William Brewer Comments in Bloomberg Law Article, Calls on Insurers to Challenge No Surprises Act's Constitutionality
May 19, 2026 – Bloomberg Law reports today that a series of lawsuits involving the federal No Surprises Act is increasing pressure on Congress and the Trump Administration to revisit the arbitration system – including how it operates and how courts review disputed awards.
Recent appellate matters involving major insurers continue to test the scope of judicial review under the statute. Insurers allege that certain providers improperly obtained arbitration awards through ineligible Medicare and Medicaid claims. The cases also center on allegations that out-of-network claims were routed through in-network practices.
Providers prevail in approximately 88% of disputes, according to data cited in the article, while providers separately contend that insurers routinely delay or fail to pay arbitration awards. Awards can reach up to 17 times insurers’ median in-network reimbursement rates, while the volume of provider-disputed claims continues to rise.
William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, tells Bloomberg Law that insurers should challenge the law's constitutionality rather than appeal adverse rulings. Brewer argues that the No Surprises Act’s “fundamental flaw” lies in compelling arbitration between parties that did not voluntarily agree to waive their First Amendment right to sue.
“Insurers have got to go back and replot their assault on this,” Brewer said, “and stop appealing after they lost.”
Read more: Bloomberg Law: Frustration in Surprise Billing Cases Ups Pressure for Overhaul
HBCU National Speech and Debate Organization Adopts Brewer Foundation’s IPPF Curriculum to Advance Civil Discourse and Research Skills
Dallas, Texas — May 15, 2026 — The Brewer Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, announces a landmark partnership with the HBCU National Speech and Debate Organization (HBCU NSDO) to integrate the International Public Policy Forum’s (IPPF) curriculum into HBCU debate programs nationwide.
Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation and now jointly administered by New York University (NYU), IPPF is the only global debate tournament that challenges high school teams to compete through rigorous written and oral debate. The program is designed to strengthen students’ critical thinking, research, and advocacy skills.
Under the partnership, the IPPF curriculum will serve as a foundational resource for novice debaters across the HBCU National Speech and Debate Organization, a network of over twenty-five HBCUs including Howard University and Texas Southern University. The curriculum emphasizes research, writing, and argumentation skills essential for high-level civil discourse and competitive debate. It will also be used in HBCU-hosted summer camps, helping introduce high school students to IPPF and the broader world of competitive debate.
“This partnership represents an important step in providing our students with world-class resources to refine their advocacy skills,” said Sean Allen, Director of Tennessee State University Debate and Chair of the HBCU National Speech and Debate Organization. “Adopting the IPPF curriculum ensures our novice debaters build the research and writing foundations necessary for civil discourse, while our summer camps will introduce Black high school students to opportunities to compete globally through IPPF.”
The IPPF curriculum challenges students to engage deeply with complex public policy issues through both written essays and oral arguments. Its adoption by the HBCU NSDO reflects a shared commitment to intellectual leadership and academic excellence.
“At the Brewer Foundation, we believe civil, evidence-based discourse is a cornerstone of democracy,” said William A. Brewer III, Chairman of the Brewer Foundation. “We are proud to partner with the HBCU National Speech and Debate Organization to bring IPPF to a new generation of scholars who will help shape our civic and professional institutions.”
Expanding the curriculum into HBCU-led summer camps is also intended to increase representation in IPPF and strengthen the educational pipeline for students from underrepresented communities.
“By aligning the IPPF curriculum with the mission of HBCUs, we are strengthening pathways for students to become tomorrow’s business and civic leaders,” said Ian Shaw, President of the Brewer Foundation. “This collaboration is a key part of our work to advance education equity and ensure high-potential students have the tools to succeed in higher education and beyond.”
View the IPPF Curriculum here: IPPF in the Classroom
Learn more about the IPPF here: International Public Policy Forum | Global Dialogue
Nashville Business Journal Reports on Lawsuit Against AJ Capital Affiliate Following Closure of Roosevelt Island Hotel
May 13, 2026 – The Nashville Business Journal reports that Cornell University and ACRES Capital have filed separate lawsuits against an affiliate of AJ Capital Partners following the November 2025 closure of the Graduate by Hilton Roosevelt Island.
Graduate Roosevelt Island Owner LLC entered a 65-year ground lease with Cornell in 2018 to develop and operate the 224-room hotel on Cornell Tech’s campus. The property opened in 2021 and later secured a $76.5 million loan from ACRES in 2022.
According to court filings, ACRES declared a default under the loan agreement in September 2025, alleging the borrower failed to maintain required balances in its debt service reserve account. The hotel ceased operations on November 25, 2025.
