Kansas City Business Journal: Court Rejects Polsinelli’s Motion to Arbitrate Sexual Harassment Case
September 25, 2025 – The Kansas City Business Journal reports today that a federal judge in D.C. has denied a motion from Polsinelli law firm to dismiss a sexual harassment case and to compel arbitration.
As reported, “[former Polsinelli partner] Julia Rix filed suit in September 2023 in Washington, D.C., federal court against Kansas City-based Polsinelli and two senior partners in its New York office, Dov Scherzer and Gabriel Yomi Dabiri. She claimed that Scherzer and Dabiri, who were in positions to play an influential role in her advancement, subjected her to repeated sexual harassment and that she was fired after filing a complaint.”
The Journal reports that Judge Amir Ali denied Polsinelli's motions on September 18, finding that Rix's claims were legally sufficient to support a cause of action. He also ruled that the arbitration clause cannot be enforced because it would violate the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. The result: the lawsuit will continue and be litigated publicly.
“This ruling is important,” said William Brewer III, Rix's attorney and a partner at Brewer Attorneys & Counselors. “It affirms that victims of sexual harassment are entitled to the public scrutiny that comes with the judicial system. Julia has shown courage in standing up to Polsinelli.”
Read more here.
ABA Journal Reports on Key Developments in Polsinelli Lawsuit
September 24, 2025 – The ABA Journal reports today on key developments in the case of Brewer client Julia Rix against the Polsinelli law firm and two of its former partners.
As reported by the ABA Journal, “A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has refused to toss claims or to compel arbitration in a $20 million lawsuit alleging that Polsinelli retaliated against an international corporate attorney after she reported sexual harassment by two influential partners.”
U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali of the District of Columbia ruled for the plaintiff in a September 18, 2025, opinion.
The ABA Journal reports, “Ali said Rix doesn’t have to arbitrate her sex harassment claims because of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which bans enforcement of agreements to arbitrate future claims involving sexual assault and harassment. He also said Rix plausibly alleged sexual harassment under the D.C. Human Rights Act and infliction of emotional distress under D.C. common law.”
In a statement to the ABA Journal, Brewer partner William A. Brewer III said the decision on arbitration “affirms that victims of sexual harassment are entitled to the public scrutiny that comes with the judicial system. Julia has shown courage in standing up to Polsinelli. Her decision to do so is now translating into protection for her and others.”
The article follows reporting in the National Law Journal, Law 360, and Bloomberg Law.
Read more here: “Sexual harassment suit against Polsinelli continues, without arbitration, after judge’s ruling,” ABA Journal
Law360, Bloomberg Law, and the National Law Journal: Federal Court Rules Against Polsinelli in Sexual Harassment Case
September 19, 2025 — Law360, Bloomberg Law, and The National Law Journal report that Polsinelli PC and two former partners cannot compel arbitration or trim claims in a $20 million sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by Brewer client Julia Rix. On September 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali ruled that Rix plausibly alleges her claims and is not required to arbitrate the dispute.
“This ruling is important,” said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to Rix. “It affirms that victims of sexual harassment are entitled to the public scrutiny that comes with the judicial system. Julia has shown courage in standing up to Polsinelli. Her decision to do so is now translating into protection for her and others.”
Originally filed in D.C. Superior Court in 2023, the lawsuit alleges that two male Polsinelli partners subjected Rix, a former attorney in the firm’s D.C. office, to repeated sexual advances, unwanted physical contact, and professional retaliation after she rejected their overtures.
Rix claims the partners tied access to business opportunities to her compliance with their demands, sabotaged her performance review, and influenced the firm’s decision regarding her career. Ultimately, she alleges she was terminated shortly after reporting the misconduct. Her claims span sexual harassment and retaliation under the D.C. Human Rights Act and Title VII, as well as intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Polsinelli sought to dismiss the case, compel arbitration, and apply Missouri law. The Court rejected each defense. Regarding arbitration, Law 360 writes that "Judge Ali found that Rix is not required to arbitrate her sexual harassment dispute, noting that the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act bars pre-dispute arbitration agreements from covering sexual assault or harassment disputes."
