Firm Partner Sarah Rogers Nominated for State Department Position

February 12, 2025 — Brewer Partner Sarah Rogers has been nominated for the position of Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs of United States in the U.S. State Department. 

This important position leads America's public diplomacy outreach, which includes messaging to counter terrorism, support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and strengthen our nation's global relationships. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Rogers will also deal with critical free-speech and censorship issues at home and abroad. 

Reporting on the nomination, the publication Semafor wrote, "A partner at the New York litigation boutique Brewer, Rogers represented the National Rifle Association alongside the ACLU in a winning appeal to the Supreme Court last March. She also represented the NRA against the New York State Attorney General, who was seeking to dissolve the organization, which the NRA beat back on First Amendment grounds."

The firm congratulates Rogers on her potential future role under U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors Announces Promotion of Litigator Claiborne Hane to Partner

January 23, 2025 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors today announced the promotion of litigator Claiborne Hane to partner.

Hane’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution, with an emphasis in business disputes, corporate investigations, and securities fraud litigation. He joined the firm’s New York office as counsel in May 2024. Since joining the firm, Hane has played an instrumental role in several leading matters – including the successful pursuit of shareholder actions.

Prior to joining the firm, Hane practiced with Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP, and Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP. He received his Juris Doctor from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University.

“Our firm is defined by the contributions of its professionals and their passion for high-stakes advocacy,” said William A. Brewer III, founding partner of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. “This promotion reflects Clay’s extraordinary contributions and results achieved. It also speaks to our commitment to having one of the fastest partnership tracks in the country.”

 Today’s announcement highlights another successful year for the Brewer firm, as we successfully concluded our multi-year defense of a major client against multiple attempts by the New York Attorney General to “eliminate” that client. For that same client, we achieved a unanimous 9-0 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which vacated a ruling by the Second Circuit that dismissed First Amendment claims against a public official who conspired with others to financially destroy our client. Our high-stakes advocacy nationwide also resulted in over $200 million in awards and settlements for our other commercial clients. 

This past year marked the continued growth of the Brewer Storefront, the firm’s community-impact legal affiliate. The Storefront successfully defended the victim of an elaborate financial scam, blew the whistle on widespread consumer fraud in New York, and initiated a comprehensive statewide effort to ensure that Texas school boards operate in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

“The firm provides a platform to make a difference in the courtroom – and the community,” said Hane. “This place is testament to what happens when you combine entrepreneurial spirit with a desire to exclusively handle bet-the-business cases. I’m excited to be part of the Brewer vision and the firm’s blueprint for the future.”

San Antonio Express-News Reports on Local High School Advancing into the Top 32 Round of the IPPF

January 10, 2025 — The San Antonio Express-News today reported that a team of students from Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas, have advanced into the Top 32 round of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) — a high school debate contest sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University. 

By advancing, the team remains eligible to win a $10,000 grand prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to the IPPF Finals in New York City this May.  

The report notes that the contest began in October, when 283 teams submitted qualifying round essays on the topic, "Resolved: Equitable access to pharmaceuticals should be prioritized over intellectual property rights." 

"We commend all the advancing teams for their achievement on this global stage," said William A. Brewer III, chairman of the Brewer Foundation and founder of the IPPF. "This is among the most complex and pressing issues on which our students have ever debated. As advocates, our law firm started this competition with a vision to promote what we see here — an extraordinary level of academic research, scholarship, and discourse." 

The publication reports that the Brewer Foundation created the IPPF in 2001 to "inspire students to think critically and develop skills to make a broader impact. The competition went global in 2009 and today attracts thousands of high school debaters worldwide."

To read the full report, click here (subscription required). 

Brewer Foundation, NYU Announce "Top 32" Teams Advancing in International Debate Competition

January 8, 2025 — The Brewer Foundation and New York University (NYU) recently announced which high school debate teams have advanced into the "Top 32" round of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) — the first and only contest that gives students the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

The IPPF's 24th annual contest began in October 2024 as 283 teams, representing schools in 26 countries, submitted qualifying round essays affirming or negating the IPPF topic, “Resolved: Equitable access to pharmaceuticals should be prioritized over protecting intellectual property rights.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the “Round of 64” teams based on the overall quality of each 3,000-word essay.

In November, the “Round of 64” teams began a single-elimination, written debate tournament. Each team was assigned a position (affirmative or negative) and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team via email. A panel of judges reviewed the essays in the order they were presented and selected the advancing 32 teams.  

“We commend all the advancing teams for their achievement on this global stage,” says William A. Brewer III, chairman of the Brewer Foundation and founder of the IPPF. “This is among the most complex and pressing issues on which our students have ever debated. As advocates, our law firm started this competition with a vision to promote what we see here – an extraordinary level of academic research, scholarship, and discourse.”   

The advancing "Top 32" teams represent schools in 15 U.S. states and nine countries, including Poland and the United Arab Emirates. 

The "Top 32" round of the contest is now underway. To view a complete list of the advancing teams, visit https://www.ippfdebate.com/announcing-the-2024-25-top-32. 

