Shaylyn Cochran on the Current State of Civil Rights

It is a sobering reality – as we anchor ourselves in the current political moment, many people feel like the foundation of American democracy is being tested like never before. Across the nation, we are witnessing a relentless rollback of fundamental rights and hard-won victories, creating a season of what our guest described as “political violence, racial violence, [and] turmoil.”

For many Americans nationwide, it feels like our country is at an inflection point, so over the last few months, we have had a series of critical and important conversations with lawyers, policy makers, and legislators who are on the front lines making a difference at the national level.

That’s why I was honored to welcome Shaylyn Cochran, Deputy Executive Director for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to The Legal Lens Podcast. In this riveting discussion, Ms. Cochran, a seasoned civil rights litigator and former Department of Justice official, offered an essential perspective on today’s challenges. She detailed the systematic attacks facing Black and Brown communities, provided an insider’s view on the fight to preserve the rule of law, and, most importantly, equipped our audience with tangible ways to engage in the fight for justice.

For a deeper, more convenient dive into these critical topics, I strongly encourage you to listen to our full, 40-minute discussion on the Legal Lens Podcast. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Simplecast, and everywhere you get your podcasts for free. You can also listen in the player below:

The Unprecedented Fight: Shaylyn Cochran Weighs in on the Current State of Civil Rights

During this conversation, we covered the breadth of Ms. Cochran’s impressive career and the vital work of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. I am confident you will be both enlightened and inspired by this candid discussion with a leader on the front lines of the civil rights movement. Here are relevant timestamps and topics covered:

4:10 – Shaylyn Cochran’s Path from Journalism to Civil Rights Law
8:05 – The “Unprecedented” and “Fragile” State of the Rule of Law
18:00 – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: Its Founding and Three-Arm Approach
36:50 – A Heartfelt Message of Hope and Resilience

From Journalist to Litigator: Shaylyn Cochran’s Compelling Background

Our conversation began, as always, with a look behind the lens to understand what shaped Ms. Shaylyn Cochran. A proud native of Mansfield, Ohio, and self-described “Midwest girl through and through,” with strong family roots in Alabama, her passion for justice was ignited at a young age.

“I was the somewhat nerdy kid who became fascinated with the news. I remember spending so many summers just watching cable news TV, the advent of CNN and MSNBC, all of those shows. When others in the neighborhood were playing, I was watching political talk shows and was fascinated by news coverage. Of course, I had my friends, but I was very much just fascinated by the world that often kind of emanated from Washington D.C., specifically, social justice issues,” Shaylyn reflected.

This early fascination led her to college, where she initially trained as a journalist at Ohio University, saying that from the beginning, she knew the kind of stories she wanted to tell and, to this day, is always seeking to “shine a light on injustice” and “lift up people who had been marginalized.”

“That was just a common theme in my writing, from high school to college and thereafter. I would hear it from my editors. They’d say, ‘Shaylin, you’ve turned in your story. I need you to stop focusing on those people that you’re writing about.’ But I never wanted to let those subjects go and felt and still feel very strongly about the power of the pen and the need for journalists to protect the fourth aspect of our government. It felt like there was more that I personally wanted to do to impact the people involved in the issues that I was writing about,” remembered Shaylyn.

She soon realized that simply writing about these issues wasn’t enough and felt a “gnawing” desire to play a more active role in bringing about change. This led her to law school, where she fell in love with the idea of being an advocate and representing clients in court.

Shaylyn Cochran went on to practice civil rights litigation for 10 years, focusing on class actions, before joining the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division as an appointee of former President Joe Biden.

“It all really started with me wanting to tell the stories of people, often folks who looked like me who otherwise didn’t have a voice in our society, and wanting to figure out a way to not only lift up their voice, but be a part of the solution,” said Shaylyn.

She now brings this wealth of experience to her role at the Lawyers’ Committee, dedicated to ensuring Black people have “voice, opportunity, and power” in society.

The Fragility of Our Democracy: Why This Moment is “Unprecedented”

Reflecting on the current state of affairs in September 2025, Ms. Cochran did not mince words when describing the current moment and the scale of its impact on nearly every facet of life, including voting rights, criminal justice, economic opportunity, and education.

“It’s a word that feels like it may have been overused, particularly this year, but it still feels so appropriate to me – it’s unprecedented. We’re in this moment where there are attacks on nearly every facet of our lives,” said Shaylyn when asked to reflect on the current state of affairs.

Shaylyn lamented the magnitude of the issues our country is facing – particularly those who are most vulnerable in our nation.

