Dechert and ACLU of Florida File Lawsuit Challenging Miami City Commission’s Racially Gerrymandered Redistricting Map

On December 15, Dechert LLP and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida filed a lawsuit on behalf of Grove Rights and Community Equity (GRACE), Engage Miami, the South Dade and Miami-Dade NAACP Branches and four individual city residents challenging the Miami City Commission’s newly drawn redistricting map.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, alleges that the Commission’s overriding goal in drawing its map was to separate racial groups into different districts as much as possible, far beyond what the Voting Rights Act requires; that the packing of Black voters into District 5, and of Hispanic voters into Districts 1, 3, and 4, is unconstitutional and diminishes those voters’ influence in adjacent districts; and that this racial gerrymandering does not advance representation and cannot be justified by compliance with the Voting Rights Act or another compelling interest.

“Dechert is committed to ensuring that all eligible voters are able to exercise their 14th Amendment rights to equal protection under the law and to participate in our democracy,” said Dechert litigation partner Neil Steiner, who lead Dechert’s litigation team on a pro bono basis, along with associate Christopher J. Merken and law clerk Jocelyn Kirsch.

“A Commission that views neighbors as ‘sirloin’ and ‘bone’ to be carved up along racial lines cannot be entrusted with the map drawing pen,” said Dwight Bullard, President of the South Dade NAACP, one of the plaintiffs in the case. “We won’t stop fighting until this gerrymander gets thrown out and replaced with a fair map that treats us like constituents, not cuts of meat.”

The challenged map can be viewed on Google Maps here. Click here for the ACLU’s press release and a copy of the court-filed complaint.

Dechert is committed to providing pro bono legal services to individuals and organizations who cannot otherwise afford legal counsel. This commitment exists in all of Dechert’s 21 offices in the United States and internationally. Each year, the firm handles hundreds of pro bono matters,  covering a broad range of issues, including civil rights, international human rights, child advocacy, veterans, prisoner civil rights, landlord tenant, access to public benefits, immigration, criminal law and the representation of nonprofits, small businesses and social enterprises. This year, Dechert was again ranked by The American Lawyer among the ten top firms for pro bono both in the United States and internationally.

About Dechert

Dechert is a leading global law firm with 21 offices around the world. The firm advises on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.