Good Trouble Lives On: Civil Rights Protest Honors John Lewis’ Legacy

On the fourth anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s passing, Americans gathered in cities across the country to remember his legacy not with silence, but with action. Thousands took to the streets this past weekend under the banner of “Good Trouble,” echoing Lewis’s lifelong call to challenge injustice with courage, conscience, and determination. This year’s protests were not just memorials—they were declarations of intent. The fight for civil rights continues, and the spirit of John Lewis lives on in every step marched, every sign held, and every voice raised.

At BNCL, we have long held that civil rights are not relics of the past. They are living, breathing commitments. They must be defended, enforced, and expanded with every generation. In many ways, John Lewis represents the blueprint of that work—beginning with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, surviving brutal violence in Selma, and carrying the torch of justice to the halls of Congress.

But to honor Lewis is not just to admire him. It is to act as he did—to “get in good trouble” when systems of power harm rather than protect. The rallies held this past weekend made that message clear. Protesters demanded voting rights protection, an end to gerrymandering, restoration of the Voting Rights Act, justice reform, and police accountability. These demands are not new. They are the same ones Lewis risked his life for in the 1960s. The fact that they remain at the center of modern protests is a testament to how far we still have to go.

In Washington, D.C., demonstrators gathered on the National Mall carrying photos of Lewis and chanting for Congress to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation. In Atlanta, his home state of Georgia—now a political battleground—community organizers led marches focused on voter suppression laws disproportionately impacting Black voters. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, smaller but passionate groups connected the dots between civil rights and issues like police violence, homelessness, and systemic inequality in housing and education.

And at the center of every rally was Lewis’s voice—his famous call to make good trouble, necessary trouble, in the name of justice. It is impossible to separate Lewis’s legacy from the legal battles being fought in courtrooms today. While Lewis marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, today’s civil rights lawyers march through courthouses, fighting not only for justice in individual cases, but for structural change that can prevent those injustices from happening again.

BNCL’s work stands in this tradition. When we represent families whose loved ones were killed by police, we are not just seeking damages. We are fighting for policy reform and accountability. When we file civil suits on behalf of individuals discriminated against because of their race, gender, or disability, we are carrying the same torch Lewis carried—believing that the law must be a tool for liberation, not oppression.

John Lewis once said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act.” Every protest this weekend was that act in motion. And for law firms like ours, every case is a chance to reaffirm that principle.

As attorneys, we are often taught to work within systems. However, history has shown us that the most potent legal breakthroughs occur when courageous individuals—lawyers, organizers, and families—refuse to accept injustice as inevitable. Legal action was taken to desegregate schools. It took federal lawsuits to dismantle Jim Crow laws. It took brave clients willing to speak up and determined lawyers willing to stand by their side.

This year’s “Good Trouble” protests serve as a poignant reminder that the civil rights movement is an ongoing legacy. It evolved. And today, the torchbearers are not just activists on the streets—they are also teachers advocating for inclusive curricula, voters demanding accountability, workers organizing for fair wages, and, yes, attorneys holding systems of power to account.
The legal landscape is shifting, and in some areas, regressing. Voting rights protections have been weakened. Police misconduct remains rampant in communities of color. Trans rights are under legislative attack. The very definition of equal protection is being debated by courts at the highest level.

In this environment, remembering John Lewis is not optional. It is essential. His life is a guide. His courage is a challenge. And his legacy is a standard—one that we at BNCL strive to uphold in every case, every motion, and every public stand we take.
Today, we not only remember Congressman Lewis, but also We renew our commitment to the causes he championed. We honor him not with platitudes, but with purpose. And we pledge to keep getting in “good trouble” until justice is no longer the exception, but the rule.