Description
Hugh R. Manes (1924-2009) was a civil rights attorney most well-known for representing victims of police misconduct in the
Los Angeles area. Manes practiced law for more than forty years and also advocated for disenfranchised groups during peak
civil rights moments in US history. Manes was an early member of several legal advocacy organizations, including the ACLU,
and helped to found the State Bar certified Police Watch. Before his retirement, Manes was in private practice with partner
Carol Watson. The collection contains the case files of many of the more than 400 cases that Manes tried during his prolific
career. Documents include published and unpublished manuscripts, legal briefs, correspondences, photos, clippings, financial
records, receipts, and handwritten legal notes. Other materials include cassette recordings, reel-to-reel audio recordings,
and travel memorabilia.
Background
Hugh R. Manes was a civil rights attorney, senior partner, legal advocate, published author, lecturer, and consultant who
practiced law in Los Angeles for the majority of his career. As an attorney, Manes specialized in criminal and constitutional
law, and since the 1960s represented victims of police misconduct, brutality, and abuse. Manes tried more than 400 cases throughout
his professional career, and served as a civil rights legal advocate during critical social justice struggles in both the
Los Angeles area and in the South. He lectured extensively and authored journal articles, reports, and seminar syllabi on
topics related to police misconduct practices, civil rights litigation, legal activism, and populations socially, economically,
and politically disenfranchised from the legal sphere. Manes worked with legal advocacy organizations including the National
Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and helped to establish the State Bar certified Police Watch
(formerly Police Misconduct Lawyers Referral Service). He was also a member of the Board of Directors of National Coalition
of Concerned Legal Professionals, Southern California Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals, and California Attorneys
for Criminal Justice.
Extent
46 boxes (23 linear ft.)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC
Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.