Best Lawyers Recognizes Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors for Commercial Litigation
November 8, 2022 – Best Lawyers recognized Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors in its “U.S. News-Best Lawyers” 2023 “Best Law Firms” awards. The firm was recognized in both Dallas and New York for Commercial Litigation in Tier 3.
Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys, and the review of additional information provided by law firms during the submission process.
Eligibility is based on firms that have at least one lawyer who has been recognized in the previous edition of Best Lawyers. Firm Partner William Brewer has been recognized in the area of Commercial Litigation since 2007. The Best Law Firms ranking process involves a submission process, ranking by tiers, and then award notification.
Firm Announces Hiring of Attorneys in New York and Dallas Offices
September 13, 2022 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors recently announced the hiring of five new attorneys in the New York and Dallas offices.
Elizabeth Del Cid joined the firm as counsel in the New York office. She previously worked as a trial attorney and partner at national law firms in New York and California. She handles complex civil and criminal litigation, taking the lead in numerous high-exposure lawsuits on both the plaintiff’s and defense sides in New York, the Midwest, and California. Her practice focuses on consumer law litigation, civil rights advocacy, and bet-the-business financial disputes in federal and state courts throughout the country. She has represented clients in class actions, coordinated proceedings, business tort, RICO, fraud, bankruptcy, blockchain, financial services, securities and employment matters.
Ms. Del Cid also drafted and enforced public policy and laws in California. Before that, she externed for the Honorable Nany C. Dreher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Since 2016, Ms. Del Cid has served as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Ms. Del Cid received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and her B.A. in history and English from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Connor McKinney joined the firm as an associate in the Dallas office. Prior to joining the Brewer firm, he practiced at the international law firm Thompson Knight, as well as the national litigation boutique Diamond McCarthy in Houston. He has substantial experience litigating disputes involving breach of contract, fraud, securities, energy, bankruptcy, fiduciary breaches, mass torts, joint ventures, and international development projects, among other areas. Mr. McKinney also has considerable experience in internal investigations, regulatory proceedings, and white-collar criminal proceedings. Mr. McKinney received his Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School and his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Trinity University.
Jason Elgersma joined the firm as an associate in the Dallas office. He previously worked as a judicial intern for U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in the Western District of Texas and as an intern at Locke Lord LLP. Mr. Elgersma received his Juris Doctor degree from The University of Texas School of Law in and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Arkansas.
David Umansky joined the firm as an associate in the New York office. He previously worked as an intern at The Justice Center at Albany Law School and as a research assistant for Albany Law School of Union University Professor Robert Heverly. Mr. Umansky received his Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School of Union University and his B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.
Pamela White joined the firm as an associate in the New York office. She previously worked as a research intern for Professor Courtney Cox at Fordham University School of Law. Ms. White also previously worked as a Communications Director for the National Security Association for Law and Policy Reform. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law and B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies and Latin American studies from Colgate University.
Brewer Partner Cecelia Fanelli Comments on Controversial LA Ordinance
August 11, 2022 – Law360 interviewed Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors Partner Cecelia Fanelli about the implications of a proposed Los Angeles ordinance that would require hotels to house homeless people in vacant rooms. The Los Angeles City Council recently voted to put the proposed ordinance on the ballot, leaving it up to voters to decide whether to approve the measure.
Fanelli said the proposed ordinance raises many concerns, including placing hospitality workers outside of their traditional role, charging them to provide “nightly social services” for homeless people in hotel rooms.
"The ordinance also raises the issue of an overreach into the affairs of private businesses by the government, and it also potentially places into jeopardy the insurance coverage of hotels and motels given the change in their risk profile. Those costs would likely be passed on to consumers," Fanelli said.
"If it begins in Los Angeles, there's nothing to say that similar initiatives wouldn't be instituted in other cities," she added.
To read more, click here.
Brewer Firm Earns Industry Recognition, Named to Vault Law 2023 “Top 150 Under 150” List
August 4, 2022 - Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors is recognized on the Vault Law 2023 “Top 150 Under 150” list of leading small and midsize law firms with 150 or fewer lawyers.
Vault created the list to recognize smaller firms that “deliver big results.” The list was created by editorial and research teams after reviewing Vault survey data, news articles, trade journals, and legal publications.
Vault representatives also spoke with lawyers and reviewed other published rankings. Vault evaluated firms based on prestige, quality of life, and professional growth opportunities.
Vault praises the Brewer firm as “not afraid to take on complex commercial litigation battles” and adds that “its no-holds-barred approach to litigation has earned grudging admiration from its competitors.” Vault also recognizes the firm’s unique in-house litigation consultants and investigation group.
Vault is a national legal research website that provides detailed law firm profiles and rankings on top law firms. The Vault editorial team provides insights into legal careers, law firm life, law school, legal diversity and the legal industry.
Brewer Partner Cecelia L. Fanelli Earns 2022 Chambers Recognition
Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors Partner Cecelia L. Fanelli was recently recognized by Chambers and Partners in the 2022 Chambers USA legal directory.
