1984

The firm Bickel & Brewer (now Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors) is founded in Dallas – the first litigation boutique built to provide advocacy in all forums. The firm immediately shakes up the Dallas legal establishment with its dogged approach to advocacy – and an aggressive, zealous commitment to its clients. From its early days, the firm aims to occupy a unique space on the legal landscape by operating at the intersection of law, business, and communications. The firm is built to achieve substantive advantages and drive efficiencies, employing tools that work in concert with handling high-stakes advocacy.

 1988

In a case with ramifications in several economic sectors, the firm scores a landmark victory in Continuum v. Incepts in Dallas State Court. The firm obtains an injunction in this theft of trade secrets case, which prohibited the Defendant (Incepts) from continuing to distribute its main life insurance software products following an 11-week evidentiary hearing. The injunction – an all-or-nothing proposition – had the effect of putting Continuum’s most significant competitor, a darling of the East Coast venture capital crowd, out of business.

1990

The National Law Journal describes the firm as “Dallas’ brash young upstarts” – taking on the legal establishment with high pay and “hardball tactics.” The journal highlights the firm’s oral advocacy program, including its mock courtroom, where the firm’s Spartan Creed is realized in trial preparation, as well as its embrace of heart-pounding advocacy.

1990

The firm underwrites the adoption of the snake collection at the Dallas Zoo through the Adopt-an-Animal program. The contribution is made on St. Patrick’s Day – when legend has it that the snakes were driven out of Ireland. The Wall Street Journal reports that a zoo spokesperson said that snakes were the least popular animals, “so we really appreciate the law firm doing that.”

1990

The firm’s zealous approach to litigation is profiled in “The Litigation Explosion,” authored by Walter K. Olson. In this bestselling attack on the American dispute resolution model, the author described the firm as defining the utter-aggressive new style of litigation.

1990

The Dallas Times Herald writes that the firm gains client admiration “for a win-at-all-costs strategy” and dubs the firm the “Courtroom Ninjas.”

1990

Dallas Life Magazine profiles “the Rambo Boys” and the firm’s approach to handling bet-the-business litigation. As the firm moves into the new decade, it focuses on expanding its profile globally, introducing management innovations, and adding to its all-star roster of clients.

 1991

The firm again redefines the landscape in an industry – this time, hospitality – with a successful outcome in Woolley v. Embassy Suites. The California Court of Appeals agrees with the firm and its client, hotel industry pioneer Robert E. Woolley, and rules in this seminal case that hotel managers owe fiduciary duties to the owners, as well as defines the principles that guide the relationship between owners and management company to this day. The case is studied in virtually every corner of the industry.

1992

In a speech at the American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., William Brewer comments, “The demise of the hourly system was inevitable, clients distrust lawyers who bill by the hour, and with good reason…. Corporate clients are doing what anyone should expect a business to do: responding by initiating changes that make bottom-line business sense and getting out from under what has been a frustrating relationship with outside counsel…. Legal services are a means to an end. Clients ultimately want results and – not surprisingly – they do not want to pay excessive legal fees to obtain those results. Clients seek predictability, accountability and productivity.”

1993

William Brewer’s speech, “The Breakdown of the Monopoly of the Bar Card,” is published in the book Vital Speeches. The speech explores issues relating to value-based fee arrangements and how to effectively align the interests of law firms and the clients they represent.

1995

The Storefront, the firm’s pro bono community service affiliate, opens in Dallas. A groundbreaking initiative, the Storefront aims to broaden access to legal representation to underserved communities and is developed in response to the widening gap between the need for legal services and the availability of those services to neglected individuals. The effort is underwritten by the law firm, which the ABA later describes as a “Pro Bono Powerhouse.”

1995

The Brewer Foundation is founded, with a special focus on supporting communities in need. The foundation is funded, in part, by attorneys’ fees awarded in successful pro bono cases undertaken by the Storefront. The Foundation soon becomes nationally recognized for its significant commitment to education.

1995

The firm opens an offshore affiliate in Hyderabad, India. First known as Imaging & Abstracting International, the operation later becomes I&A. In the early days, professionals entered documents into an electronic database. Today, the office is staffed by Indian attorneys and professionals to handle advanced work for the firm and its clients – at a reduced cost. The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets recognize the firm for its novel approach to achieving efficiencies and cost savings for its clients.

