Dear Friend,
As this month comes to a close, we hope you all are finding ways to take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and your community during this dark and devastating moment in our nation's collective history.
At Public Justice, we condemn the United States Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which threatens the lives, health, and autonomy of millions.
We believe abortion is a fundamental human right. For more than 50 years, Roe v. Wade ensured a person's autonomy and liberty to choose what happens to their own body, free from legislative interference. Last week's decision severely undermines that right and even threatens past precedents that protect LGBTQ rights and more.
Additionally, communities of color, rural communities, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ communities, and those who already face disproportionate access to healthcare will suffer the most from being further denied the healthcare they need. Because of this ruling, people across the country and in states that have already made abortion illegal will die.
Today, we join our allies, friends, and partners in collective grief and anger. Tomorrow, we push forward and continue our fight for justice, while calling on our elected leaders to take swift action and codify access to abortion.
As advocates for social justice and change, we know that reproductive justice is inextricably tied to so many of the issues we fight for, including workers' rights, consumer rights, voting rights, environmental justice, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Because of this, we know that there is strength and power in our collective movements, where we must raise our voices and continue our fight to ensure a better future for all.
Yours in solidarity,
The Public Justice Team
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This month marked the 50th anniversary of the federal civil rights statute Title IX, which protects people from sex discrimination in education and other federally-funded programs.
For years, our Students' Civil Rights Project has used Title IX as a powerful tool to hold schools accountable when they fail their students. Our Staff Attorney Alexandra Brodsky recently published an op-ed in Sportico, where you can read about how Title IX protects male athletes like our clients who are suing the Ohio State University for decades of abuse they experienced by school-appointed doctor Richard Strauss.
Under the Trump Administration, former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos gutted Title IX protections for student survivors of sexual harassment, making it easier for schools to shirk responsibility in protecting and supporting their students. For more than a year, we joined our fellow allies and student advocates in urging the Biden Administration to undo these harmful provisions and release proposed changes that support and protect survivors. |
This month, on the same day that Title IX was enacted 50 years ago, the U.S. Department of Education finally released its proposed regulations.
"Students have waited long enough. These proposed regulations would require schools to protect and support students who have experienced sexual violence, rather than punishing or ignoring them. They would also codify safeguards for pregnant and parenting students and students who experience anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination, who are currently facing a wave of vicious attacks from state lawmakers. By strengthening Title IX protections, the Department of Education will ensure that students of all ages and all genders will have greater access to the resources they need, as well as the option to turn to the federal government for help if their schools fail them."
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VICTORY IN CONNECTICUT SUPREME COURT MEDICAL DEVICE CASE |
We're excited to report a victory in the Connecticut Supreme Court case Glover v. Bausch & Lomb, Inc., concerning a medical device victim's right to sue under state law.
The case involved a woman who was blinded by defective artificial lenses that were supposed to cure her cataracts. She alleged, in federal court, that the manufacturer was negligent because it failed to report the lenses' adverse effects to the FDA.
The company moved to dismiss the claims on federal preemption grounds, however, the Second Circuit instead asked the Connecticut Supreme Court to decide whether her claims were preempted by federal medical device law.
This month, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in favor of our client, holding that the plaintiff has a cause of action under state law and her case can proceed -- a big win for the state's personal injury victims.
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SCOTUS UPHOLDS LOWER COURT'S DECISION IN
ROUNDUP CASE
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This month, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Monsanto's cert petition, upholding a $25 million award to Edwin Hardeman, a California man who sued chemical giant Monsanto after developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to decades of exposure to the company's weedkiller Roundup.
In May 2021, the Ninth Circuit held that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approval of a pesticide label does not immunize a manufacturer from liability in the tort system, affirming the jury's finding that Roundup caused Hardeman's cancer.
On June 21, the Supreme Court rejected Monsanto's petition to overturn the Ninth Circuit's ruling, signaling a victory for others seeking to pursue their claims against the company.
This case is part of our ongoing effort to stop wrongdoing corporations like Monsanto from blocking victims' access to justice. Public Justice had been among the team of cocounsel in the Ninth Circuit. Learn more about the case here. |
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Save the date! Our 40th Anniversary Gala and Awards Celebration scheduled for Monday, July 18 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle, Washington is only weeks away!
The event is currently sold out, however, we encourage you to join us virtually by clicking the link here.
Additionally, we are creating a waitlist for those interested in being notified when an in-person ticket becomes available. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please reach out to Susan Gombert, Senior Meetings & Events Manager at [email protected] with the number of tickets you would like. |
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We hope you will join us, whether in-person or virtually, as we celebrate and honor changemakers from across the country, including our 2022 Champion of Justice honoree, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the 2022 Illuminating Injustice awardees, our Trial Lawyer of the Year Award finalists and winner, our outgoing President Dan Bryson, our President-Elect Tom Sobol, and more!
Additionally, we will be honoring former Chairman Arthur Bryant (pictured right) with the inaugural Public Justice Legacy Award for his many years of service as an attorney, executive director, and chairman of Public Justice. Learn more about Arthur’s impact here.
To purchase your virtual ticket or view sponsorship details, click here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Sue.
We hope to see you there!
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Public Justice welcomes this month's new members — your unwavering commitment to our mission to combat injustice helps us reach our goals.
Questions? Contact us here.
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