Gun Control Advocates Team Up With Big Law (12/8/2016)

Fighting against gun violence has often been a lonely task for activists, who on their own were dwarfed by the size of the gun lobby.But now, gun control advocates have found new allies in corporate law firms, including Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Covington & Burling; and Arnold & Porter.

Together, big firms are committing tens of millions of dollars in free legal services from top corporate lawyers.

Until now, there has not been a coordinated effort across law firms to lobby for stricter gun control.

The coalition’s legal strategies include:

• Seeking to overturn state laws that have gone largely unchallenged, including new policies that force businesses to allow guns to be carried on their property

• Mounting the first formal challenges to congressional restrictions on publishing government data on gun violence

Brad D. Brian, co-managing partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson, said advocates don’t take issue with responsible gun owners. But he added, “There is an epidemic of gun violence in this country, and the law can save innocent lives without infringing constitutional rights.”