Georgetown University Law Center and Howard Law School. Students were given an inside look at what it means to practice public interest law in a private setting. The session included a panel discussion with Tara K. Ramchandani, Michael Allen, Yiyang Wu, Tim Lambert, Valerie Comenencia Ortiz, and Ashley Brickhouse, where the team shared their experiences and answered questions. Students were able to learn about opportunities for bringing their passion for justice to life.
Closing Thoughts
The rule of law is preserved through perseverance and collective power. And so it is important for us to acknowledge that our work upholding equality and fairness is made possible because of the support and simultaneous efforts of our allies. On behalf of Relman Colfax, we would like to thank those beside us, continuing this fight for justice.
Sincerely,
The Relman Colfax Team