Akin Gump Attorneys Discuss Winning the Right to Feed Dallas’ Homeless
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In late March, an Akin Gump pro bono team headed by Dallas partner Scott Barnard, working in conjunction with The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, secured a victory in a Dallas courtroom that allows religious organizations to continue feeding the city’s homeless on its streets. (See press release here.)
The Law Center interviewed Akin Gump Dallas counsel Andrew Newman and Lizzy Scott regarding their work in this case.
Discussing the challenges of the case, Newman noted, “Taking this case to trial was difficult because the City has undertaken many positive programs that aim to help the homeless population of Dallas—in this instance, though, the City did not consider how our clients would be burdened by the numerous requirements for sharing food with homeless individuals.”
Scott discussed the difficulties of the case, saying, “I think one of the most challenging aspects of the case was ensuring that our clients’ compelling stories came through while also making the necessary legal and factual record. This case involved our clients’ intensely personal religious convictions, and we wanted to make sure that their beliefs and their stories were never overshadowed by our more technical efforts to prove their case.”
