04/22/2019
Wolf Haldenstein's history of civil rights advocacy of when Firm partners went to the South to represent members of the civil rights activist Freedom Riders, and a recent civil rights settlement against a New York county were highlighted in Law360's Access to Justice article by Emma Cueto. Regina Calcaterra, an attorney with the social justice group at Wolf Haldenstein, said “The fact that we have a civil rights group and we continue having one is because of the people who are here,” Calcaterra said. “It really has to do with the culture and beliefs of the particular attorneys.” While they can be resource intensive, these groups have benefits that go beyond the potential payouts from the litigation, the attorneys said. "They can have a real impact on the culture at the firm, since many attorneys from other groups enjoy pitching in on civil rights cases," Senior partner Jeff Smith said.
It also helps the firm attract talent....And it’s also a selling point when the firm participates in pre-law programs at local colleges aimed at increasing diversity in law. “If you want to bring on people who are diverse ... your culture has to represent that,” Calcaterra said.
Although a rarity among firms, dedicated practice groups focused on civil rights cases can have a big impact, proponents say, taking cases solo attorneys and government regulators can’t.
