International Public Policy Forum Announces Advancing “Sweet 16” Teams
February 22, 2023 – Hundreds of debate teams from around the world entered the 2022-23 International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) competition, but only 16 remain. By advancing into the "Sweet 16" round, the teams remain eligible to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the IPPF Finals in New York City, where the IPPF World Champion will be awarded a $10,000 grand prize. Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation and now jointly administered with New York University, the IPPF is one of the largest and most competitive debate contests in the world.
The advancing teams are:
Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge, Connecticut
BASIS Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona
Bergen County Debate Club in Fort Lee, New Jersey
EEC Debate in Toronto, ON, Canada
H.Edu Institute in San Mateo, California
Hamilton High School (Team 2) in Chandler, Arizona
The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas
Ivy Bridge Academy in Johns Creek, Georgia
John Handley High School in Winchester, Virginia
Mountain View-Los Altos Speech and Debate in Mountain View, California
Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Notre Dame San Jose in San Jose, California
Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida
Potomac Oak in Rockville, Maryland
UWC South East Asia in Singapore
Wasatch Independent Debate League in Riverton, Utah
The IPPF is the first and only competition that gives high school students worldwide the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.
“The teams advancing demonstrate excellence at research, writing, and advocacy,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and a founder of the IPPF. “The 16 teams remaining will compete in a final round of written debates – in hopes of moving on to oral debates during the IPPF Finals in New York City.”
The IPPF’s 22nd annual competition began in October 2022, as 220 teams, representing schools in 22 countries and 31 U.S. states, submitted qualifying round essays affirming or negating the IPPF topic, “Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an effective model for international cooperation.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 teams based on the overall quality of each 2,800-word essay.
In November, the top 64 teams began a single-elimination, written debate competition. Each team was assigned a position (affirmative or negative) and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team via email for the next six weeks. A panel of judges reviewed the essays and selected the winning teams. The “Top 32” teams then engaged in a new round of written debates, which culminated in the announcement of the “Sweet 16” teams. Those teams now begin the final written round of competition.
On March 30, the “Elite 8” teams will be announced. The final eight teams win a trip to New York City to compete in the IPPF Finals on May 6, 2023. The IPPF Finals give students the opportunity to supplement their written scholarships with oral advocacy. Judges will include Brewer and New York University President Emeritus John Sexton, among others. The winning team will take home the “Brewer Cup” and the $10,000 grand prize.
New York Law Journal Reports on NRA Cert Petition to SCOTUS
February 8, 2023 — The New York Law Journal reports that Brewer client the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider its suit against former New York Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo, "whom the gun-rights advocacy group accused of threatening insurers because they did business with the NRA."
According to the NRA, Vullo and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo engineered a 2018 “blacklisting campaign” against the NRA. The Association filed a lawsuit in May 2018, alleging the campaign was retaliation for the NRA’s viewpoint of speech. The State of New York filed a Motion to Dismiss, and, on November 6, 2018, U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy issued a highly-anticipated decision, which upheld the NRA’s First Amendment freedom-of-speech claims — the crux of its complaint. That decision was overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on September 22, 2022.
The New York Law Journal notes that the petition for a writ of certiorari was signed by NRA's counsel, William Brewer III, and First Amendment scholar and law professor Eugene Volokh. Together, they argue that the Second Circuit’s opinion “gives state officials free rein to financially blacklist their political opponents—from gun-rights groups, to abortion-rights groups, to environmentalist groups, and beyond.”
“It also permits selective investigations and penalties targeting business arrangements with disfavored speakers, even where the regulator premises its hostility explicitly on an entity’s political speech and treats leniently, or exempts, identical transactions with customers who lack controversial views,” they wrote.
Brewer told the Journal that reversal of the Second Circuit’s ruling is “important not only to the NRA but all advocacy groups that rely upon the protections of the First Amendment.”
NRA Files Cert Petition with U.S. Supreme Court; Seeks Review of Case Against Former New York Governmental Official Tied to “Blacklisting Campaign”
February 8, 2023 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors client, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), filed a petition on February 7, 2023, for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking review of a controversial judgment issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in NRA v. Maria T. Vullo. The matter in question is one of the nation’s most high-profile First Amendment cases. First Amendment scholar Eugene Volokh joins as counsel on the brief.
As the former Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), Vullo, at the behest of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, allegedly wielded DFS's regulatory power to financially blacklist the NRA – coercing banks and insurers to cut ties with the Association, in order to suppress its Second Amendment speech. The lawsuit's allegations are explosive and include backroom threats by Vullo against regulated firms, accompanied by offers of leniency on unrelated infractions if regulated entities agreed to blacklist the NRA.
The NRA's First Amendment claims withstood multiple motions to dismiss during the course of 2018 – 2020. But in 2022, after Vullo appealed the trial court's ruling on qualified immunity, the Second Circuit struck down the NRA's claims – ruling, among other things, that in an era of “enhanced corporate social responsibility,” it was reasonable for New York's financial regulator to warn banks against servicing gun groups.