Judge Ali writes, “…the test for whether the EFAA applies is not whether claims are ‘inexorably intertwined’ or ‘rise or fall’ together; it is whether the claim is or ‘relates to’ a sexual harassment dispute. And on that test, the claim of retaliation for reporting sexual harassment is plainly covered.”
Brewer Client Wholesale Payments Secures Injunction in First Wave of Texas Business Court Trade Secret Cases
September 12, 2025 — Wholesale Payments, a Texas-based financial services firm, secured a Temporary Injunction today from the newly expanded Texas Business Court. The order of the Court for the Eighth Division enjoins the defendants — all former insiders at Wholesale Payments – from diverting merchant accounts. The high-stakes case is among the first heard under the Business Court’s new jurisdiction over trade secret disputes.
Originally filed August 18, 2025, in the 96th Judicial District of Tarrant County, the lawsuit accuses former independent sales partners of breaching Portfolio Purchase Agreements — deals worth over $1 million meant to safeguard client portfolios and relationships. In breach of those agreements, the defendants allegedly conspired to launch Goal Line Payments, LLC, a direct competitor based in Collin County, Texas. Wholesale Payments seeks more than $10 million in damages, disgorgement, and permanent injunctive relief.
“This is an important development because those entrusted with a company’s clients owe a duty of loyalty that cannot be abandoned for personal gain,” said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel for Wholesale Payments. “Our client believes defendants executed a deliberate scheme to raid its workforce and misappropriate its trade secrets.”
On September 2, 2025, the case was removed to the Texas Business Court. The court’s expanded jurisdiction, effective just one day earlier under House Bill 40, now includes trade secret disputes. Created in 2023, the Business Court system handles high-dollar commercial litigation with speed, consistency, and subject-matter expertise.
Brewer added, “We moved quickly to obtain protection in the Texas Business Court. Its expanding jurisdiction is well-suited for complex trade secret disputes.”
Founded in 2006, Wholesale Payments is a Texas-grown leader in electronic payment processing. It operates nationwide with more than 80 employees and a sales agent network exceeding 300.
According to the complaint, Goal Line Payments, LLC was launched while the defendants remained bound by restrictive covenants and confidentiality agreements. The suit asserts claims for breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference, and conspiracy under Texas law.
Wholesale Payments is also pursuing related claims in Florida. A separate lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleges that Merchant Lynx Services and several of its executives orchestrated a corporate raid by luring Wholesale Payments’ employees, diverting clients, and misusing confidential business information to fuel a competing operation.
Law360: $3,000 An Hour? See How Brewer Redefines Legal Value
August 28, 2025 – Law360 recently profiled Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors partner William A. Brewer III and the bold business model behind his firm.
The article highlights how the firm raised its top rate to $3,000 per hour – one of the highest among boutique firms – not to drive away clients, but to encourage innovative fee structures that reward results.
Brewer tells Law360: “Honestly, we haven’t had any resistance at all, which tells me that we could probably set my rate and rates for others higher than they are, because I’m not hearing any complaining.” Brewer tells Law360 that, at the moment, about half the firm’s work is still billed hourly.
Brewer demonstrates how innovative fee structures – such as contingency or performance-based arrangements – can generate returns far exceeding traditional hourly rates.” The piece also underscores Brewer’s commitment to talent, with first-year associate salaries now starting at $300,000.
The article positions Brewer as a firm redefining value in legal services – proving that small firms can deliver big-firm impact while embracing creative approaches to client partnerships.
Read the article.
JPMorgan Chase Partners with Brewer Foundation to Teach Future Leaders Program Students Financial Literacy
August 25, 2025 — The Brewer Foundation is proud to announce a new partnership with JPMorgan Chase. Beginning this fall, JPMorgan Chase professionals will provide quarterly financial literacy workshops to students in the Foundation’s Future Leaders Program (FLP).
The workshops will equip students with essential knowledge to strengthen their understanding of financial concepts and build skills that support success in both their personal lives and future careers. Sessions are scheduled for: October 11, 2025, November 8, 2025, January 10, 2026, and March 14, 2026.
William A. Brewer III, Chairman of the Brewer Foundation, said: “Financial literacy is more than understanding dollars and cents. It provides students with the tools to achieve financial success. By joining forces with JPMorgan Chase, we are helping our future leaders on their path to the American dream."
