Latham & Watkins has been recognized as a 2024 Pro Bono Innovator by Bloomberg Law for its significant contributions in two key legal matters. The firm’s efforts in preserving the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago as a National Park Service site are noteworthy. This site played a pivotal role in the American Civil Rights Movement, as it was here that Emmett Till’s open-casket funeral was held after his 1955 lynching. The firm’s legal strategy involved working closely with stakeholders, including the Emmett Till Interpretive Center and federal agencies, to secure bipartisan support for federal protection.
Additionally, Latham & Watkins successfully represented Sergeant Jason Sissel, a combat veteran injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom, before the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The firm challenged a decision that deprived Sissel of his disability benefits. By focusing on the language of the governing regulation and collaborating with various veterans’ groups, the firm was able to set a precedent benefiting veterans nationwide. This legal victory highlighted issues within the Department of Defense’s processes for rating veterans’ injuries and underscores the firm’s commitment to pro bono work in both preservation of civil rights history and veterans’ rights.