Deutsch Hunt PLLC - Five Years In
September 29, 2021
Hard to believe, but it’s been five years since we launched Deutsch Hunt PLLC! As we reach this milestone, we are most grateful for the trust of our clients and the support of our friends and colleagues in the appellate community. Since our launch, we’ve hit our stride as a one-stop shop for everything appellate, ranging from full party representation to appellate counseling and training. We have briefed and argued cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeals, advised on certiorari strategy for clients on both sides of the “v,” and filed amicus briefs in federal and state appellate courts nationwide. You can learn more about our cases here. Some highlights from recent years include:
FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project, 141 S. Ct. 1150 (2021): We represented Respondents, media civil rights organizations who for years fought to hold the FCC to its commitment to use better data and analysis about ownership diversity when deciding whether to further deregulate broadcast media outlets. While upholding agency action as reasonable, the Supreme Court agreed that ownership diversity was appropriately considered as a component of the public interest, despite arguments to the contrary by industry petitioners.
Thunder Studios v. Kazal, No. 19-55413 (9th Cir. 2021): We won reversal of a jury verdict against our clients, who were sued for stalking under California law. The Ninth Circuit held that Defendants’ activity, which included hiring protestors, leafletting, and internet speech critical of the plaintiff, was constitutionally protected speech. Our amicus work, too, supported decisions vindicating First Amendment rights, most recently in Mahanoy Area School Dist. v. B.L., 141 S. Ct. 2038 (2021).
Our varied and vibrant amicus practice continues to grow. One area of emphasis is securities litigation. In Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019), for instance, our brief on behalf of the North American Securities Administrators Association successfully urged the Court to dismiss the case as improvidently granted. Another growing focus is Indian Law, where the Court has cited our amicus briefs in two recent majority opinions, Yellen v. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, 141 S. Ct. 2434 (2021) and Patchak v. Zinke, 138 S. Ct. 897 (2018).
Some professional milestones in the past five years include Ruthanne’s induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, an organization where membership is “reserved for experienced appellate advocates who have demonstrated the highest skill level and integrity,” and her recognition by Best Lawyers for Appellate Practice. Hyland was delighted to be asked to serve as a regular contributor to the recently-revived D.C. Circuit Review – Reviewed, a feature of the Yale Journal of Regulation’s Notice & Comment Blog providing weekly commentary on D.C. Circuit cases.
As we mark our five-year anniversary, we’re thrilled to welcome Alexandra Mansbach, who joins us as “Of Counsel.” Lexi brings the advocacy skills—creative thinking, exhaustive research, and sharp writing—that our clients count on us to deliver. We’ve enjoyed collaborating with Lexi on several projects over the past months, and we’re excited to have her on board.
Cheers to turning five! 🥂 Here’s hoping we can celebrate our tenth anniversary together in person! Until then, you can keep up with our news on our website.
Ruthanne, Hyland, and Lexi