This collaboration reflects the Brewer Foundation’s ongoing commitment to developing well-rounded leaders through academic enrichment, mentorship, and real world skill building.
Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation, the FLP is an academic and leadership development program that benefits more than 200 students, ages 12-18, from urban communities within the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) at no cost. 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.
To learn more about the Future Leaders Program and other partnerships, visit our FLP website.
The Brewer Foundation Joins North Texas Giving Day to Amplify Impact
August 22, 2025 –The Brewer Foundation will proudly participate on September 18, 2025 in North Texas Giving Day – the nation’s largest online community-wide giving event.
“For nearly 30 years, the Brewer Foundation has invested in students and communities,” said Ian Shaw, president of the Brewer Foundation. “North Texas Giving Day is about uniting people in support of causes that matter, and this platform allows us to share our mission with more North Texans. Every gift expands our impact and builds pathways for future leaders.”
Founded in 1995, the Brewer Foundation champions a wide range of community initiatives, with a deep focus on educational advancement with its two anchor programs: Future Leaders Program (“FLP”) and International Public Policy Forum (“IPPF”). With its unique public private partnership, FLP serves more than 200 students from southern Dallas in the Dallas Independent School District each year. FLP offers academic courses, leadership training, and cultural enrichment. IPPF brings together high school students from around the world to debate pressing issues of public policy, fostering critical thinking and global citizenship.
Created by Communities Foundation of Texas, North Texas Giving Day is a 24-hour campaign connecting thousands of nonprofits with tens of thousands of donors across the region. Celebrating its 17th year, the event has raised more than $634 million to date.
About North Texas Giving Day
When: Thursday, September 18, 2025 (24 hours of giving)
For more information, visit NorthTexasGivingDay.org.
Donate directly to the Brewer Foundation
Share the Foundation’s campaign on social media to inspire others to give
Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors Names Two New Partners: Josh Harris in Dallas and Nafiz Cekirge in New York
August 11, 2025 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors has named two high-impact litigators to Partner: Josh Harris in Dallas and Nafiz Cekirge in New York. The promotions reflect the Firm’s accelerating trajectory – expanding client victories, deepening bench strength, and broadening community engagement.
Harris Promoted in Dallas After Breakout Year
In Dallas, Joshua Harris has been named Partner after just 18 months with the Firm.
Since joining in January 2024, Harris has delivered high-impact victories in complex commercial litigation. Harris is an integral part of the Firm’s community impact advocacy affiliate, the Brewer Storefront, and serves as a mentor to students in the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program, an educational and leadership development program that serves students from the urban sector of the Dallas Independent School District.
A former associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, Harris holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago and graduated magna cum laude from Morehouse College.
“Josh brings strategic firepower and purpose to everything he does,” says Firm Partner William A. Brewer III. “He’s helping us grow not just as a Firm – but as a force for impact.”
Cekirge Returns as National Litigation Leader
Nafiz Cekirge reenters the Firm as Partner after establishing himself as a coast-to-coast force in financial and white-collar litigation. A former associate in Brewer’s New York office, Cekirge has since led more than 200 mortgage mass actions and complex tort cases in federal and state courts nationwide.
Before returning, he was Principal at Offit Kurman and Partner at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP, managing litigation from New York and Los Angeles. Cekirge earned his J.D. from Cardozo School of Law and his philosophy degree from Columbia University.
“Nafiz is not just exceptional – he’s dynamic,” says Brewer. “He’s back with battle-tested leadership, ready to help drive the Firm’s future.”
A Firm on Offense
The new partners build upon a wave of momentum at Brewer. In April, the Firm raised first-year associate salaries to $300,000.
It’s doubling down on alternative fee models, leveraging technology to serve a growing national and international client base, and exploring office expansion in both New York and Dallas.
This year also marks the 25th anniversaries of the Brewer/NYU International Public Policy Forum and the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program – the Firm’s two cornerstone educational initiatives.
“This Firm is built on advocacy – whether in court, in classrooms, or in communities,” says Brewer. “We’re constantly trying to leverage our advocacy and professional commitment into greater outcomes.”