Pressure is a Privilege: A Look Back at 2024

December 31, 2024 — Built with the conviction that “pressure is a privilege,” Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors faced significant challenges in 2024 and delivered outstanding results in courtrooms, boardrooms, and the communities we proudly serve.

Achievements for Our Clients: This year, we successfully concluded our multi-year defense of a major client against multiple attempts by the New York Attorney General to "eliminate" that client. For that same client we achieved a unanimous 9-0 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which vacated a ruling by the Second Circuit that dismissed First Amendment claims against a public official who conspired with others to financially destroy our client. And - along the way - our high-stakes advocacy nationwide also resulted in over $200 million in awards and settlements for our other commercial clients.

Contributions to Our Community: The Brewer Storefront, our community impact legal affiliate, achieved significant victories. We successfully represented a senior citizen who was the victim of an elaborate financial scam. We pursued several cases to protect voting rights against school board voting schemes that diluted the votes of citizens of color throughout Texas, and we initiated a comprehensive statewide effort to ensure that Texas school boards operate in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

Strengthening Partnerships: Showcasing the continued strength of the Brewer Foundation’s partnership with New York University, the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) began its 24th year of inviting high school students around the world to engage in written and oral debates on public policy issues. The 2025 competition is ongoing and involves more than 300 high schools and thousands of students globally.

Fostering the Next Generation: In 2024, the Brewer Foundation’s Future Leaders Program provided essential leadership and academic development to more than 200 students from the Dallas Independent School District. The Future Leaders Program equips the next generation with the tools to flourish in an everchanging world.

A Commitment to the Challenges of Tomorrow: Emerging technologies and innovative tools will empower our professionals to achieve even greater levels of efficiency as we continue to deliver superior outcomes for our clients. In line with our commitment to remaining at the forefront of these advancements, we are excited to announce the launch of many new projects including a brand-new podcast, The Art of Advocacy, hosted by Bill Brewer, that will explore issues at the intersection of law, business, and communications.

We take pride in what we achieved in 2024, and your unwavering support propels us toward even greater results. As we move forward, we remain steadfast in our commitment to continuously push the boundaries of excellence in our advocacy. We embrace every obstacle, every challenge, and every fight, all while appreciating that pressure is a privilege.

Brewer Foundation, NYU Announce “Top 64” for Global Debate Contest

November 6, 2024 – The Brewer Foundation today announced the “top 64” teams for the 24th annual International Public Policy Forum (IPPF). Sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University, the IPPF is the first and only competition that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

This year’s qualifying round involved submissions from 283 teams representing schools in 26 countries and 30 U.S. states. This is the second-largest year in competition history.

Teams drafted essays in the affirmative or negative on the topic, “Resolved: Equitable access to pharmaceuticals should be prioritized over protecting intellectual property rights.” The advancing 64 teams will now compete in a written, single-elimination debate tournament – as teams advance through the rounds with a chance to earn an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to compete in the IPPF Finals in May 2025. The overall winner is named the IPPF World Champion, receives the Brewer Cup, and is awarded a $10,000 grand prize.

Visit this link to see which teams advanced.

Law360 Reports on Lawsuit Against Former Florida Bar President

October 21, 2024 — Law360 reports on a lawsuit by Brewer client Lourdes M. Castillo against Dori Foster-Morales and her law firm in an article titled, "Ex-Florida Bar Prez Accused of Malpractice in Divorce Case." As reported, Castillo is a former Foster-Morales' client who alleges Foster-Morales "breached her duty by dragging out the proceeding and causing damages stemming from a disagreement over a marital residence."

Filed in Miami-Dade County Civil Court, the four-count complaint accuses Ms. Foster-Morales, a former Florida Bar president of breach of contract, breach of duty, malpractice, and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. 

Brewer Managing Partner William A. Brewer III told Law360 that the defendants failed to protect his client's rights.

"The complaint says it all: when our client's divorce proceedings became increasingly complex and contentious, she retained defendants to protect her interests," Brewer said. "Unfortunately, they were regularly unprepared for key court and arbitration events, caused Ms. Castillo to unwittingly waive substantial rights, and abandoned her during the most important time of her life."

To read the full report (subscription required), click here. 

Free Speech Group Supports NRA

August 19, 2024 – Law360 reports on an amicus brief filed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) in support of Brewer client the National Rifle Association of America (NRA). As reported, “A former New York state official isn't immune from the National Rifle Association’s suit claiming she violated the group's rights by pressuring financial institutions to cut ties with it, a free speech group told the Second Circuit on Monday, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in the dispute.”

The report says that, in an amicus brief filed in support of the NRA, FIRE said granting former New York Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo qualified immunity “would telegraph just how officials can avoid constitutional limits by slightly modifying or softening their coercive statements.”

In a unanimous decision in May, the U.S. Supreme Court said the NRA plausibly alleged that Vullo violated the group’s First Amendment rights by coercing DFS-regulated banks and insurers into cutting ties with the NRA. The NRA and Vullo filed Supplemental Letter Briefs on July 29, 2024.

To read more, click here.