“The NRA is pursuing judicial review of a record that is equally disturbing and unconstitutional: New York state officials weaponizing the powers of their office against a political adversary,” says William A. Brewer III, counsel to the NRA. “This case is important not only to the NRA but all advocacy groups that rely upon the protections of the First Amendment.”
Along with Volokh, Brewer is joined on the brief by firm partner Sarah B. Rogers and counsel Noah B. Peters.
The Dallas Morning News Reports on Brewer Storefront Client, Lawsuit Against Chase Bank
January 25, 2023 – The Dallas Morning News reports that Brewer Storefront client Shirley Ison-Newsome, a former longtime Dallas Independent School District administrator, alleges she was the victim of a financial scam reported to JPMorgan Chase – and the bank allegedly failed in its obligation to protect her funds. Ms. Ison-Newsome has filed a lawsuit against Chase alleging negligence, among other claims.
The article, “Two elderly scam victims in Dallas demand Chase recover $55,000 in stolen funds,” reports that someone stole thousands of dollars from Ison-Newsome. She and another, unrelated female fraud victim reportedly alerted Chase to stop questionable withdrawals – but Chase contends the women authorized the transfers and can do little about it. Ison-Newsome’s lawsuit alleges that her bank account was drained by more than $51,000.
Ison-Newsome says she was on her computer when she received a notice she had been hacked and was provided a phone number to call. A phone representative said they could work with her bank to protect her account. She became uncomfortable with exchange, and went immediately to Chase Bank the next morning to file a report. She was assured by bank officials her money was still in her account, as she had timely reported the potential scam. Chase allegedly froze her old account, and helped her set up a new one – to protect her assets. Ison-Newsome says that when she logged into the new account about a week later, the money was gone.
“I worked all my life,” she said. “I paid my bills on time. I tried to do the right thing. I’ve been with Chase for over 20 years, and I trusted Chase.”
The Season for Celebration – FLP Students Secure College Offers
Students from the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP) have a lot to celebrate heading into the new year: acceptances into some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities.
Student Raul Lopez, who attends the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, was accepted to Northwestern University. Student Erica Salazer, who attends the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center – Law Magnet, was accepted to Southern Methodist University. Student Judith Rodriguez, who attends Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, was accepted to Grinnell College through a match as a QuestBridge Scholar.
Founded in 2001, the FLP is a public-private partnership that provides academic training, mentoring and counseling to deserving students from the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). The programs partners teachers and administrators from DISD, The Hockaday School, St. Mark’s School of Texas, The Episcopal School of Dallas, and the Greenhill School.
As the first program of its kind, the FLP has helped its students earn more than $12.5 million in scholarship offers since its inception.
“Testament to the program’s success is the ‘report card’ on where many of these amazing students go to college,” says William A. Brewer III, a founder of the FLP. “They are beginning an incredible academic journey, which holds promise for themselves, their families, and the community. We could not be more proud of all they continue to achieve or the promise of their horizons.”
Law360: NY Appellate Court Reverses Times Square Hotel Ruling
December 6, 2022 – Law360 reports that Brewer client M&C New York LLC, owner of the former Novotel Times Square Hotel, has prevailed in its appeal of a lower court ruling that dismissed a breach of contract lawsuit against the hotel's former manager, hotel operator Accor Management US Inc.
According to the report, "The appellate court favored hotel owner M&C New York (Times Square) LLC's argument that it had complied with the provisions of its hotel management agreement with operator Accor Management US Inc. when it issued an April 2019 notice of default due to the manager's alleged negligent accounting, misuse of hotel funds, unsupported payments and fee overcharges. The appeals court also rejected Accor's claims that it was protected by a safe harbor provision in section 14.3 of the hotel management agreement."
Counsel for M&C New York, William A. Brewer III, told Law360 the decision paves the way for a trial, which is expected to shed light on Accor's management of the former Novotel Times Square.
“This case underscores the principles that govern the relationship between owners and management companies,” says Brewer. “Our client believes Accor sought protections to which it was not entitled – and failed in its obligations to manage the property in owner’s best interest. This case is a cautionary tale for owners throughout the Accor system, and we are eager to proceed to trial.”
Read the report (subscription required).
Houston ABC-13 Reports on Brewer Storefront Voting Rights Act Case
November 10, 2022 – ABC 13 Eyewitness News in Houston reported on a Voting Rights Act lawsuit brought by Brewer Storefront against Pearland Independent School District. Brewer Storefront is the community service affiliate of the Brewer law firm.
The report notes that two parents, Storefront clients Dona Kim Murphey and Jessica Garcia Shafer, are suing the school district, challenging the at-large election system. The report adds that the lawsuit argues the election system denies fair representation to voters of color in the diverse district. The complaint claims that since 2018, 11 minority candidates have had an unsuccessful bid in the school board elections, including the plaintiffs.
The news station interviewed Brewer Partner William Brewer about the case. “We believe this election system violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, because it enables the majority to discriminate against, frankly, a very healthy minority," Brewer said.
The complaint in part states that, “"In practice, the at-large system discourages minority or minority-preferred candidates from seeking office, because it effectively functions as a white-controlled referendum on all candidates. In PISD, a bloc of white voters controls all seven trustee positions.”
To read more, click here.
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.