1995

The law firm successfully represents Burnett Plaza Assocs. against NationsBank and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The firm obtains a favorable judgment following trial against FDIC and NationsBank, the successor to Resolution Trust Corporation, which included significant punitive damages against NationsBank. The case establishes that even failed banks are subject to government regulations and that these institutions must obey the law.

1998

The Dallas Observer writes that the firm forever changed the Dallas legal establishment with its advocacy, which it dubs “Rambo Justice” – for impact on its clients and the community. The article notes, “…among the Fortune 500 clients they sought to woo, the firm built a solid reputation as a passionate advocate that would zealously represent their rights – willing to ‘leave no stone unturned’…and do whatever it took to win – and win big.”

1999

The Brewer Storefront secures the right for wheelchair athletes to compete alongside their running counterparts in the famed New York City Marathon. Plaintiffs alleged discrimination and violation of the American with Disabilities Act. This historic outcome overcame years of frustration and discrimination that prevented these athletes from enjoying their own division and competing for awards and prizes.

1999

In Empire Holdings LLC v. Radisson Hotels International, Inc. in New York, the firm establishes important principles concerning the application of fiduciary duties of hotel franchisors. The firm’s client – Plaintiff therein – was controlled by Ian Schrager.

2001

The International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) is founded by the Brewer Foundation, and later is jointly administered with New York University. The competition is the only contest that gives high school students from around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of global public policy. Recent topics address issues relating to climate change, refugees, and nuclear weapons.

2001

The Future Leaders Program (FLP) is founded by the Brewer Foundation. FLP provides academic resources, leadership training, and mentoring to deserving students from the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). The program is later recognized by the Texas State Board of Education, Texas Governor’s Office, and National Partnership for Educational Access for its groundbreaking approach to promoting public-private partnership.

2001

The law firm launches an in-house Public Affairs Group, recognized as the first practice group of its kind at a national commercial litigation firm. The group focuses on issues, crisis management, regulatory concerns, and media relations. Firm partner William Brewer comments, “Our goal is to represents our clients’ interests in all forums – helping them manage risks, capitalize on opportunities, and win where it often matters most – in the court of public opinion.”

 2001

The firm represents RSR Corp., the largest producer of lead in the world, in a lawsuit against A.I.U. Insurance Co. in Harrison County, State Court. RSR obtains significant settlements from approximately 50 insurance carriers in connection with coverage for several environmental sites across the United States.

 2003

The firm achieves success in Hollywood Casino Corp., Shreveport v. Lexington Ins. Co. A jury verdict was returned in favor of Hollywood Casino, involving its claim for insurance coverage relating to damage caused by a tornado to a casino-hotel project under construction in Louisiana.

2004

The firm represents Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in a dispute with Aoki Corporation in New York State Court. In October 2004, the firm resolves the largest breach of fiduciary duty case between the prior owners of the Westin Hotel chain and Starwood. The matter is resolved without the payment of any money by Starwood. The case involved claims of mismanagement at seven hotels operated by Starwood. Plaintiffs alleged hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

2004

The firm successfully represents the former CEO of Mary Kay, Inc. in a high-profile dispute with the company’s board of directors. Since then, the firm continues to represent corporate executives and boards in significant matters relating to governance, shareholder disputes, and corporate management.

2004

In a case that foreshadows the #MeToo movement by more than a decade, the firm represents a female managing director of G 100 – the high-profile club for CEOs of the largest corporations in the world. She allegedly faced sexual harassment at the hands of a senior corporate executive. According to the Plaintiff, she was fired when she refused the personal demands of her senior colleague. The case attracts the attention of Fortune and others for its storylines and efforts to reveal the sordid details of harassment in the workplace.

2005

The firm founds the former Bickel & Brewer Latino Institute for Human Rights at New York University School of Law, with the aim of positively affecting change in our nation’s Latino communities. Over the course of its life, the Institute provided many annual full-tuition scholarships to NYU Law students preparing for public service careers on behalf of Latino communities. The Institute also held conferences focusing on topics such as voting rights and immigration.

2005

The Foundation launches a Summer Internship Program to benefit, in part, the graduates of the Future Leaders Program. FLP interns are provided the opportunity to assist with research and case analysis to assist them with their vocational goals. Today, the firm’s intern program provides opportunities to more than a dozen college students each summer.

 2006

The firm launches an in-house Investigative Group. The firm’s investigators, typically with backgrounds in law, investigations, journalism, and government, are charged with finding the evidence that is often the key to telling “the story” of what actually occurred. Immediately, the group comes to comprise another strategic asset in the firm’s arsenal.

