NEWS

September 21, 2011 -- Bruce V. Spiva argues in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that the District of Columbia can be sued for the Metropolitan Police Department's role in the refusal of hospitals to provide a Howard University student with a sexual assault medical forensic examination. This story was previously chronicled in the Washington City Paper.

April 13, 2011 -- Catherine A. Bendor and Susan L. Tiedemann participate in the Washington Council of Lawyers' (WCL) annual mock trial event. Catherine is on the Board of Directors of WCL which is a voluntary bar association in DC committed to promoting the practice of pro bono and public interest law. This was the first year the event took place at Wheatley Elementary School in northeast D.C., where the volunteer attorneys helped two fifth-grade classes each conduct a mock criminal trial. In today's case, Catherine's students on the defense side convinced Susan's student jurors that the Defendant was not guilty of shoplifting. WCL's annual mock trial event is a fun and interactive way to educate the students about the justice system, while also providing a positive experience for the attorney volunteers.

March 1, 2011 -- The Spiva Law Firm PLLC welcomes Brian Marshall Simmonds to the firm. Brian earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2006, where he was an Executive Editor of the Georgetown Journal of International Law. Before joining the firm, Mr. Simmonds was a Senior Associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, where he concentrated on litigation and antitrust matters.

August 19, 2010 -- The Spiva Law Firm PLLC welcomes Catherine A. Bendor, a 1992 graduate of Harvard Law School and a distinguished attorney, who will join the firm in September.

August 19, 2010 -- Effective August 19, 2010, we have changed our name from Spiva & Hartnett LLP to The Spiva Law Firm PLLC.

We bid a fond farewell to firm partner and co-founder Kathleen R. Hartnett as she enters public service as an Associate White House Counsel. We are proud of her accomplishments and wish her the best in her new position.

News items dated prior to August 19, 2010 refer to our former firm name, Spiva & Hartnett LLP.

July 9, 2010 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP joins co-counsel in filing an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in Costco Wholesale Corp. v. Omega, S.A., on behalf of the Entertainment Merchants Association and the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.

June 7, 2010 -- The Fulton County Superior Court grants final approval to a nationwide class action settlement reached by lead class counsel Spiva & Hartnett LLP on behalf of customers of EarthLink, Inc. subject to early termination fees ("ETFs"). For more information, please see the EarthLink ETF settlement website.

May 28, 2010 -- The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirms summary judgment obtained by Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel on behalf of Marriott International, Inc. in an attempted worldwide class action; the Court rejects the remaining claims against Marriott for lack of jurisdiction.

May 27, 2010 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel Susan R. Podolsky obtain $9.75 million arbitration award on behalf of their client, Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc., against Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, in a case alleging securities fraud related to Credit Suisse's purchase of student-loan pool-backed auction rate securities ("SLARS") for Catalyst's account.

April 19, 2010 -- The United States Supreme Court grants certiorari in Costco Wholesale Corp. v. Omega, S.A., a matter in which Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel filed an amicus brief urging a grant of certiorari on behalf of the Entertainment Merchants Association and the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.

April 8, 2010 -- The Washington City Paper publishes a cover story about a Howard University student, represented by Spiva & Hartnett LLP, who has sued the District of Columbia, Howard University Hospital, George Washington University Hospital, and other defendants for refusing to provide her with a sexual assault medical forensic examination (part of which is commonly referred to as a "rape kit") and otherwise negligently responding to her report of sexual assault.

April 5, 2010 -- The National Law Journal reports lead counsel Spiva & Hartnett LLP's nationwide class action settlement on behalf of former and current customers of EarthLink, Inc. subject to early termination fees.

April 1, 2010 -- The Fulton County Daily Report highlights Spiva & Hartnett LLP's nationwide class action settlement on behalf of EarthLink, Inc. customers subject to early termination fees. For a .pdf version of the article, please click here.

March 28, 2010 -- The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California grants class certification in multi-district litigation alleging artificially inflated prices of flat-panel liquid crystal displays ("LCDs") found in devices such as televisions, computer monitors, and mobile phones, and names Spiva & Hartnett LLP client David Walker as class representative for the District of Columbia class represented by Spiva & Hartnett LLP.

February 19, 2010 -- The Fulton County Superior Court preliminarily approves a nationwide class action settlement reached by lead counsel Spiva & Hartnett LLP on behalf of EarthLink, Inc. customers subject to early termination fees ("ETFs"). For more information, please see the EarthLink ETF settlement website.

