Biglaw Firms Stepping Up In The Fight For Reproductive Freedom
Biglaw is fighting back.
(Photo by ANNA GASSOT/AFP/Getty Images)
Don’t think the spate of questionably (read: not) constitutional abortion restrictions — often styled as “heartbeat” bills — has gone ignored in the halls of Biglaw. Sure, your M&A deals and securities litigations are what’s bringing in the big bucks, but elite lawyers aren’t going to let current events pass them by, especially not if they have pro bono hours to throw at the problem.
As reported by Big Law Business, quite a few prominent firms have gotten involved in the legal battle to protect Roe v. Wade. Take a look at some of the important legal battles Biglaw has been fighting for reproductive freedom.
Paul Weiss partner Claudia Hammerman has been working on challenging the restrictive laws of Mississippi:
“I jumped at the opportunity to protect the last abortion clinic in Mississippi and support the courageous doctors who fly in from out-of-state to provide abortion care to the women of Mississippi,” the New York-based Paul Weiss partner said.
At Morrison & Foerster, Jamie Levitt, former chair of the firm’s pro bono committee, said the firm has been working on contraception and abortion-related legal matters for over 25 years, noting, “We look at it as a human rights issue and a health issue.”
O’Melveny partner Leah Godesky says on reproductive freedom issues, “Every day we’re putting out new fires.” And they firm is certainly keeping busy in pro bono:
For instance, it recently helped the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project block an restrictive abortion law in Kentucky, and won a temporary restraining order against the state’s six-week abortion ban.
The firm also is litigating alongside the Center for Reproductive Rights, ACLU, and Planned Parenthood to block a slew of targeted restrictions on abortion providers (TRAP laws) in Virginia.
“It’s been a really discovery heavy case, the kind of thing that O’Melveny loves to sink our teeth into,” said Godesky.
Shannon Rose Selden of Debevoise said, in addition to a healthy amicus schedule on related issues, her firm is also working on a challenge to outpatient facility licensing laws in Louisiana:
“I’m happy to litigate these cases,” said Selden. “I wish we didn’t have to. But the ability to choose whether and when to have children and with whom is essential to so many of the other choices that women and girls make in their lives.”
Big Law Business also notes that Covington & Burling, Stinson, Simpson Thatcher, and Skadden have also taken on various pro bono projects to protect abortion rights over the last few years.
The attack on a woman’s right to choose is currently coming from a multitude of directions, so it’s good to see Biglaw stepping up to fight back.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).