2006

The law firm represents Westin Realty Corp. v. Kalmia Investors LLC in a proceeding before the American Arbitration Association in Seattle. The firm obtains an award in defense of limited partner’s claims – following allegations that Starwood was cheating its owners in virtually all aspects of its management. Working on behalf of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., and its ownership and management of two Westin hotels, the firm defeated its opponent on every claim.

2007

The firm represents Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corp. in an arbitration proceeding in Hong Kong, where Shanghai Zhonglu Industrial Co. sought more than $100 million from Brunswick based on claims for breach of conduct, violations of antitrust laws, and tortious conduct. Following an eight-week final hearing before three arbitrators, the arbitration panel unanimously rejects all of Zhonglu’s claims and enters an award for Brunswick.

2008

The firm successfully represents hotel owner P.T. Karang Mas Sejahtera in a dispute with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. As chronicled in The Wall Street Journal, the firm obtains a favorable jury verdict for the owner of a luxury resort in Bali against the resort’s operator for breach of fiduciary duties and breach of an operating agreement’s territorial restriction – entitling the owner to compensatory and punitive damages, the recovery of its attorneys’ fees, and the right to terminate the operating agreement.

2008

The law firm represents the Board of Regents of The University of Texas, on behalf of The University of Texas at Austin and Hydro-Québec in a lawsuit against Nippon Tel. and Tel. Corp. in Austin State Court. The firm obtains a favorable settlement on behalf of Plaintiffs, plus an exclusive license of Defendant’s Japanese patents covering the lithium rechargeable-battery technology that Plaintiffs misappropriated. The representation included successful appeals to the Federal and Fifth Circuits on issues relating to federal patent jurisdiction and federal sovereign immunity.

2009

In a Style Section profile, The Wall Street Journal lauds the firm’s style and distinctive “power attire.” William Brewer tells the publication, “I think people expect high-powered lawyers to look like high-powered lawyers. Anything else is sending the wrong signal.”

2009

The firm’s Storefront challenges the at-large voting method of electing members of the City Council in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas. On July 15, 2009, following a four-day bench trial, U.S. District Court Judge Jorge A. Solis ruled that the city of Irving was in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The case has national significance given the prevalence of these pernicious voting schemes as a means of preventing participation of Latinos and other minorities in local governance.

2009

The firm represents a leading Defendant in connection with the New York Attorney General’s highly-publicized investigation and prosecution of allegations of corruption in the Office of the New York Comptroller and the New York State Common Retirement System. The firm directs a national media relations effort that neutralizes public attacks and helps the client to preserve the reputation of its business. The strategy enables the client to emerge from a public relations crisis and continue his involvement in wide range of business and philanthropic interests.

2009

Following a two-week jury trial, the firm obtains a favorable jury verdict in an action for wrongful termination of a joint venture to build 1,400-unit multifamily residential development outside Fort Riley, Kansas. The firm’s client is awarded significant damages and the right to receive punitive damages.

2010

The Best Lawyers in America profiles William Brewer and the firm’s unique approach to handling high-stakes litigation. The publication notes that over the past 25 years, the powerhouse litigation boutique “has earned a reputation as the go-to firm in cases where a company simply cannot afford to lose.”

2011

The National Law Journal profiles the firm as among of the top litigation boutiques in the country. The publication notes that the firm “had remarkable success building an outsized reputation.” In the article, Firm partner William Brewer compares the work of the firm to “going bungee jumping every day.”

2011

The firm represents M Waikiki LLC in a high-profile dispute with Marriott International. The firm’s client was the owner of a Honolulu, Hawaii, resort in connection with its 2011 termination of long-term hotel management agreement with Edition, the lifestyle hotel brand of Marriott International. This representation includes ousting Edition from the property and installing a new management company at the resort. The firm represents the owner as special litigation counsel in bankruptcy, including in a weeklong estimation hearing.

2012

A survey of in-house lawyers reports that the firm is on the list of the “most feared litigation firms” in the United States. The firm is one of only two based in Texas to make the list. The survey asks, “Which firms would you really rather not see as lead opposing counsel in a litigation case?” 

2012

The firm successfully represents 3M Company in shareholder litigation in Delaware Chancery Court, which relates to 3M’s acquisition of Cogent, Inc. Cogent shareholders filed a purported class action lawsuit in which they sought to enjoin the $900 million merger. After expedited discovery and briefing, on October 5, 2010, the Court denied Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction.

