- "CNRI gives low-income people access to the legal system."
- —Laurel Lance to Thea Queen[src]
City Necessary Resources Initiative, initialized as CNRI, was a nonprofit organization which provided various legal services to low-income individuals. It was located in the East sector of the Glades in Star City. The office was destroyed by an earthquake caused by the second Markov Device during the Undertaking.[1]
History[]
After graduating law school, Laurel Lance and Joanna de la Vega became legal aid attorneys at CNRI in 2010.[2][3]
Laurel's first client at CNRI was a street vendor named Hank, whose son was wrongfully accused of a mugging. She managed to prove the boy's innocence.[4]
In October 2012, Laurel and Joanna headed a class-action suit at CNRI against Adam Hunt on behalf of hundreds of individuals who were swindled out of their homes and life savings by his company.[5]
With help from Joanna and the Hood, Laurel also prosecuted many other dangerous and corrupt one-percenters at CNRI on behalf of her clients, including a civil suit against Martin Somers,[6] murder and conspiracy charges against Jason Brodeur,[7] and a fraudulent investing case against Edward Rasmus.[8]
CNRI was in danger of potentially closing down when their largest donor, Stagg Industries, pulled out. To help the office keep their doors open, Tommy Merlyn arranged for Merlyn Global Group to sponsor a fundraiser for CNRI.[9]
In January 2013, Joanna went on sabbatical from CNRI after her brother's murder.[10]
After Thea Queen got into legal trouble with Vertigo, Laurel arranged for her to do 500 hours of court-mandated community service at CNRI as an intern.[11]
Anastasia temporarily worked for CNRI while on a year-long pro-bono sabbatical from her law firm.
Representing a victims' advocacy group, CNRI worked to keep career criminal Cyrus Vanch locked up. Unfortunately, he was released from prison after eight months on a technicality due to a lack of evidence. However, CNRI won their case after the Hood helped arrest Vanch, with new evidence.[12]
Joanna returned to work at CNRI sometime in May.
On May 15, 2013 when the Undertaking was announced, CNRI's employees attempted to safely transfer their files, depositions, claims, evidences, etc. from various cases for the firm's clients out of the building. When the earthquake started, CNRI completely collapsed, killing Tommy, who went inside the wreckage to save Laurel.[1]
Known employees[]
Former employees[]
- Anastasia (temporarily)
- Joanna de la Vega (legal aid attorney)
- Laurel Lance (legal aid attorney; deceased)
- Thea Queen (intern)
Appearances[]
Arrow[]
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 7
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Comics[]
Arrow[]
- "Lapse"
- "Sacrifices: Part 1" (mentioned)
- "Sacrifices: Part 2" (rubble)
Trivia[]
- The office's address was 151-2034 Grand Way, PO #10023, Starling City.[13]
Behind the scenes[]
- CNRI is meant to resemble the word "Canary" when pronounced as a single word, referring to Laurel Lance's comic book alter ego, Black Canary, and the mantle she eventually took on.