Chambers USA is a leading directory that ranks top lawyers and law firms across the country. A partner in the firm’s New York office, Ms. Fanelli was recognized in the Leisure & Hospitality nationwide category. She has been ranked by Chambers USA in this area since 2011.
Her practice involves a variety of complex commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on matters relating to the hotel and real estate industries. She focuses her practice on dispute resolution for hotel owners and lenders.
Chambers ranks lawyers based research findings, peer recognition and client interviews. Chambers assesses the information gathered based on factors such as technical legal ability, client service and diligence. Individual lawyers are ranked by practice area based on their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, their effectiveness and their client service.
Ms. Fanelli has decades of experience in litigation and dispute resolution, practicing across the country in federal and state trial and appellate courts. She has been lead counsel in numerous domestic and international arbitrations.
To read Ms. Fanelli’s full bio, click here.
Brewer Firm Welcomes Summer Associates
May 16, 2022 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors recently welcomed five summer associates to the Dallas and New York offices.
Three summer associates are joining the Dallas office. James Clarke will graduate from Samford University Cumberland School of Law in 2023 and earned his B.A. in Political Science and Media Arts from the University of New Mexico in 2017.
Sydney Kossow will graduate from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 2023 and earned her B.S. in Marketing with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Kansas in 2020.
Michael Vera will graduate from the UNT Dallas College of Law in 2024 and earned his B.S. in Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2020. He previously was a summer intern at the firm in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Two summer associates are joining the New York office. Stefan Sultan will graduate from NYU School of Law in 2023. He earned his B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in 2019.
Alexander Szarka will graduate from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2024 and earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2019.
Industry Takes Notice: Brewer Increases First-Year Associate Salaries to $235,000, Announces Increases for Other Professionals
February 15, 2022 – The Brewer firm today announced that, effective February 1, 2022, first-year associate salaries increased to $235,000. Also, the firm announced that many other lawyers, consultants, and other professionals will receive salary increases, based on merit and tenure. Adjustments in the firm’s compensation model are designed to benefit professionals at all levels of the organization.
Founded in 1984, the Brewer firm has a unique staffing model in commercial litigation. The firm is comprised of several professional groups – financial and management consultants, researchers & private investigators, and public affairs strategists – who work with the firm’s lawyers to develop insights that shape case strategy. All the groups are poised for expansion in the firm’s Dallas and New York offices.
In a communication to firm employees, firm partner William A. Brewer III congratulated staff members for their “unwavering commitment to winning.” He wrote, 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.”
The firm enjoyed a stellar 2021, handling a wide range of legal and regulatory matters for the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), advancing a closely followed case against Virgin Hotels in San Francisco, and advocating against Uber in a rider safety case that has captured national headlines. It has trials scheduled in San Francisco, Dallas, New York and elsewhere over the next three months.
Outside of its commercial litigation docket, the firm continues to actively promote its community legal affiliate, the Brewer Storefront, and the Brewer Foundation. This past year marked the 20-year anniversary of the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program, which lights a path to college for urban youth, and the Brewer / NYU International Public Policy Forum (IPPF). The IPPF is the first global debate contest that offers high school students the opportunity to participate in written scholarship and oral advocacy on public policy issues.
“The firm has always been defined by a culture of service,” Brewer says. “It is a privilege to work with clients and to help effect change in the community.”
Legal industry outlet Above the Law reported on the salary increase in an article titled, “Elite Firm Shrugs at Milbank Scale, Instead Offers Starting Salaries of $235K – Extremely exciting news!” The article noted that boutique firms are unveiling their generous compensation schemes, and added that the Brewer firm “blew right past” the $215K salary scale. The article added that the Brewer firm “has paid salaries at or above market for years…”
Brewer Anti-SLAPP Expert Analysis Article Published by Law360
On January 12, 2022, Law360 published an expert analysis piece written by Brewer Partner William Brewer and Associate Will Brewer titled, “Ruling Confirms Causation is Key Under NY Anti-SLAPP Law.”
The article states, “Threats of litigation initiated for the purpose of censoring, intimidating, or punishing a person for exercising their First Amendment rights have prompted many jurisdictions to pass laws targeting strategic litigation against public participation, otherwise known as anti-SLAPP statutes.”
The article discusses how the Hon. Nancy Bannon of the New York Supreme Court recently considered and dismissed an anti-SLAPP counterclaim in a dispute between Howard M. Meyers and and LEG Q LLC (“LEG Q”) in RSR Corp. et al. v. LEG Q LLC et al., Index No. 650342/2019 (N.Y. Sup. Ct.).
The authors write, “If this ruling is any indication of how New York courts will interpret the anti-SLAPP claim in the future, counsel should take note that, at the motion to dismiss stage, an anti-SLAPP claim need not have in hand any judicial finding regarding the nature of a purportedly SLAPP lawsuit; allegations will suffice.”
The authors add, “Moreover, in light of this decision, the breadth of what constitutes a communication in connection with the ‘public interest’—reaching matters that are not purely private as between the parties—cannot be overstated.”
To read more, click here.