2012

The Dallas Morning News reports that firm partner William Brewer is part of the “$1,000-an-hour club” in an article about an exclusive group of Dallas-area attorneys that command the market’s highest rates. 

2012

The firm scores a landmark Voting Rights Act win against the City of Farmers Branch, Texas. The trial verdict paves the way for the first Latina to be elected in the history of the Farmers Branch City Council.

2013

The firm represents New York University in connection with a congressional inquiry relating to its compensation policies. Working with Congressional staffers, senior levels of the University administration, and media outlets like The New York Times, the firm successfully resolves the inquiry and helps the University neutralize public backlash. By so doing, the firm helps protect the global brand of NYU, restores the confidence of faculty, alumni and donors, and positions the University favorably with key stakeholders in Washington, D.C., New York City, and beyond.

2013

The firm successfully represents 3M Company in trial proceedings against Meda AB in the Southern District of New York. Meda purchased 3M’s European pharmaceutical business for $854 million. Meda, represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquart & Sullivan, LLP, then sued 3M – seeking more than $200 million based on claims for fraud and breach of contract. Following a nine-day bench trial in January 2013, the court rejects all of Meda’s claims and enters judgment for 3M.

2013

The Dallas Morning News profiles the Future Leaders Program in the article, “Setting Their Futures on Fire: Equal Opportunity is Goal of Law Firm’s Leadership Program,” dated January 6, 2013. The article explores this rare public-private partnership, stating that the program crosses “fault lines between rich and poor, between life south and north of the Trinity River.”

2013

The firm boosts its base salary for first-year associates to $185,000 – the top of the national scale.

2014

The firm reaches final resolution of its challenge of unconstitutional “immigration ordinances” adopted in the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch, Texas – a case that captures national headlines. The ordinances required renters in Farmers Branch to register their presence and prove they were legal residents in order to obtain an occupancy license. On March 3, 2014, the United States Supreme Court denied certiorari of an appeal by the City of Farmers Branch, marking the end of a successful eight-year long campaign. The courts agreed that the ordinances were preempted by federal law and attempted to regulate immigration, which can only be performed by the federal government.

2014

The National Law Journal names the firm to its “Litigation Boutiques Hot List” and describes the firm as “Relentless, Focused, Choosy.” The firm is described as having a penchant for handling matters with a lot of money and business at stake, or when it comes to groundbreaking legal issues or public policy questions.

2014

The firm prevails at trial in November 2014 on behalf of FLIR and its subsidiary, Indigo Systems, against Raytheon Company. Following a 14-day trial in the United States District Court, Eastern District, Sherman, Texas, a jury rejects Raytheon’s allegation that Indigo and FLIR misappropriated 31 trade secrets owned by Raytheon. The jury determines that 27 of the 31 alleged trade secrets were not trade secrets and that neither FLIR nor Indigo misappropriated any of them. Raytheon sought more than $650 million for unjust enrichment, but no damages were awarded against FLIR and Indigo.

2015

The firm changes its name to Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and moves its Dallas office to the 59th and 60th floors of Comerica Bank Tower – the top two floors of the signature skyscraper.

2015

Brewer Storefront, the firm’s community service affiliate, is honored at the Texas Lawyer 2015 Litigation Department of the Year Awards. The Storefront is recognized as a winner in the immigration category for the defeat of unconstitutional immigration ordinances passed by the City of Farmers Branch, Texas. During the same period, the Texas Lawbook profiles the firm’s continuing success in the public service arena.

2015

The firm’s Storefront successfully represents Jim’s Shoe Repair, a family-owned cobbling business that is only weeks away from losing the Midtown Manhattan location it had occupied since 1940. The firm represents Jim’s in the courtroom, pro bono, and engineers a grassroots petition drive to save the business. The firm aids Jim’s in seeking landmark designation and represents the business in ensuing litigation in New York Supreme Court against the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Jim’s and its landlord, SL Green Realty Corp., resolved matters regarding the lease agreement and the eviction proceedings were dismissed.

2016

The firm helps manage a team that plans, files, and prevails in a three-year case against the States of Guernsey that centers on Guernsey’s use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and allegations that the 3M product polluted the island’s drinking water, which is contiguous to the Guernsey Airport. At trial in the High Court of Justice for England and Wales, 3M successfully argues that Guernsey failed to follow safety instructions and routinely discharged AFFF into the environment. Three weeks into the trial, Guernsey dismisses its claims with prejudice and agrees to make a substantial contribution to 3M’s legal costs.

