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Stellar sea lions were only some of the animals who benefited from
the pro bono work of Latham & Watkins and other law firms. |
On April 19, 2007, more than one hundred attorneys and other supporters of the The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Protection Litigation program converged on the New York University School of Law’s Torch Club to honor the outstanding pro bono animal protection litigation work done in 2006 by four law firms: Latham & Watkins, Faegre & Benson, O'Melveny & Myers, and Frost Brown Todd.
The ceremony, hosted in partnership with The BeKind Foundation and with the generous support of Frances Hayward, celebrated a commitment by the nation's major law firms to animal protection litigation as a pro bono practice area.
James Barrett, a partner with this year’s top honoree Latham & Watkins, shares his thoughts on the event and pro bono representation of The HSUS with Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president of animal protection litigation.
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| ©Patrick McMullen |
From left: Wayne Pacelle, John Grandy, Faegre & Benson attorneys
Kristin Gast, Richard Duncan, and Michael Soules, and Jon Lovvorn. |
Jonathan Lovvorn: How did you get interested in representing the Humane Society in litigation?
James Barrett: I have always been interested in animals, especially wildlife, but I never really considered it part of my legal career until I came to Latham & Watkins. The firm has worked with the Humane Society for a number of years, but my first experience was in a case in 1997 to protect sea lions in the state of Washington. Latham is strongly committed to pro bono service, and working to represent humane organizations is a natural fit for me.
JL: Your firm is being honored for a major victory for Stellar sea lions, can you describe your experience in working on that case with HSUS?
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The Winners: Attorneys & Animals |
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 Latham & Watkins for a case that halted invasive and lethal research on thousands of Stellar sea lions.
Faegre & Benson for a pair of lawsuits that halted the killing of wolves in Wisconsin and Michigan, and that led to a settlement to protect lynx from fur traps in Minnesota.
O'Melveny & Myers for representing The HSUS and other groups in support of a ballot initiative in Massachusetts that would have increased protection for dogs.
Frost Brown Todd for defense of a groundbreaking Indiana regulation banning the killing of animals in canned hunts. |
JB: It was a remarkable case, and a great outcome. The short version of the story is that the Department of Commerce had decided to authorize a massive invasive and sometimes lethal research program in critically endangered Stellar sea lions in the pacific Northwest. The major problem is that the agency had no idea what it was trying to prove with the research, and had not done the necessary environmental impacts statement. When Latham first got involved, the case looked like an uphill battle. But as we dug into the record, we found that the agency itself had conceded most of our points—which is a great place to be in a case. We always felt we had a strong case, but were nevertheless surprised by the sweeping decision we got from the court, and what a great precedent the case sets for wildlife protection in the future.
JL: What was the highlight of the pro bono awards reception for you personally?
JB: It was a great, unique event, bringing together lawyers from several different firms to celebrate the work being done to protect animals in the courts. The highlight for me was meeting other lawyers that are working with the Humane Society, hearing about how they got involved in this work, and seeing such a broad commitment among the bar to animal protection as a pro bono practice area.
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| ©Patrick McMullen |
From left: Wayne Pacelle, Latham & Watkins attorneys Oded Mizrahi,
David Hayes, The HSUS' John Grandy, Latham & Watkins' Heather
Foran and James Barrett, and Jon Lovvorn |
JL: Latham & Watkins has made an extraordinary commitment to pro bono animal protection litigation. Do you think more law firms will get involved in this kind of pro bono work in the future?
JB: I do. For firms like Latham that take pro bono services very seriously, working with the Humane Society is a great opportunity. The work is challenging and cutting edge, and the projects we take on are supported by a dedicated staff of in-house attorneys, experts, and other professionals that make sure the hours we put into a project achieve maximum results.
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| ©Patrick McMullen |
| From left: Judy Ney, Laura Lovelace, Marian Probst, Jessica Spite |
It’s a wonderful pro bono program, and based on the enthusiasm I saw among the lawyers at this year’s reception, I am sure many, many other lawyers are going to discover how rewarding it is to work with The Humane Society of the United States to protect animals in the courts.
Since its inception in 2005, The HSUS' Animal Protection Litigation Section has grown into the nation's largest animal protection litigation program, with dozens of in-house and outside attorneys prosecuting more than 40 cases in state and federal courts around the country. View The HSUS' current docket of cases and get information on how to contribute to our efforts to protect animals in the courts.
