Crowell & Moring
Being vindicated that not only is the government prohibited under our Constitution from discriminating, but also from purchasing the silence of victims of police abuse.
May 04, 2020 at 02:06 PM
3 minute read
Describe your firm's philosophy on pro bono service.
Doing well while doing good! We challenge ourselves to live up to this phrase; to create a firm focused on forming strong, long-lasting relationships and working hard to improve the communities around us. Our attorneys contribute more than 40,000 hours in pro bono legal services annually, striving for a balance of impact cases and individual representation. The firm's dedication to providing equal access to justice for all is woven into the fabric of its culture.
What are the two biggest cases your firm worked on in 2019? Tell us more about those cases and how you reached the outcome.
Crowell and [the American Civil Liberties Union] prevailed in a groundbreaking victory for victims of police misconduct in a First Amendment decision that could have national repercussions. The [U.S. Court of Appeals for the] Fourth Circuit ruled in Overbey v. Mayor of Baltimore that Baltimore's practice of prohibiting plaintiffs who settled police misconduct cases from publicly discussing their experiences violates the First Amendment. The court held that these non-disparagement clauses, or "gag orders," are the equivalent of "hush money," and are unconstitutional and therefore, unenforceable.
Crowell represented the Alabama NAACP in litigation seeking to prove that at-large judicial elections in Alabama violate Section 2 of the [Voting Rights Act] by diluting the voting power of African American citizens. In February 2020, the [U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit] ruled that private plaintiffs may continue to bring suits against states under the VRA, joining the Fifth and Sixth circuits in holding that individuals and organizations can sue states in federal court when they racially discriminate against voters.
What was the most satisfying aspect of that work?
Being vindicated that not only is the government prohibited under our Constitution from discriminating, but also from purchasing the silence of victims of police abuse.
Each day on our way to court we passed landmarks of the Civil Rights movement, including the Freedom Rides Museum, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s church and the site of Rosa Parks' arrest, understanding that we carried on the proud legacy of fighting for equal voting rights in Alabama.
What other pro bono matters is the firm working on?
The firm and [the Catholic Legal Immigration Network] have filed suit against the federal government on behalf of 13 families in SAP v. Barr, alleging that recent policy changes to the definition of "particular social groups" are designed to make it more difficult to win asylum in the United States.
Featured on CBS's "48 Hours," Crowell represents Crosley Green, who has served 30-plus years in prison, including 19 years on Florida's death row, for a murder he did not commit. After winning Green's release from death row, the firm secured a habeas corpus victory in 2018. The case is pending before the Eleventh Circuit.
Why does pro bono work matter to you as a lawyer?
By giving back every day, Crowell attorneys are able to make our society a better place. Our pro bono work has kept families in their homes, created "forever families" for children caught in a system of abuse and neglect, and obtained protection for countless survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
Responses submitted by Susan Hoffman, public service partner at Crowell & Moring.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllLaw Firms Funnel Millions to Congressional Races, Though Skew Toward Dems
4 minute readPartner Pay Transparency Is Eroding, Even if 'Black Box' Systems Haven't Caught On
6 minute readDLA Piper Exhibited 'Far From Exemplary Conduct' in Patent Infringement Case, Judge Finds
Law Firms Mentioned
Trending Stories
- 1Infant Formula Judge Sanctions Kirkland's Jim Hurst: 'Overtly Crossed the Lines'
- 2Abbott, Mead Johnson Win Defense Verdict Over Preemie Infant Formula
- 3Preparing Your Law Firm for 2025: Smart Ways to Embrace AI & Other Technologies
- 4Meet the Lawyers on Kamala Harris' Transition Team
- 5Trump Files $10B Suit Against CBS in Amarillo Federal Court
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250