June 17, 2009 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP joins co-counsel in filing an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in support of certiorari in Costco Wholesale Corp. v. Omega, S.A., on behalf of the Entertainment Merchants Association and the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.

April 26, 2009 -- Congressional Quarterly quotes Bruce V. Spiva in an article regarding President Obama’s first 100 days.

March 13, 2009 -- Bruce V. Spiva appointed to the Advisory Board for the American Antitrust Association, a non-profit dedicated to the vigorous use of antitrust to promote national and international competition policy.

November 24, 2008 -- The United States District Court for the District of Columbia denies reconsideration to plaintiffs and affirms summary judgment obtained by Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel on behalf of Marriott International, Inc. in an attempted worldwide class action.

November 24, 2008 -- The United States District Court for the Central District of California grants final approval to the $48,000,000 settlement of antitrust claims against Unocal reached by Spiva & Hartnett LLP and a team of firms representing California consumers.

November 17, 2008 -- The Georgia Supreme Court denies EarthLink, Inc.'s petition for certiorari and sustains nationwide class certification obtained by lead counsel Spiva & Hartnett LLP on behalf of customers subject to allegedly unlawful early termination fees ("ETFs").

August 12, 2008 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel obtain summary judgment for Marriott International, Inc. against an attempted worldwide class action under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

July 21, 2008 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP and a team of firms representing California consumers reach a $48,000,000 settlement of antitrust claims against Unocal and move for preliminary approval of the settlement in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

July 11, 2008 -- The Court of Appeals of Georgia affirms nationwide class certification obtained by lead counsel Spiva & Hartnett LLP for EarthLink, Inc. customers subject to allegedly unlawful early termination fees ("ETFs").

June 9, 2008 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP, along with lead counsel at Jenner & Block LLP, obtain critical discovery for death row inmate in federal habeas corpus proceeding in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.

May 28, 2008 -- On behalf of Texan mail-in voters and Texans seeking to assist disabled and elderly mail-in voters, Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel, including The Campaign Legal Center, reach a settlement with the Texas Attorney General and Secretary of State, resulting in stricter guidelines for the State's investigation and prosecution of individuals assisting mail-in voters and significant clarification of the State's requirements for providing assistance to mail-in voters.

February 5, 2008 -- Bruce V. Spiva presents oral argument in the Court of Appeals of Georgia in defense of the trial court's certification of a nationwide class of EarthLink, Inc. customers subject to allegedly unlawful early termination fees ("ETFs").

January 9, 2008 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel challenging burdensome and discriminatory restrictions on mail-in balloting in Texas obtain remand for trial and defeat the State's arguments for dismissal before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

December 4, 2007 -- Kathleen R. Hartnett presents oral argument in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, defending a preliminary injunction won by Spiva & Hartnett LLP and a team of lawyers challenging burdensome and discriminatory restrictions on mail-in balloting in Texas.

November 13, 2007 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP and co-counsel at Fordham University School of Law file an amicus curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics, in support of a constitutional challenge to Kentucky's implementation of execution by lethal injection.

April 23, 2007 -- Class certification is granted against Unocal in antitrust litigation prosecuted by a team of firms including Spiva & Hartnett LLP.

March 15, 2007 -- Bruce V. Spiva participates on American Constitution Society panel on D.C. voting rights.

March 14, 2007 -- Bruce V. Spiva, Chair of the Board of DC Vote, testifies in support of the D.C. Voting Rights Act before the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives.

February 6, 2007 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP files suit on behalf of District of Columbia consumers challenging artificially inflated prices of flat-panel liquid crystal displays ("LCDs") found in devices such as televisions, computer monitors, and mobile phones.

January 4, 2007 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP wins nationwide class certification for EarthLink, Inc. customers subject to allegedly unlawful early termination fees ("ETFs").

October 2006 -- Bruce V. Spiva, Chair of the Board of DC Vote, Delivers Speech in Favor of Congressional Voting Representation for the People of Washington, D.C. at DC Vote's Champions of Democracy Awards Reception.   

September 27, 2006 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP provides pro bono assistance to prisoner seeking reduction in sentence.

September 21, 2006 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP joins team of lawyers in filing suit and motion for preliminary injunction challenging discriminatory Texas mail-in ballot provisions.

September 2006 -- Bruce V. Spiva elected Co-Chair of the D.C. Bar Litigation Section Steering Committee

August 21, 2006 -- Spiva & Hartnett LLP Opens for Business.