Pro Bono Court Effort Helps Preserve Education Reform in Montgomery County, Maryland

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to prevent Montgomery County school districts from promoting equality for all students through race-neutral admissions policies. Ballard Spahr litigators worked pro bono with civil rights organizations to successfully challenge the claim.

U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis on July 29 dismissed Association for Education Fairness v. Montgomery County Board of Education. Ballard Spahr litigators helped file an amicus brief in support of dismissing the lawsuit, working with co-counsel the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian American Justice Center, and LatinoJustice PRLDEF. The organizations filed the brief on behalf of the Montgomery County Branch of the NAACP; Montgomery County Progressive Asian American Network; Identity, Inc.; CASA, Inc.; and Asian American Youth Leadership, Empowerment, and Development.

Ballard Spahr attorneys Leslie E. John, Maraya N. Pratt, Kayla Martin, and Elizabeth Wingfield worked with the other organizations to submit the amicus brief. The plaintiff’s lawsuit had challenged the Montgomery County Board of Education’s revised admissions policies, which aim to increase access to equal educational opportunity for all students, including Black, Latino, and underserved Asian American students. The LDF press release has more information.

For media inquiries, please contact Bill Shralow at 215.864.8195.