ACRES then sued the AJ Capital affiliate that guaranteed the loan pursuant to a Recourse Guaranty, Graduate Hotels Real Estate Fund III, LP Roosevelt Island Owner LLC in New York County Supreme Court, seeking approximately $79.27 million in outstanding principal, accrued and unpaid interest, late charges, and attorneys’ fees.
On April 29, Cornell separately sued the borrower – Cornell’s former tenant – for eviction and for more than $1 million in unpaid rent and lost event revenue. The university’s lawsuit alleges that the hotel closure violated the ground lease agreement and caused substantial harm to the university, its campus operations, and related event activity.
Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors partners – William A. Brewer III and Jason Snyder – represent ACRES in the litigation, the Nashville Business Journal writes.
Capital One Donates 30 Laptops to Equip Brewer Foundation's Graduating Seniors for College
Dallas, TX – May 12, 2026 – This fall, every graduate of the Brewer Foundation’s Future Leaders Program (FLP) Class of ‘26 will arrive on campus equipped with the one tool modern higher education assumes: a personal laptop. Thanks to Capital One, the program’s 25th graduating class will receive 30 laptops – one for each high-achieving graduate from the Dallas Independent School District.
The donation fills a gap many first-generation college students face: reliable access to technology. From essay writing to accessing coursework and collaborating with peers, laptops are central to everyday academic work. By providing one to each graduate, Capital One removes an obstacle for these students as they transition to top universities across the country.
"This is a game-changing gift for our students," said William A. Brewer III, chairman of the Brewer Foundation. “Capital One is not just donating technology – they are providing an essential tool our scholars need to excel from day one on their college campuses.” "We are grateful to the entire Capital One team for their partnership and their deep commitment to our Future Leaders,” said Brewer. “Their investment ensures that the promise of the FLP – to prepare students for success in college and beyond – is fulfilled in the most tangible way possible."
Founded in 2001, the Future Leaders Program is the flagship academic and leadership program of the Brewer Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. FLP serves more than 200 students, ages 12–18, from urban communities within the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) at no cost. Through year-round academic courses, leadership training, and exposure to a wide range of cultural programs, FLP helps prepare its “future leaders” for college and beyond.
“This donation is a tangible expression of Capital One's deep commitment to building vibrant, opportunity-rich communities,” Sanjiv Yajnik, President of Financial Services at Capital One, said. “By equipping every graduating Future Leader with a personal laptop, we are providing more than a tool—we are investing in their future success, removing a critical barrier to entry, and empowering the next generation of innovators as they begin their educational career pathways.”
Andrella Thomas, Senior Manager of Social Innovations, commented on the partnership. "At Capital One, we are committed to investing in the communities we serve and creating pathways to socioeconomic opportunity. The Brewer Foundation's Future Leaders Program has a remarkable, proven track record of changing lives. We are proud to support these impressive young leaders and are confident that providing them with this technology will empower them to achieve great things in their academic and professional careers."
About the Brewer Foundation
The Brewer Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. The Foundation empowers students through education equity, mentorship, and global debate. It breaks barriers, amplifies voices, and champions the art of advocacy for lasting change. A 501(c)(3) private foundation, the Brewer Foundation supports a range of community initiatives, with a special emphasis on developing, overseeing, and funding education programs, including the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP) and the Brewer Foundation/New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF).
LTV's East End News Interview Brewer Clients on Devastating Southampton Golf Cart Crash
May 8, 2026 — John Mascali and Heather Dailey, along with their lead counsel William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, discussed the harrowing events underlying their pending suits against Garrett Huff and his parents, Craig Allen Huff and Jacqueline Tracey Huff, in an interview airing on LTV's East End News, hosted by Christine Sampson.
On the night of August 3, 2024, Garrett Huff drove his family-owned golf cart at high speed exiting the family's Southampton estate, causing the vehicle to flip while taking an unexpected sharp turn.
The crash ejected both Mascali and Dailey onto the pavement. Both were knocked unconscious. Mascali sustained spinal fractures. Dailey required five staples to close a head wound and continues to suffer from debilitating migraines.
The plaintiffs experienced multiple traumatic injuries, including neurological impairment, chronic pain, and other long-term medical complications.
The suits, filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court, also name Garrett's parents, Craig Allen Huff and Jacqueline Tracey Huff, as defendants on claims including negligent entrustment.
Watch the full interview.
NFL Star and Former FLP Student Aaron Brewer Donates $25,000 to Brewer Foundation
DALLAS, TX – May 8, 2026 – Aaron Brewer, an NFL player and former student of the Future Leaders Program (FLP), donated $25,000 to the Brewer Foundation in honor of the program’s 25th anniversary.
Brewer – an offensive lineman and team captain for the Miami Dolphins – participated in FLP during his time in the Dallas Independent School District, prior to pursuing his college and professional career. His gift will support the academic resources, debate training, and leadership programming that are hallmarks of the FLP.
