LEAF Academy Students Crowned Champion of International Public Policy Forum Debate Contest
A team of students from LEAF Academy of Bratislava, Slovakia, bested a field of high schools from around the globe on Saturday, April 21, winning the 17th Annual Brewer Foundation/New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) debate competition and a $10,000 grand prize. The final debate was held at The Harold Pratt House in New York City.
The IPPF is the first and only competition that gives high school students the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.
The teams that competed at the IPPF Finals were the final “Elite Eight” teams to emerge from a field that began with 161 teams representing high schools in 17 countries and 30 U.S. states. The teams debated the IPPF topic: “Resolved: International climate accords for greenhouse gas emissions should adopt binding enforcement mechanisms.”
"These student debaters put in months of hard work to achieve the title of IPPF World Champion," said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and founder of the IPPF. "They impressed the judges with their superior research, writing and advocacy skills.”
The runner-up team from William Mason High School of Mason, Ohio, receives a $3,500 prize.
For more information about the competition, go to www.ippfdebate.com
Richardson ISD Slaps Back At Ex-Trustee Who Filed Voting Rights Suit, Says System Isn't Broken
The Dallas Morning News columnist James Ragland reported on March 12, 2018, "Richardson ISD, you’re on the wrong side of this lawsuit." The column explores a voting rights lawsuit filed recently by the Brewer Storefront against Richardson ISD. The column observes, "When the only minority trustee who has ever been elected tells you that the system is broken and that minority parents feel disengaged, and when the system isn't working out well for students of color, 'That should be reason enough to get to the table,' said firm partner William A. Brewer III."
Ragland interviewed Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD board member Candace Valenzuela, who became the first Latina and African-American female elected to that board following a previous Brewer Storefront lawsuit against that district that resulted in a successful settlement. Valenzuela commented, "People don't understand that voting is a feedback loop, meaning that if you're in a group that's been disproportionately underrepresented, it discourages participation... By facilitating for the community, you're going to get a lot more participation."
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/03/09/richardson-isd-slaps-back-ex-trustee-filed-voting-rights-lawsuit-says-system-isnt-broken
William A. Brewer III to Present at HAMA Spring Conference
Firm Partner William Brewer is scheduled to present at the HAMA (Hospitality Asset Managers Association) Spring 2018 conference, scheduled for April 12-13, 2018, in Leesburg, Virginia. Mr. Brewer will be a featured speaker on the topic of Franchise and Management Agreements – scheduled for 11:15 a.m. on Friday, April 13.
His topic will address the following issues: When the market shifts, there are winners and losers. It’s important to know how to realistically protect your investment. What are today’s issues at the negotiation table and how can owners leverage their negotiating power?
Please visit the conference website to register and learn more: http://www.hamagroup.org/. HAMA is considered the "pre-eminent organization of professionals responsible proactively increasing asset values on behalf of hotel owners worldwide."
William Brewer to Speak at 2018 NYU Hospitality Conference
Firm partner William Brewer is scheduled to present at the 2018 NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, scheduled for June 3 – 5, 2018, at the New York Marriott Marquis hotel in New York City. Mr. Brewer will be a featured panelist on the topic, “Latest from the Front Line: Hot-Button Issues on Franchise and Management Agreements.” The panel discussion will explore the increasingly complex regulatory environment for franchises, and the increasingly competitive landscape for hotel managers. What are today’s big issues when everyone sits at the table to negotiate the contracts? Where can managers and franchisors flex, and how can owners better understand and leverage their negotiating power?
Please visit the conference website to register and learn more: http://www.sps.nyu.edu/academics/departments/tisch/conferences-events/ihii-conference.html
Storefront Lawsuit Claims Richardson ISD Electoral System Violates Voting Rights Act
Brewer Storefront filed suit in federal court on January 26, 2018, on behalf of plaintiff David Tyson, Jr. against the Richardson Independent School District (RISD), alleging that the school district’s election system violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 because it denies fair representation to African Americans and other non-white voters. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, the lawsuit claims that the school district’s at-large voting system denies African American, Latino and Asian voters a fair opportunity to elect school board representatives of their choice. The Storefront is the community service legal affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.
“Many in the community – our client included – believe that Richardson ISD is unfairly denying people of color an equal opportunity to participate in the electoral process,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront and lead counsel for plaintiffDavid Tyson. “Our hope is that the school board’s leadership will recognize its responsibility to embrace a more inclusive future – one that provides representation for this multiracial and ethnically diverse school district.”
KERA News reported on the lawsuit, and The Dallas Morning News also published a front page article about the case, and Fox 4 Dallas aired a TV report on the lawsuit.
Dallas Morning News Columnist James Ragland also wrote favorably about the case in a column titled, "It's time to change how Richardson ISD elects its trustees, and David Tyson is the man to do it."
Law360 Reports on Sanctions Against Transamerica
In an article dated January 10, 2018, Law360 reported that a California federal judge ordered Transamerica Life Insurance Company to pay nearly $200,000 in sanctions for obstructing the discovery process in a lawsuit brought by Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors on behalf of DCD Partners, LLC.
DCD Partners sued Transamerica in 2015 alleging that it increased life insurance premiums on a predominantly African-American church congregation in South Los Angeles. In September 2017, a jury awarded DCD Partners more than $5.6 million.
The sanctions relate to Transamerica’s conduct in responding to discovery requests in late 2016. “We appreciate the attention of the court to this matter,” William A. Brewer III told Law360. “Our clients believe this decision and monetary award validates what they have believed all along — that defendants sought to frustrate their pursuit of discovery in this important matter.”
Please see the article here (subscription required).
Brewer Foundation Announces IPPF “Top 32” Teams
The Brewer Foundation and New York University are pleased to announce the results of the “Top 64” round of the 17th annual International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) - the only contest that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy. The “Top 32” teams represent schools in 17 U.S. states and 5 foreign countries, including Singapore, China, Taiwan, Kingdom of Bahrain and Slovakia. This year’s debate topic is, “Resolved: International climate accords for greenhouse gas emissions should adopt binding enforcement mechanisms.” The advancing 32 teams were announced on the IPPF website: https://www.ippfdebate.com.
Brewer Attorneys Author Article Published in Hotel Business Review (HBR)
Partner William A. Brewer III and Senior Associate Timothy H. Birnbaum authored an article titled, “Terminating the Hotel Management Agreement in the Mega-Merger Era,” published in the January 2018 issue of Hotel Business Review. Founded in 1996, Hotel Business Review is recognized as a leading industry new resource for owners, managers, investors and other industry principals. The article explores how hotel owners are impacted by the recent wave of large-scale mergers and acquisitions – and the “invisible hand” of brand management companies that often seek to protect their own interests.