Brewer Firm Increases First-Year Associate Salaries to $205,000; Announces Other Compensation Increases
June 14, 2021 – The Brewer firm today announced that, effective July 1, 2021, first-year associate salaries will increase to $205,000. 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.
In a communication to firm professionals, managing partner William A. Brewer III said the adjustments reflect the hard work and many contributions made by firm professionals over the recent past. Brewer recognized that many professionals had made “sacrifices to ensure that the firm continues to provide the brand of advocacy for which it has always been known.”
Several media outlets, including American Lawyer, Law 360, Above the Law, and Reuters reported on the firm announcement. Commenting on the firm’s compensation model, Brewer told 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.”
Slovak National Team Students Crowned Champion of International Public Policy Forum Debate Contest
Slovak National Team in Bratislava, Slovakia, bested a field of high schools from around the globe Saturday, May 1, winning the 20th Annual Brewer Foundation/New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) debate competition. As the IPPF World Champion, Slovak National Team wins a $10,000 grand prize.
The IPPF is a one-of-a-kind academic collaboration between a law firm’s charitable foundation and a major university. Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation, and now jointly administered by NYU, the IPPF is the only competition that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.
The IPPF Finals took place virtually in 2021 for the first time in the competition’s history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Competing teams were the final “Elite Eight” to emerge from a field of 180 teams, representing high schools in 19 countries and 25 U.S. states. The teams debated the topic: “Resolved: The benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the harms.”
“Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, these students participated in the IPPF and prevailed – attaining 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 research, writing and advocacy skills as they dealt with the issue of artificial intelligence. We are proud to celebrate the Slovak National Team and the thousands of students who took part in the IPPF’s 20th annual competition.”
In the IPPF Finals, Slovak National Team advanced over Peak to Peak Charter School from Lafayette, Colorado, in the quarterfinal round and Potomac Oak from Rockville, Maryland, in the semifinal round, before facing Montgomery Blair High School from Silver Spring, Maryland, in the IPPF Finals.
The Slovak team was represented by students Martin Janco, Soňa Koniarová, Ema Križanová, Anfisa Kryvtsun, Natália Michalcová, Tereza Okálová, Ina Opartyová, Timotej Oršula, and Mário Valek. The team was coached by Timofej Kožuchov and Samuel Nvota.
As runner-up team, Montgomery Blair High School receives a $3,500 prize. Coached by Leigh Tinsley, the team members were Jonathan Wen, Alex Jiang, and Shariar Vaez-Ghaemi.
To learn more about the IPPF, visit www.ippfdebate.com.
Media Reports on Teams Advancing to IPPF Finals
Several media outlets reported on teams of high school students advancing to the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) Finals, a global debate contest sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University.
Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors Partner and IPPF founder William A. Brewer III says, “Despite the challenges students around the globe are facing due to the pandemic, these students chose to participate in a rigorous academic competition and have excelled. We look forward to seeing them compete — and celebrating their achievement — during the IPPF Finals.”
The Troy Times reported that a team from Troy High School in Michigan advanced to the finals, oral debates which will take place virtually.
“It’s been a unique experience, because we’ve faced three teams so far, and each team has been almost entirely different," said Troy High School senior Sohan Vittalam. "Even if we go in with the same sides, the arguments they make are entirely new, and it’s a very adaptive competition. I think the different viewpoints, you can tell the different things groups prioritize."
Colorado Hometown Weekly reported on a team from Peak to Peak Charter School in Colorado advancing to the finals.
“I think it was kind of surreal,” said Peak to Peak junior Alvina Zhang. “It was a lot of hours of work and having to have a lot of brainpower and dedication to the essays, so I think it really paid off in the end.”
Brewer Storefront News Release - ADA Lawsuit Filed Against The Lamplighter School
Dallas, TX… April 6, 2021 – Brewer Storefront announced that its clients James and Michelle Hardt filed a lawsuit against The Lamplighter School in Dallas, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
The Hardts filed the lawsuit on April 5, 2021, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, on behalf of their daughter, who was denied re-enrollment at the independent school after being diagnosed with dyslexia and a speech and language disorder. The lawsuit alleges negligence and breach of contract.
“The Lamplighter School portrays itself as welcoming and inclusive, but our clients believe that is a false representation when their child was asked to leave the school after being diagnosed with a learning disability,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront and counsel to plaintiffs. “Our clients believe the school failed their child – and the principles upon which it claims to operate as an educational institution.”
Brewer Storefront is the community-service legal affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.
According to the complaint, the child was enrolled at Lamplighter for the 2017-18 school year and attended the school for three years. She was denied re-enrollment for the 2020-21 school year. The complaint alleges that the school failed to adequately monitor the child’s academic development and did not make accommodations in response to her learning needs.
According to the school website, Lamplighter’s mission statement states that “Dedicated to igniting the potential of each child, Lamplighter engages children in the joy of learning through intellectual discovery in a creative, inclusive, and collaborative environment.” The school also promotes a “statement of inclusion.”
According to the complaint, “Lamplighter simply neglected its obligations to accommodate the Child’s disabilities and directed the Child to leave and go to a different school.”
The complaint continued, “Furthermore, the re-enrollment denial occurred after a documented, contractually agreed upon deadline for making such decisions – abandoning the Child and her family at a critical juncture in the Child’s formative years.”
The complaint alleges that Lamplighter violated Title III of the ADA when it discriminated against the child because of the child’s disability. The complaint alleged that Lamplighter discriminated against the child by failing to reasonably accommodate the child and denying her enrollment in Lamplighter’s educational programs, and by denying the child the ability to participate in on-site therapy to remediate her disabilities, among other actions.