“We are in a world where there is a full-scale attack on so many aspects of life, particularly for Black and Brown communities and people who may be coming from some sort of background where they are more vulnerable or historically have been more vulnerable. It is a vulnerable time and a time that feels more unprecedented for me. For so many of my generation, especially, we are being reminded daily of the fragility of the rule of law, our democracy, and the ways we’re showing up even in our communities,” said Shaylyn.

She emphasized that, while political differences are expected, the magnitude and relentlessness of the attacks are new, particularly the erosion of norms and the fragility of the rule of law, noting what can only be described as cracks forming in the foundation of democracy.

“It has really felt like the erosion of what felt like rock-solid legal precedent that no longer feels so rock solid. And I think that is a reason for everyone to be concerned and, in this moment, in particular, engaged in what’s happening in our country. Fragility is a word I would use right up there with it being unprecedented, but we’re really living in a time where the fragility of our norms, the rule of law, the things we thought were commonplace as how we do things in our country as Americans is really being tested,” said Shaylyn.

Ms. Cochran also sounded the alarm about the long-term impact of this political moment on government institutions. She lamented the mass exodus of dedicated career civil servants from the Justice Department.

She noted that reconstituting that deep institutional knowledge and non-partisan commitment to the rule of law will be a long-term effort that could take years to restore, emphasizing that the absence of these career professionals means the “institutional knowledge” that sits with those very dedicated servants left along with these civil servants.

“They were dedicated to the rule of law. They knew the ebbs and flows that would inevitably come when administrations changed, but they were there to ensure that there was consistency as much as possible in how the government approached issues. And so many of those folks are gone – they’re just gone. It is a sobering fact to face as a country,” said Shaylyn.

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The Lawyers’ Committee: A Three-Arm Approach to Justice

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is a non-partisan organization that was established more than 60 years ago in the crucible of the Civil Rights movement. Shaylyn Cochran is currently the Deputy Executive Director of this organization.

It was founded in 1963 at the behest of President Kennedy to mobilize the private bar, attorneys from law firms and corporations, to stand in solidarity and combat discrimination.

“He called for the creation of a private non-profit organization that would bring together the best and brightest attorneys and really use their resources in a more targeted way to help improve civil rights and specifically improve the condition of Black people,” said Shaylyn.

Today, the Committee is taking a three-arm approach to civil rights and justice:

Litigation (fighting discriminatory redistricting in places like Texas and DEI bans.)
Policy and legislative advocacy (recently notable for efforts to restore parts of the Voting Rights Act that have been eroded by court decisions.)
Community organizing and election protection.

During our conversation, Shaylyn dove deep into each of these mechanisms, the challenges at hand, and how they are deploying them. To learn more about each and what she and her organization are specifically doing, I strongly advise listening to her impassioned and rousing words.

Related Podcast Episode Recap: Michell Hudgins on Voting Rights, Civil Rights, and More

A Message of Hope from Shaylyn Cochran

As always, we wanted to end our conversation with an inspiring and resolute message of hope and action, rooted in historic precedents.

In fact, Shaylyn Cochran said that the key to finding hope for the future, in her opinion, is looking toward the past and how these kinds of things have played out and viewing minor setbacks as opportunities for major comebacks.

“It’s important to know that we often do see legal setbacks, and change is sometimes incremental. It certainly isn’t linear. I’ve been spending time with history, and sometimes I find that encouraging – I usually find it hopeful because I am reminded of the things that we’ve overcome in the past, often with fewer resources. So, given the brilliance abounding and the current moment, there’s no way that we’re not going to win. Doesn’t mean we’re not going to take some losses along the way, but in the end, I’m confident about the work that we’re doing and where we’re headed,” said Shaylyn.

Do You Want to Hear More Powerful Insights from Legal Experts Like Shaylyn Cochran? Subscribe to and Download the Legal Lens Podcast Today!

Our discussion with the incomparable Attorney Shaylyn Cochran serves as a powerful reminder that, while the challenges are great and the attacks are “unprecedented,” the ability of dedicated people to fight back is even greater. To follow the work of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, follow them on all social channels, repost their victories, and visit their website to donate or get involved. She says that they are active on all social channels. Every little bit helps.

“We encourage people to stand in solidarity and take some action to do something – to do that alongside us at the Lawyers Committee,” said Shaylyn.

At a moment when our democracy faces unprecedented challenges, staying informed and engaged is more important than ever. Listen to this episode of the Legal Lens Podcast to hear Shaylyn Cochran’s full perspective, and subscribe on Simplecast to never miss a critical conversation.

Also, to learn about all things Legal Lens, follow me on Instagram @iamangelareddockwright.

For media inquiries, please reach out to josh@kwsmdigital.com.

This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.

The Fragility of the Rule of Law: Shaylyn Cochran Joins the Legal Lens Podcast to Discuss the Unprecedented Fight for Civil Rights and Democracy