"We are immensely proud of Aaron, not only for his achievements on the football field, but for the leader and role model he has become off the field," said William A. Brewer III, chairman of the Brewer Foundation. "Aaron's journey reflects the mission of the Future Leaders Program: to provide a platform where talent and hard work leads to extraordinary success. His generous gift is more than a donation – it is a powerful message to our current students that giving back is the ultimate mark of leadership."
Founded in 2001, the Future Leaders Program is the flagship academic and leadership program of the Brewer Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. FLP serves more than 200 students, ages 12–18, from urban communities within the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) at no cost. Through year-round academic courses, leadership training, and exposure to a wide range of cultural programs, FLP helps prepare its “future leaders” for college and beyond.
"The skills I learned in the FLP—discipline, critical thinking, and the ability to articulate a position under pressure—are things I use every single day in the NFL and in life," said Aaron Brewer. "The program gave me the confidence to compete at the highest level, both academically and athletically. I am blessed to be in a position to give back and to invest in the next generation of leaders from Dallas. My hope is that this gift helps provide the same opportunity for another young person that was provided to me."
About the Brewer Foundation:
The Brewer Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. The Foundation empowers students through education equity, mentorship, and global debate. It breaks barriers, amplifies voices, and champions the art of advocacy for lasting change. A 501(c)(3) private foundation, the Brewer Foundation supports a range of community initiatives, with a special emphasis on developing, overseeing, and funding education programs, including the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP) and the Brewer Foundation/New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF).
William (Bill) Brewer Writes for Bloomberg Law on Arbitration Process – and Its Weaknesses and Risks
May 7, 2026 – In a Bloomberg Law commentary, partner William (Bill) Brewer examines the arbitration process and how its defining virtues – informality and finality – have become its greatest weaknesses. Against the backdrop of the case Hurley v. Emigrant Bank, Brewer explores how the arbitration panel reached a finding of wrongdoing but awarded no remedies. Brewer was counsel to Hurley in the arbitration and related proceedings.
Brewer comments on how the tribunal awarded Hurley no damages, reasoning that determining and then allocating damages among the actors involved would be “impermissibly speculative.” Brewer writes, “That outcome ran headlong into settled law. Both Delaware and New York recognize the wrongdoer rule: When misconduct makes damages difficult to measure, that uncertainty must be borne by the wrongdoer, not the victim.”
Brewer compares and contrasts the outcome in Hurley with another case involving Milstein-controlled entities and Jack Nicklaus. That case resulted in $50 million in damages. Brewer explains the cases had similar factual patterns, but the latter took place in open court.
Brewer writes, “The lesson from Hurley, viewed alongside Nicklaus, is simple: The forum can matter as much as the facts. Without a meaningful judicial backstop, arbitration risks being a forum where wrongdoing is found but let go. The Hurley decision should be a warning to those who sign arbitration agreements expecting a predictable process guided by the law.”
Brewer continues, “When a tribunal finds clear wrongdoing but fails to award damages based on a misapplication of law, the process is no longer predictable justice – it is a high-stakes gamble.”
Read more here.
Texas Tribune Reports on Voting Rights Act, Brewer Storefront Voting Rights Advocacy
May 5, 2026 — The Texas Tribune reports today on potential impacts to the local political landscape following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that significantly changed a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. (The reporting also appears in VoteBeat – a public service news platform that reports on voting rights.)
The article, “Voting Rights Act ruling could change representation on city councils, school boards across Texas,” explores successful voting rights cases pursued by the Brewer Storefront, the community service legal affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. Former Storefront plaintiff Guillermo Ramos discusses the positive impacts to his local school board, following a voting rights lawsuit and resolution that resulted in cumulative voting.
As reported, the recent Supreme Court ruling raises the bar for proving discrimination under Section 2, now requiring plaintiffs to demonstrate intentional discrimination rather than disparate impact alone – a change that could make it far harder for minority voters to challenge electoral systems that dilute their representation.
As reported, Dallas attorney Bill Brewer, whose firm has filed at least 18 Voting Rights Act lawsuits against Texas school districts and city councils, sees a silver lining: the new standard’s focus on intent may actually strengthen the ability to obtain internal communications and records that reveal discriminatory purpose.
The Storefront’s lawsuit against Keller ISD was dismissed, but the Storefront and client Claudio Vallejo have filed an appeal.
“If they’re refusing to change because they intend to dilute opportunities for Hispanics or Blacks or Asians at the voting box, well, then you still have a claim under Section 2,” Brewer said.
Read more:
Texas Tribune: Voting Rights Act ruling could change local Texas boards, councils