2017

The firm defends Headington Realty and other parties in District Court in Dallas County, Texas, 68th Judicial District in a high-profile real estate dispute. The firm successfully represents Defendants against a lawsuit filed by an affiliate of real estate company Forest City, FC WP Building LLC. The lawsuit alleges that the development of new luxury retail boutique Forty Five Ten on Main Street in downtown Dallas would harm the neighboring Wilson Building owned by the affiliate of Forest City. The parties reached a settlement in April 2017.

2017

The firm prevails at trial on behalf of Richard C. Poe II in El Paso County, Texas, against the executors of his late father’s probate estate. Following a nine-day jury trial held in May 2017, 10 (of 12) jurors found that a “share issuance” involving the parties was invalid and unenforceable under Texas law. 

2017

After a week-long trial in the United States District Court, Central District of California, on behalf of firm client DCD Partners, LLC, a jury renders verdict for Plaintiff on all counts, finding that Defendant Transamerica Life Insurance Company breached the terms of over 2,000 life insurance contracts and improperly raised rates on a half-billion dollars’ worth of policies held by Plaintiff. The policies benefit members of a church congregation in South Central Los Angeles, and the case is chronicled in The Wall Street Journal. DCD Partners, LLC, which elected to maintain the contracts in-force despite the breach, was awarded 100% of its damages due to the breach.

2019

The Brewer firm on behalf of the NRA, prevails over the City of San Francisco as the city’s attempt to blacklist contractors linked to the Association is abandoned by the city. In a case that captured national headlines, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors issued a memorandum striking down the controversial city resolution that called for vendors to be investigated for ties to the NRA. The NRA had challenged the resolution in all legal and public forums, urging San Francisco’s federal court to “step in and instruct elected officials that freedom of speech means you cannot silence or punish those with whom you disagree.”

2019

The Storefront settles Voting Rights Act and Texas Open Meetings Act lawsuits brought against the Richardson Independent School District filed on behalf of Plaintiff and former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr. The settlement results in greater political opportunity by replacing the district’s at-large election system with a new system consisting of five single-member districts and two at-large districts. The new election system also includes two single-member districts, each comprised of a majority of eligible minority voters. The Richardson ISD school board additionally agrees to complete training to help ensure its compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act at an open board meeting in 2019.

2020

A host of legal experts and constitutional scholars endorse Brewer client, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), in its defense of a dissolution lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The ACLU, George Washington University Professor of Public Interest Law Jonathan Turley, and more than 16 state attorneys general have condemned the alleged “weaponization of power” wielded by the NYAG in her efforts to shut down the Association.  

2020

On behalf of its client, 250 Fourth Development L.P. (owner of Virgin Hotels San Francisco), the firm scores early wins against Virgin Hotels. A court overruled Virgin Hotels’ attempts to avoid having to face the hotel owners’ claims for damages done to the high-profile hotel project before the owner terminated the management agreement. The court also denied Virgin Hotels’ efforts to freeze more than $2 million of hotel owners’ property – setting the stage for trial. The case, filed in May 2020, is the latest in a long line of prominent disputes handled by the Brewer firm that help shape the hospitality industry.  

2020

The National Rifle Association successfully resolves an insurance investigation by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) via a settlement relating to its affinity-insurance inquiry. The NRA resolved the matter without an admission by the Association of misconduct on its part. Importantly, no NRA money was used to fund the payment to DFS. William Brewer, counsel to the NRA, called the outcome a “resounding win for the NRA” and added that, “The DFS inquiry, which began with a roar, ends with a whimper. Not a penny of NRA money will directly or indirectly fund this settlement, and the settlement has no adverse impact on the NRA’s legal cases in the State of New York. Those important cases are moving forward as planned.”

2021

The firm increases first-year associate salaries to $205,000; announces other salary increases. The firm notes that the salary adjustments pertain to all levels of the organization – lawyers, business consultants, investigators, and PR and crisis management professionals. Bill Brewer tells American Lawyer, “Our environment is designed to be performance-based and progressive. Those who practice here welcome a future they define, versus being bound to a ‘track’ during the formative years of their career.”

