NBC DFW Reports on Voting Rights Settlement, Brewer Storefront
August 23, 2023 – NBC DFW reported on Brewer Storefront reaching a positive outcome with the Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) in a voting rights lawsuit against the district. NBC interviewed Dallas Morning News education reporter Talia Richman about the case and its importance to the community.
Richman noted that the lawsuit alleged the school board’s at large elections resulted in a primarily white Lewisville ISD school board and denied some people of color the opportunity to elect candidates of their choosing. Richman stated that, “The law firm, the Brewer Storefront, has been taking these cases on in suburban districts across North Texas.” She mentioned how the Storefront has brought Voting Rights Act lawsuits against the Richardson and Irving school districts and, “a whole host of districts, that all employed this at large system saying instead of having everyone elect each seat you should have districts based on where you live.” Those school districts and others adopted election systems that included single member districts and minority “opportunity” districts in which a majority of voters are people of color. As a result, minorities have been elected to the school boards in those communities.
Speaking of school boards across North Texas and the importance of their composition, Richman said, “These are the people who are making huge decisions, they’re hiring the superintendent, and they’re setting the budget. We’ve seen how much political infighting has taken place on school boards when it comes to these education culture wars. So they’re saying we really have to make sure that representatives match the makeup of the student body in Texas, which is increasingly becoming more diverse.”
Learn more about the Brewer Storefront’s voting rights work here.
Lewisville Independent School District Agrees to Provide District with Greater Political Opportunity
August 18, 2023 – The Brewer Storefront (“Storefront”) announced a settlement with the Lewisville Independent School District (“Lewisville ISD”) of the Voting Rights Act lawsuit it filed against the school district last year on behalf of plaintiff Paige Dixon. The outcome comes nearly three years after the Storefront sued Lewisville ISD under the Voting Rights Act. The Storefront is the community-service legal affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.
The agreement resolves all claims against Lewisville ISD. All seven members of Lewisville ISD’s school board are currently elected at-large. The agreement provides for a new electoral system consisting of five single-member districts and two at-large districts. The new election system will include at least one single-member district comprised of a majority of eligible minority voters – paving the way for greater political opportunity in one of the largest and most diverse school districts in North Texas.
“This is an important outcome for our client, the school district, local voters, and all who believe our political systems work best when they are inclusive,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront. “We applaud the Lewisville ISD school board for agreeing to adopt an electoral system that provides voters of color a fair opportunity to elect candidates of their choosing. We hope the board’s actions are instructive to other school boards and elected bodies.”
Eligible voters residing in each of the five single-member districts will vote for candidates running in that district in which the candidates also reside. The candidates who run for the two at-large seats may live anywhere within the school district. A public hearing to discuss the framework is scheduled for August 28, 2023.
Lewisville ISD is a very diverse school district. According to the Texas Education Agency, as of the 2021-22 school year, the school district enrolled 49,113 students. The majority-minority student body was 36.6% white, 30.7% Hispanic, 15.7% Asian, 12% African American, and 4.6% two or more races. About 33.6% of students were economically disadvantaged and 19.6% were English learners.
This lawsuit had become among the most closely followed cases of its kind. In 2020, a similar lawsuit against LISD was dismissed by a judge who found that the plaintiff, Frank Vaughan, who is white, lacked standing. That decision did not speak to the merits of the argument or whether LISD’s voting system complied with the Voting Rights Act.
“I applaud the pursuit of the prior case – in the interest of the school system and the community it serves,” says Dixon, who is African American. “I appreciate the work of the Storefront and its commitment to this issue, even as it had to travel a long road to secure this outcome. The school board’s decision to change the election system is admirable as well, especially to those of us who believe in the promise of LISD and its future generations. A new day has finally arrived at LISD.”
The Brewer Storefront successfully resolved Voting Rights Act cases with the Richardson Independent School District in 2019, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District in 2015, Irving Independent School District in 2014, and the Grand Prairie Independent School District in 2014. Those school districts now utilize remodeled voting systems to elect school board trustees. The Storefront also secured trial victories in Voting Rights Act cases against the City of Grand Prairie in 2015, the City of Farmers Branch in 2012, and the City of Irving in 2009. Those lawsuits paved the way for the formation of new voting systems and the election of minority candidates.
Joining Brewer in representing Ms. Dixon were Senior Associate Gizem Petrosino, Associate Malvina Palloj, and Public Affairs Manager Katherine Leal Unmuth.
About Brewer Storefront, PLLC:
Brewer Storefront is the community-service legal affiliate of the national litigation firm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors with offices in Dallas and New York. Founded in 1995, the Brewer Storefront tackles local and national issues, providing legal assistance to a wide range of individuals, business and community entities in need. Visit www.brewerstorefront.com.
Best Lawyers Names Senior Associate Gizem Petrosino to 2024 "Ones to Watch" List
August 17, 2023 - Senior Associate Gizem Petrosino has been selected to the fourth edition of the 2024 Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch" in America list. Petrosino earned the recognition in the practice area of Labor and Employment Litigation.
Using a peer review methodology, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognizes relatively younger attorneys for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice. The recipients have typically been in practice for five to nine years. Candidates are nominated, and then go through a rigorous peer review process before being nationally recognized.
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. A listing in the publication signals not only legal expertise but also ethics and professionalism of the highest caliber.
