Coty Montag

Coty Montag

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Panelist, The Impact of Water Policies on Communities of Color and Low Income: Looking beyond Maryland to Neighboring States and Cities

As Senior Counsel for LDF, Coty Montag serves as lead counsel in numerous economic justice matters, including Pickett v. City of Cleveland, the first lawsuit to challenge a municipality’s water lien practices under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). She also serves as lead counsel for LDF in employment discrimination cases challenging criminal background check policies and in other fair housing matters. Coty is a frequent speaker at legal conferences nationwide, particularly regarding issues involving water justice, fair lending, and housing, and has co-authored numerous amicus briefs that have been submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and other appellate courts.

In addition to her role as Senior Counsel, Coty also serves as a Researcher for LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute. In 2019, the Institute published her report, Water/Color: A Study of Race and the Water Affordability Crisis in America’s Cities.