“We believe this case is important for not only our daughter, but also all families who advocate for children with learning disabilities,” says James Hardt. “We believe accommodations could have been made in this instance, and we hope they will be made going forward for families who entrust Lamplighter with the education of their children.”
Joining William A. Brewer III in representing plaintiffs is attorney Efrain Vera.
Law360 Reports on LGBT Bias Suit Brought By Bankruptcy Attorney
On March 31, 2021, Law360 reported that Brewer client Trey A. Monsour, who is a prominent bankruptcy attorney, brought a lawsuit in Texas federal court against the law firm Polsinelli PC, accusing the firm of discriminating against him based on his sexual orientation.
Mr. Monsour, a former partner at the firm who is gay, alleged that the firm began discriminating against him after he was hired as a partner in the firm's Houston office in 2017.
William A. Brewer III, who represents Monsour in the suit, said in a statement that his client is suing "to expose what he believes is a troubling pattern of discrimination based on sexual orientation at Polsinelli -- and to champion a call for diversity, tolerance and inclusion in the legal industry."
Law360 reported that according to the lawsuit filing, "Whereas almost all newly hired partners were invariable provided with associate and administrative support, the firm denied Mr. Monsour these basic resources, despite his repeated appeals to management for help. The suit alleges that firm leaders also made "derogatory comments" regarding gay employees and that Monsour felt "isolated and without recourse."
Bloomberg Law Reports on Discrimination Lawsuit Against Polsinelli Law Firm
On March 31, 2021, Bloomberg Law reported on a lawsuit filed by Brewer client Trey Monsour against Polsinelli PC law firm in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas alleging discrimination.
Bloomberg reported, "Polsinelli PC's push to increase its level of diversity and inclusion was just an empty attempt to shed its reputation as a Midwestern, 'good old boys' law firm, for which its 800-plus workforce pay 'the real-world consequences,' a gay former partner charges in a federal lawsuit in Texas."
Bloomberg reported that Monsour, a former Polsinelli bankruptcy partner who is gay, alleged in the lawsuit that he was treated differently from than other similarly situated non-LGBTQ Polsinelli employees. According to the suit, he was denied the assistance of junior attorneys and administrative support that almost all other newly hired partners received.
Bloomberg reported that the lawsuit charges that Polsinelli's commitment to diversity was "nothing more than a marketing ploy." The lawsuit alleges that he was discriminated against based on his sexual orientation and age.
Brewer News Release - Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against Polsinelli Law Firm
Dallas, TX… March 31, 2021 – Brewer client Trey A. Monsour, a prominent bankruptcy attorney, filed a lawsuit against the law firm Polsinelli PC alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Mr. Monsour worked as a partner in the Bankruptcy Practice Group in the firm’s Houston office.
Filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, on March 30, 2021, the lawsuit alleges discriminatory treatment of Mr. Monsour, an openly gay man, after he became an equity partner in June 2017 in its then newly founded Houston office.
According to the complaint, Mr. Monsour, was quickly subjected to harassment, denied adequate support and resources, and terminated for his sexual orientation.
The lawsuit claims Polsinelli violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and committed Fraudulent Inducement, among other claims.
“Mr. Monsour alleges he was discriminated against at Polsinelli law firm because he is gay,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to Mr. Monsour. “By any measure, Mr. Monsour is a successful and established attorney. He brings this lawsuit to expose what he believes is a troubling pattern of discrimination based on sexual orientation at Polsinelli – and to champion a call for diversity, tolerance and inclusion in the legal industry.”
According to the complaint, “From the outset, Polsinelli treated Mr. Monsour differently from other similarly situated non-LGBTQ employees. Whereas almost all newly hired partners were invariably provided with associate and administrative support, the firm denied Mr. Monsour these basic resources, despite his repeated appeals to management for help.”
The complaint says, “Polsinelli’s adverse employment actions were made on the basis of Mr. Monsour’s protected age and sexual orientation, a fact starkly punctuated by derogatory comments by firm leaders regarding gay employees that Mr. Monsour overheard firsthand, as well as observations and stories of contemporaneous experiences relayed by Mr. Monsour’s colleagues.”
The complaint alleges that Polsinelli’s self-proclaimed commitment to diversity and inclusion on its website and in marketing materials is a ruse. In fact, diversity numbers remain low at the firm. Mr. Monsour claims that he was induced to join the 800-lawyer firm, based on its public representations and “commitment” to diversity and inclusion.
Joining William A. Brewer III in representing Mr. Monsour is William A. Brewer IV.
New York Law Journal: Judge's Ruling Allows NRA's First Amendment Claims to Proceed
On March 15, 2021, the New York Law Journal reported that a ruling by U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy of the Northern District of New York allows the NRA's First Amendment claims against New York state officials to move forward with discovery.
The lawsuit argues that New York state officials violated the NRA's First Amendment rights to express its political views.
“This important decision reaffirms that all public officials, even Gov. Cuomo and Maria Vullo, the former superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services, are accountable under the First Amendment,” said William Brewer, counsel to the NRA. “It will allow the NRA to pursue discovery and bring important evidence to light—to expose the communications and coordinated efforts of New York officials and others to harm the NRA and impinge its Constitutional freedoms. The message is clear: the NRA will stand up to those who unlawfully interfere with its Second Amendment advocacy.”
The article reports that Judge McAvoy denied qualified immunity to former New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) superintendent Maria Vullo, noting that "a question of material fact exists" as to whether Vullo "explicitly threatened" an insurer with DFS enforcement unless it broke ties with the NRA.