On the Hot List: Firm Earns NLJ Acclaim
February 3, 2014 – The National Law Journal reports today on the firm being named to the “Litigation Boutiques Hot List” – 10 national firms earning national acclaim based on skill, not size. The article, “Relentless, Focused, Choosy,” reports on the firm’s “penchant for matters with a lot of money and business at stake, groundbreaking legal issues or big public policy questions.”
The NLJ reports that Partner William Brewer III explains the zest for big cases with a rhetorical question: Would you rather play in the minor leagues or in the majors?
“You really want to play against the best competition,” Brewer says.
Attorney Frank Finn, of counsel in the Dallas office of Thompson & Knight, has encountered the firm many times during his 58 years as a civil defense attorney and a mediator. “I found them very thorough and not afraid to invest hours and hours making sure they cover the waterfront,” Finn says.
Read the report here.
Law360: 5th Circ. Strikes Dallas Suburb’s Immigrant Rental Law
July 23, 2013 – Law360 reports that an en banc Fifth Circuit court permanently enjoyed a law passed by the City of Farmers Branch, Texas, that intended to prevent those living in the country illegally from renting property.
The article added that the five-judge majority opinion by Judge Stephen Higginson affirmed a lower court ruling and said Farmers Branch went too far by imposing criminal penalties on landlords and tenants and by allowing state courts to review determinations of immigration status.
“We are pleased with this outcome and appreciate the service of the court,” said William A. Brewer III of the Bickel & Brewer Storefront (now Brewer Storefront), a pro bono counterpart of the Brewer firm. “Farmers Branch thrust itself into the national debate over immigration – and this outcome was critically important for those who believe immigration reform must take place at the federal level.”
The case is Villas at Parkside Partners et al. V. The City of Farmers Branch, Texas.
Read more here.
Wall Street Journal: Judges Block Immigrant Laws in Texas, South Carolina
July 23, 2013 – The Wall Street Journal reports that the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an ordinance by the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch that sought to bar landlords from renting to immigrants living in the U.S. without legal documentation.
The judges concluded that the ordinance illegally interfered with the federal government’s enforcement of immigration laws. The article noted that the suburbs received national attention after first attempting to enact the law in 2006, citing an influx of undocumented immigrants.
Attorney William “Bill” Brewer, who represented plaintiffs challenging the ordinance, said the law was motivated by community members who were apprehensive about the growing Latino population.
“It’s not within the power of a municipality to slow down or change the ethnic composition of their communities through an effort to regulate immigration,” he said.
Read more here.
Dallas Morning News Reports on Wyly Win
June 8, 2013 – The Dallas Morning News reports today on a win for firm clients and Texas entrepreneurs Sam and Charles Wyly. The article, “Wyly Wins Rounds in SEC Dispute,” reports that “a federal judge in New York ruled Thursday that the Securities and Exchange Commission can seek only civil penalties in the case for violations that occurred from Feb. 1, 2001, to Feb. 1, 2006.
Bill Brewer, lead attorney for Sam Wyly, 78, called the ruling a “resounding victory,” according to the article. Brewer told the News, “The decision settles an issue at the heart of the SEC’s case and disposes of what the SEC claimed were potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties.”
Dallas Business Journal Reports on Settlement in American Cancer Society Lawsuit
June 4, 2013 — The Dallas Business Journal reports that the Bickel & Brewer Storefront, the community service affiliate of the Dallas law firm, has reached a settlement on behalf of the American Cancer Society in connection with weather-related losses during the 2012 Cattle Baron's Ball.
The American Cancer Society filed suit against an insurance agency and insurance brokerage firm alleging they "botched" an insurance policy that should have allowed for the collection of $300,000 due to storm-induced losses after heavy rains soaked the event venue.
The report states, "The suit claimed Cattle Baron's Ball organizers wanted and thought they had purchased coverage that would pay if it rained an inch or more between 4 p.m. and midnight on the day of the event at Southfork, which it did. Instead, the rainfall was measured at Collin County Regional Airport in McKinney, more than 12 miles away from the event site, where less than an inch fell."
Terms of the settlement with insurance agency Ragland Strother & Lafitte were not released.
Dallas Morning News: Grand Prairie ISD Sued Over At-Large Elections in Latest Voting Rights Act Suit
May 13, 2013 – The Dallas Morning News reports that a federal lawsuit was filed against the Grand Prairie Independent School District (GPISD) over its at-large school board elections.
The lawsuit, filed by Bickel & Brewer (now Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors) on behalf of plaintiff Victor Rodriguez, claimed that the at-large system was designed to protect the political power of the Anglo majority and deny representation to Hispanic citizens of voting age in the district. Hispanic students made up the majority of the district's enrollment, yet all seven school board members were white men.
The lawsuit argued that the election system prevented Hispanic voters from having the ability to participate effectively in local elections.
“The voting system is inappropriate in our view,” said William A. Brewer III, lead counsel for Rodriguez, a voter in the school district. “When you talk to the demographic experts about whether you can create Hispanic opportunity districts, this is another one of these cases where change is needed in order for the Hispanic electorate to have the ability to participate."
The article further details the history of similar lawsuits filed by Brewer in nearby cities, such as Farmers Branch and Irving, which led to changes in their voting systems.
Read more here.
Dallas Morning News Reports on Firm's Efforts to Support Future Leaders
January 5, 2013 — The Dallas Morning News reports on students taking part in the Bickel & Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP), stating that the students are "part of an after-school program whose mission is to cross fault lines between rich and poor, between life south and north of the Trinity River. The program’s charge is to get selected Dallas ISD students into college."
The article, titled "Law firm helps propel needy Dallas ISD students into college as ‘the chosen,'" states that the program is "free for students and funded by a foundation operated by Bickel & Brewer, a 42-lawyer corporate firm where top attorneys earn $1,000 an hour, defending corporations or litigating for them."
“If we are not a country that ensures equal outcomes, how do we ensure equal opportunities?” said Bill Brewer, explaining his motivation for founding the program.
Students are selected by their teachers for the Dallas program based on grades, school attendance, civic involvement and leadership potential.
“What has been affirmed is that children and young people want to learn and become their very best selves,” said St. Mark’s School of Texas headmaster Arnold Holtberg, who has worked with the FLP since 2001.
To read the full article, click here.
Good News for 3M and Anglers
July 3, 2012 – The Pioneer Press reports on the Minnesota Department of Health finding that fish in the local area are safer to eat in an article titled “For 3M and for Anglers, Good News.” Prior findings had become an area of focus for local fishermen, state officials, and environmentalists.
3M is arguing against prior designations for local waterways that claim the water is “impaired.”
William. A. Brewer III said, “Based on this revised fish advisory for Pool 2, we believe the PCA will revise the drat Impaired Waters List.”
The article observes 3M has spent more than $100 million to clean the chemicals out of the water. It also installed filters for drinking water, among other things. The Press reports that “The efforts appear to be making a difference.”