Heller Ehrman - Other Cases and Transactions

Other Cases and Transactions

• One of the firm's pro bono cases occurred in Trafficante v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The firm represented white plaintiffs against Metropolitan Life on behalf of minority residents because of the insurance company's alleged discrimination against the minorities in a San Francisco apartment. Both the U.S. District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said the white plaintiffs had no standing to sue because they themselves were not facing discrimination; however, in 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision that the plaintiffs did indeed have standing to sue on behalf of the minority residents.

• Between 2002 and 2008, Heller aided in obtaining bipartisan support on the Equal Justice for Our Military Act of 2007 (HR 3174) and the Equal Justice for United States Military Personnel Act of 2007 (S.2052) pending in the 110th U.S. Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives held debate on September 27, 2008 and passed it by a two-thirds majority. The full Senate did not act upon HR 3174 and S.2052 before the end of the 110th Congress and the bills died.