2022

The Brewer Foundation commissioned a special art project to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 that went on display at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in January 2022. The sculpture piece, “YZKAR,” is a pair of bronze-cast lights created by artist Tobi Kahn from the last known pieces of steel recovered from Ground Zero in New York. The steel pieces were provided to the artist by The Port Authority/Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), in coordination with NYU President Emeritus John Sexton. Companion pieces of the artwork are on display at the Grey Art Gallery at New York University.

2022

The firm announces that, effective February 1, 2022, first-year associate salaries increased to $235,000. Other lawyers, consultants, and professionals also receive salary increases, based on merit and tenure. Above the Law writes that the Brewer firm “blew right past” the industry’s new salary scale and mentions that the firm “has paid salaries at or above market for years.” William A. Brewer III congratulated staff members for their “unwavering commitment to winning.” He wrote that, in the face of the pandemic, “we remain defined by our expertise – and the manner in which it positions us to handle our clients’ most important legal matters. We remain inspired by the firm’s core mission: advocacy at the highest level imaginable.”

2022

Brewer client, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), scores a major legal victory, as a New York court strikes down attempts by the New York Attorney General to dissolve the 150-year-old organization. The Wall Street Journal calls the outcome “a big win” for the Association, as Bill Brewer comments, "We applaud the court’s recognition that dissolution is neither appropriate nor justified. We look forward to continuing the defense of the NRA – and proving that it acts in the best interests of its members and the Second Amendment freedoms in which they believe.”  

2023

The Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP) is awarded the Emmett J. Conrad Extra Mile Award on May 4, 2023, during the Dallas Independent School District “State of the District” annual celebration.

The Brewer Foundation FLP is selected for the award for its “outstanding ongoing support of Dallas ISD.” The award is named for the late Emmett J. Conrad, who, as a Dallas ISD board member, Texas School Board Trustee, and community icon, championed community support for public schools. The award is traditionally presented to an individual or group whose efforts have extended over a period of years to serve a number of schools or students.

2023

The firm announces that, effective June 13, 2023, first-year associate salaries increased to $250,000. The firm recently announced the hiring of a new Dallas partner, Matthew H. Davis, and is in the midst of expanding its national platform – adding professionals across various sectors. As reported by Texas Lawyer, the firm continues to promote one of the most aggressive partnership tracks in the nation. Associates who join Brewer are eligible to be promoted to partner after five years.

Managing Partner William A. Brewer III tells the publication, “We are looking for people who want to get out, have a great career, get involved in exciting things…down at the courthouse.”

2023

The Storefront successfully resolves a Voting Rights Act lawsuit brought against the Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) filed on behalf of plaintiff and former school board candidate Paige Dixon. The settlement paves the way for a new school board electoral system that includes five single member districts, including one minority opportunity district, and two at-large positions. The new election system provides greater opportunity to communities of interest within LISD. In 2020, a similar lawsuit against LISD brought by the Storefront was dismissed by a judge who found that the plaintiff, Frank Vaughan, who is white, lacked standing. The 2023 decision vindicates the Storefront’s position that LISD’s previous at-large election system denied fair representation to voters of color.

2024

The Brewer Storefront announces the Texas Voting Rights Initiative — a statewide effort focused on ensuring that Texas school boards operate in compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The TVRI analyzes voting systems used for electing school board trustees and city council members across Texas, advances written scholarship, and pursues legal action to uphold and strengthen voting rights. 

2024

On May 30, 2024, Brewer client, the NRA, scores a historic legal victory in one of the most closely followed First Amendment cases in the nation.

In a stinging rebuke of New York’s “blacklisting campaign” against the NRA, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled for the NRA in its case against former New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo. The decision remands the NRA’s case to the lower court – reviving the NRA’s claims that Vullo, at the behest of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, violated the NRA’s First Amendment rights when she urged banks and insurers to cut ties with the NRA in 2018

2024

The firm achieves a major legal victory on behalf of the NRA in July 2024 when a New York Supreme Court Justice rejected the New York Attorney General’s (NYAG) demands that a compliance monitor be appointed to oversee the historic gun rights organization. The New York Times reported it was a “win” for the gun rights group and the “beginning of the end of a four-year-old case…”

In August 2020, NYAG Letitia James filed a “dissolution lawsuit” against the NRA – a case that sought to shut down the Association and seize its assets. Four years later, following trial proceedings, Justice Joel M. Cohen rejected the NYAG’s demands for a compliance monitor and instead recommended the NRA and NYAG confer to consent to further governance reforms. In accordance with the court’s direction, the NRA will suggest additional reforms in furtherance of its ongoing commitment to good governance.