News

Amicus Brief filed in Supreme Court defending academic freedom

2006

The Supreme Court ruled in Garetti v. Ceballis that the First Amendment generally does not protect a government employee from discipline based on speech made pursuant to the employee’s official duties; but the Court reserved the question whether a different analysis should apply to cases involving speech related to scholarship or teaching. Bredhoff & Kaiser, PLLC, filed an amicus brief on behalf of the NEA arguing that a teacher’s classroom speech is entitled to First Amendment protection.

Florida Supreme Court strikes down state educational voucher program

February 2006

Bredhoff & Kaiser, PLLC represents the National Education Association and its affiliates in a series of challenges, in state and federal courts, to the constitutionality of private-school voucher programs enacted by various state legislatures. Attorneys from the firm have argued these cases in the United States Supreme Court, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, 536 U.S. 639 (2002), and in the Supreme Courts of at least six states. Most recently, the firm represented the Florida Education Association and its coalition partners before the Florida Supreme Court, which in January 2006 struck down Florida’s “Opportunity Scholarship Program” as contrary to the public education clause of the Florida Constitution. Bush v. Holmes, 919 So. 2d 392 (Fla. Jan. 5, 2006).

Jury verdict returned in favor of Plaintiffs in Section 1983 litigation

September 2005

A District of Columbia jury has returned a $997,160 verdict against Re-Direct (which provided half-way house services to the D.C. government) after finding that its negligence resulted in the death of Kenneth Muldrow, a minor child in Re-Direct’s care who was represented by the firm.

Unions and individual officers and employees seek advice on DOL reporting requirements

Summer-Fall 2005

Various international unions and scores of individual officers and employees have retained the firm for advice made necessary by the U.S. Department of Labor’s recent decision to require the filing of extensive financial disclosure reports. The firm also prepared comments on behalf of the AFL-CIO regarding the Department of Labor’s proposal to issue rules regarding the fiduciary obligations of union representatives.

Amicus brief filed on behalf of entertainment unions in landmark Supreme Court file-sharing case

June 2005

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., 545 U.S. 913(2005), that distributors of peer to peer file-sharing computer software (e.g., distributors of Grokster, Morpheus and KaZaA) can be held liable for the resulting copyright infringement. Bredhoff & Kaiser, PLLC filed an amicus brief in support of that result, on behalf of the American Federation of Musicians, the American Federation of Radio & Television Artists, the Directors Guild of America, the Screen Actors’ Guild and the Writers’ Guild of America West.

City-wide negotiations conclude between DC-area hotels and UNITE HERE Local 25

January 2005

Just in advance of an Inauguration Day strike deadline, lengthy negotiations resulted in a new city-wide contract between the Washington, DC hotel workers union (UNITE HERE Local 25) and the city’s largest hotels.

Jury verdict favors class of 800 retired rubber workers

August 2004

A jury verdict was returned on behalf of a class of 800 retired members of the United Rubber Workers Union and their spouses and beneficiaries. The case concerned the retirees’ effort to force Dayco Products to honor the company’s commitment to pay lifetime retiree health benefits. The jury found that the health benefits were vested in retirement and could not be changed unilaterally by Dayco. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed in April 2006.