Kramer Levin Wins National Law Journal 2006 Pro Bono Award

The National Law Journal has selected Kramer Levin from among scores of nominees to receive one of the publication's four Pro Bono Awards for 2006.  The award recognizes the firm’s “singular achievement” in litigating a high-profile federal case that was the first to hold that private voter registration drives are protected by the First Amendment.  League of Women Voters of Florida v. Cobb, 447 F. Supp. 2d 1314 (S.D. Fla. 2006). 

In a related feature article published in the January 1, 2007 issue, "Voting case smashed barriers," the Law Journal reports how partner Eric A. Tirschwell and senior associates Craig L. Siegel and Erin A. Walter helped the League of Women Voters of Florida and other nonprofit groups win a federal injunction striking down a burdensome and discriminatory Florida law that had shut down most nonpartisan voter registration efforts in that state.  The ruling had cleared the way for the immediate resumption of voter registration efforts in anticipation of the 2006 November elections.

The article quotes Deborah Goldberg, director of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, as saying that the case is on the leading edge of voting rights jurisprudence and notes that it has already been cited in rulings in other states striking down voter registration restrictions.  Wendy Weiser of the Brennan Center and Elizabeth S. Westfall, senior attorney with the Advancement Project, both co-counsel in the case, are also quoted praising Kramer Levin for its commitment to the litigation and the quality of its work in a high-pressure situation. 

The article notes that Kramer Levin has devoted more than $1 million in billable time to the case, a significant undertaking to a single matter for a firm of 300 lawyers.  In addition to the attorneys recognized in the article, the Kramer Levin team included associates David A. Landman and Emily J. Groendyke.  Partner Jeffrey S. Trachtman assisted at the preliminary injunction hearing.  Summer associates Pamela Swidler, Kathleen Pirozzolo, Amelia Martella, Joseph Shifer and Abdul-Rahman Lediju also assisted on the matter. 

Kramer Levin continues to serve as pro bono co-counsel as the district court’s decision is now on appeal before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.