Denver, CO, April 29, 2021- Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. civil and criminal trial attorney, Tim Tarr, has accepted a position on LYRIC’s (Learn Your Rights in the Community) Board of Directors. This appointment is as important to CCB as it is to Mr. Tarr because it exemplifies an attorney’s professional commitment to community involvement, legal education, and mentorship.
Mr. Tarr joins a diverse group of legal professionals as a board member. His responsibilities will include continued support of the Fundraising Committee, as well as, providing strategic direction for the continued growth of LYRIC’s mission – teaching youth about their constitutional rights in classrooms, community settings, and juvenile justice facilities.
“As members of the legal profession, the Rules of Professional Conduct explain that attorneys are not just representatives of clients and officers of the legal system, but they are also ‘public citizens’. As a public citizen, attorneys are directed to cultivate knowledge of the law beyond its use for clients, employ that knowledge in reform of the law, and work to strengthen legal education. As a practicing attorney, I find this to be a profoundly important role for attorneys in Colorado and the United States. LYRIC’s mission of educating youth about this country’s extraordinary Constitution and how to go about safely exercising one’s rights under that Constitution is this special responsibility in action,” states Tim.
Tim first started working with LYRIC as a volunteer in 2019 teaching youth about how to advocate for themselves, what constitutionally protected rights they have, and how to exercise those rights safely during any interaction with law enforcement. Tim explains that “LYRIC facilitates youth workshops in schools, community settings, and juvenile justice facilities and they have created a fantastic presentation that dives into our rights under the Constitution with a focus on the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments. My favorite part about these presentations is getting to interact directly with the students. The students tend to generate a lot of thought-provoking questions, and it is my experience that the students really enjoy the discussion.”
Tim continues, “the one thing we cannot emphasize enough when giving a LYRIC presentation, is the importance of getting home safely. When a student interacts with law enforcement, it is critical that they know the rights they can exercise, but more importantly, it is that they exercise these rights safely. When one is interacting with law enforcement, law enforcement has the ultimate power in that situation. and there are countless times that power has proven to be lethal in this country. Teaching students how to safely exercise their rights not only protects their right to due process, but it might even save their life.”
In 2020 Tim expanded his support for LYRIC beyond student presentations and joined the Fundraising Committee. Their annual event, Brewing Up Justice, which CCB is a contributing sponsor of, brings together good friends and great drinks for an inspiring cause. This event raises funds needed for LYRIC to develop their educational, in-person workshops and online videos designed to help youth learn their Constitutional Rights. Current video topics available include: “What is a Constitutional Amendment?”, “Know Your Rights when Protesting,” and “Police Encounters, Arrest Warrants, and Search Warrants.” To learn more visit www.lyricommunity.org.