Petrosino's practice focuses on complex commercial, construction, intellectual property, securities and employment litigation. She has achieved early dismissals and dispositive motion awards, in addition to negotiating favorable settlements for clients. She has admissions in both New York and Texas and has practiced extensively in both jurisdictions and numerous federal and state courts across the nation.
Business Today Names Cecelia Fanelli A Top Hospitality Lawyer for 2023
July 17, 2023 - The online business news publication Business Today has named Brewer Partner Cecelia Fanelli one of the Top 10 Most Influential Leisure and Hospitality Lawyers Across the USA.
Business Today states of the top named hospitality lawyers that, "With an in-depth understanding of both domestic and international laws, these lawyers embody expertise and dedication. Possessing a wealth of experience in their respective domains, they provide their clients with valuable advice and guidance. The list below comprises some of the most prominent Leisure & Hospitality lawyers in the United States who are known for their impressive professional capabilities."
The recognition notes that Fanelli, “focuses her reputed practice on dispute resolution for hotel owners and lenders. Known for her involvement in large cases and additional expertise in labor, employment issues, and environmental matters, Cecelia is a recommended hospitality litigator.”
Fanelli is a partner in the New York office and 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. Ms. Fanelli is also regularly chosen to serve as an arbitrator in high stakes arbitrations, particularly in the hotel, lending, and real estate industries. Her practice involves a variety of complex commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on matters relating to the hotel and real estate industries. Since 2011, she has been ranked by Chambers USA in the Leisure & Hospitality, Nationwide category.
Vault Names Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors to “Top 150 Under 150 List”
July 13, 2023 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors has been named to Vault's 2024 "Top 150 Under 150" list. The list recognizes leading small and midsize law firms with 150 or fewer attorneys.
According to Vault, its editors "assessed each firm for prestige, quality of life, and professional growth opportunities and then narrowed down the results to come up with a list of 150 law firms known for providing top-notch service and delivering big results."
Of the Brewer firm, Vault writes, "The firm’s legal team is not afraid to take on complex commercial litigation battles, and its no-holds-barred approach to litigation has earned grudging admiration from its competitors."
Above the Law reported on the national award, and reported that Brewer was among the most recognizable firms on the list.
The firm was also named to Vault's 2019 "Top 150 Under 150" list and to its 2017 "Best Law Firms in Texas" list.
Read more here.
News 12 The Bronx Reports on Brewer Storefront Fraud Lawsuit Against Consignment Business
July 6, 2023 – News 12 The Bronx reported on a lawsuit brought on behalf of Brewer Storefront client Kimberly Taylor against the owners of a New York consignment business for fraud concerning more than $650,000 in antiques she consigned. The investigative report chronicled many legal actions against the business.
Taylor sued the owners, Vahid Peter Khorshad and Sayeh Sassouni Khorshad, alleging fraud in connection with the antique vases, figurines, decorative art and jewelry she consigned at their Upper East Side Estate Sale store in 2021, which later closed and reopened as Sara’s Antiques. Filed on December 14, 2022, in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan, the lawsuit against the stores and their owners, alleges that Taylor consigned valuable items to Estate Sale, but was denied the return of her items and received no records or commissions of any sales.
“Unfortunately, our client is well into this nightmare a year and a half now,” William A. Brewer III, counsel to Taylor and founder of Brewer Storefront told News 12 Investigates. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of valuables have not been returned and are unaccounted for.”
The report highlighted numerous other former customers who also said the Khorshads never gave them any commissions on sales nor did they recover their items.
The Brewer Storefront is the community-service legal affiliate of the national litigation firm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, with offices in New York and Dallas.
FOX News Reports on NRA Lawsuit Against ATF, DOJ
July 3, 2023 – Fox News reported today on a lawsuit filed by the National Rifle Association of America against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF") and others over a rule regulating stabilizing braces for pistols.
As reported, Brewer client the NRA is challenging the controversial “pistol brace rule” that impacts millions of America’s gun owners - subjecting them to fines and penalties.
As the report states, "NRA argues in its complaint that the rule is unconstitutional, as the ATF reverses its long-standing position that pistol braces do not transform pistols into rifles subject to onerous registration and taxation requirements under the National Firearms Act."
"The NRA is pursuing every possible avenue in defense of its law-abiding members and their constitutional freedoms," William A. Brewer III, counsel to the NRA, told Fox News. "Our members should be free of the threat of enforcement of this presumptively unlawful rule. We are confident that we will prevail in obtaining the same relief for them that has already been granted to members of other gun rights groups."
Read more here.
NBC5 Reports on Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP)
June 26, 2023 - NBC5 in Dallas highlighted the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program (FLP) in its “Carter in the Classroom” feature, which recognizes unique things school districts and teachers are doing to help children succeed.
Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation, the FLP is an academic and leadership development program that benefits more than 150 students, ages 12-18, from urban communities within the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). Through year-round academic courses, leadership training, and exposure to a wide array of cultural programs, the FLP helps prepare its “future leaders” for success in college and beyond.
The video news report showcased a summer FLP class on financial literacy. The course covered topics such as filing taxes, learning about paychecks and deductions, budgeting, investing, savings, and more. The report noted that the FLP included the class in its summer programming at the request of its students.
"Budgeting, finances, taxes, things we don't learn in school, they teach us here," Anaya Martinez, a student at Dallas ISD's Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet, told NBC.
Watch the report here.