Alabama’s Decision to Purge Voter Rolls Raises Legal Concerns Alabama’s recent decision to purge its voter rolls has raised considerable legal concerns, particularly in light of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The move, led by Secretary of State Wes Allen, has drawn criticism from various legal experts and civil rights advocates who argue that it…
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania has taken a significant step forward in its ongoing battle against the state’s mail ballot dating requirement. On Friday, the organization filed a petition to the US Supreme Court seeking a determination on whether Pennsylvania’s stipulation for voters to include a handwritten date on their mail ballot return…
The nosedive in public opinion about the US Supreme Court isn’t just the normal debate about whether the court is too conservative or too liberal. The issue isn’t, as one commentator put it, that the Roberts court is simply “a conservative Warren court,” referring to the progressive court that released landmark civil rights and liberty…
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday published their findings of systemic abuse by the police department in Lexington, Mississippi. Lexington, a small rural town with a population of around 1,600, is situated in one of the nation’s poorest counties. The median household income in Lexington is approximately $39,000, roughly half the national average….
A recent lawsuit filed by ABM Industry Groups LLC, a janitorial and cleaning services contractor, has cast a spotlight on the legality of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ (OFCCP) use of administrative law judges. The company argues that this mechanism violates its Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial, a claim that draws…
In a recent development that underscores ongoing disputes over workplace equality, a federal judge has ruled that a former couple employed by Jones Day may proceed to trial on their allegations of sex discrimination and retaliation related to the firm’s parental leave policy. The policy in question is argued to disadvantage biological fathers compared to…
News Article A former Ballard Spahr LLP legal assistant agreed on Thursday to drop a Pennsylvania civil rights lawsuit alleging that the firm fired her in retaliation for taking leave protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for her husband, who was battling cancer. This legal development closes a chapter in…
Thompson Coburn has announced the addition of Becky Christensen as a new partner in its labor and employment practice, headquartered in St. Louis. Christensen brings extensive experience in counseling employers on a wide array of employment-related issues, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Missouri Human Rights Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and…
A federal judge has renewed attention on an enduring circuit split regarding the “favorable termination” rule, a legal standard stemming from the Supreme Court’s 1994 decision in Heck v. Humphrey. The rule prevents individuals from filing civil rights lawsuits unless they can first demonstrate that their conviction has been overturned, set aside, or expunged. The…
Three journalist organizations have lodged a complaint against German authorities with the Federal Constitutional Court, as disclosed by local media on Wednesday. The complaint pertains to the surveillance of phone conversations between journalists and climate activists by investigators. This legal move follows two previous court decisions from Munich’s District Court and Munich’s Regional Court. The…
In recent developments, Blum & Co. has taken actions that arguably complicate the landscape for Black female entrepreneurs. The situation reflects the evolving dynamics of civil rights in a modern context. For further details, you can refer to the original article on Above the Law. The nuances of this development are situated at the intersection…
Ellen Blain, who served 15 years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, has transitioned to the New York-based commercial litigation boutique Clarick Gueron Reisbaum. During her tenure at SDNY, Blain held multiple formidable roles, most recently acting as the deputy chief of the Civil Division and the chief of…
National civil rights law firm Sanford Heisler Sharp has made a significant addition to its leadership team by appointing partner Vince McKnight as co-vice chair. McKnight, who joined Sanford Heisler in 2014, has been a pivotal figure in the firm’s whistleblower and qui tam practice group, as well as its Washington, DC office. The move…
If Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler had his way, corporations would now face rigorous new disclosure requirements on various environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, including climate matters and workforce management. However, despite Gensler’s ambitious ESG agenda over the past three years, many of his proposals remain unresolved. This political and regulatory…
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine, alleging the state has violated the civil rights of children with behavioral health disabilities. According to the complaint, Maine has not provided appropriate community-based services, leaving families of children with such disabilities with “no meaningful choice” but to place their…
Ellen Blain has joined Clarick Gueron Reisbaum as a partner, the firm announced Tuesday. Blain previously served as the acting deputy chief of the civil division and chief of the civil rights unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In her role with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she oversaw…
Eight international human rights organizations on Friday condemned Kyrgyzstan authorities’ decision to liquidate investigative outlet Kloop Media, one week after the Kyrgyzstan Supreme Court upheld the decision. The organizations, which included Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, and Civil Rights Defenders, denounced the decision in a joint statement, warning that the suppression of independent media…
Angela Ramson has joined Fox Rothschild as a partner in its labor and employment practice in Atlanta, the firm announced Friday. Ramson brings a wealth of experience, particularly in advising and representing employers in litigation matters. Her expertise spans across pivotal areas of employment law, including issues under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,…
CasteFiles, a Hindu-American advocacy and educational group, filed a civil rights complaint against New Jersey’s Rutgers University and Professor Audrey Truschke, the group announced Tuesday. CasteFiles asserted that the university has failed to protect students from discrimination as required under Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rutgers University had been advised…
The US Department of Education’s Civil Rights Office (CRO) has reached a resolution agreement with the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign to address allegations of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate on campus. This agreement, formed in compliance with the Civil Rights Act, establishes seven specific steps the university must take to ensure it addresses discriminatory…
In a pronounced endeavor to combat the growing dilemma of revenge porn, attorneys at K&L Gates LLP have dedicated a staggering 28,000 hours over the past decade. Spearheading the Cyber Civil Rights Project, the firm addresses an average of 33 cases weekly, underscoring the persistent nature of this cyber misdeed. “The behavior has not gone…
Andrew Dawson has rejoined Keker, Van Nest & Peters as a partner, marking a significant return to the firm where he initially built a formidable reputation. According to an official announcement from Keker, Van Nest & Peters, Dawson will be leading trial teams and overseeing complex white-collar investigations, with a specific focus on corporate fraud,…
In an unusual move that underscores the intersection of sports, law, and activism, prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump has taken his message to the US Open Grand Slam tennis tournament. Known for his high-profile cases representing the families of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and Michael Brown, Crump has branded players with sponsor…
If you were suspected of a crime, would you trust a chatbot to accurately convey the details of the incident? Some police departments believe the technology is ready for such tasks. In June, the Frederick Police Department in Colorado claimed to be the first law enforcement agency to fully implement Axon Draft One, an AI…
On a sunny Wednesday evening earlier this month, one of the most famous Russian opposition leaders, Ilya Yashin, gathered several hundred people in the center of Berlin for a public meeting. Yashin, imprisoned in April 2022 for his anti-war stance, was released as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and the West on August…