On October 23, 2020, The National Law Journal reported that Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors’ client, the NRA, can move forward with part of its lawsuit against Winston & Strawn.
According to the report, "Judge Robert Rigsby, of the District of Columbia Superior Court, said the NRA had 'sufficiently stated' a claim against Winston & Strawn for unjust enrichment, after an email allegedly revealed a Winston partner’s undisclosed ties to a neutral in an arbitration."
The lawsuit, filed July 29, 2020, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, alleges that in a recent arbitration, the NRA discovered on the eve of the final hearing that the arbitrator, Judge Richard Neville, was conducting a secret email discussion group – participated in by a senior partner of opposing counsel, Winston – where lurid white nationalist propaganda was shared and promoted. The communications revealed that Judge Neville shared a close, undisclosed relationship with Winston Partner Terry Grimm, according to the NRA. The NRA brought the action to recover amounts expended during the corrupted arbitration proceeding, and to uncover facts about the extent of the bias that tainted the proceeding.
“We appreciate the prompt attention of the court—and look forward to bringing the facts regarding Winston & Strawn’s undisclosed relationship with Judge Neville into full public view,” William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer and counsel to the NRA, said in a statement. “This is a disturbing record. There should be no place in the legal profession that tolerates such racist communications—or which turns a blind eye to the principles that govern the sanctity of the arbitration process.”