Planned Parenthood Victory Highlighted in The American Lawyer's "Big Suits" Column

The "Big Suits" column in the November 2005 issue of The American Lawyer highlighted Paul Weiss's recent victories in the Planned Parenthood v. American Coalition of Life Activists case and partner Maria Vullo's lead role in the case from its inception. In September 2005, we obtained another significant victory for our clients, individual physicians and health care clinics, targeted by anti-abortion zealots, when the Ninth Circuit rejected the defendants’ attempt to relitigate the en banc May 16, 2002 decision upholding the judgment and injunction and rejecting defendants’ First Amendment defense. The Ninth Circuit reduced the jury's punitive damages award under recent case law under the due process clause. Defendants sought rehearing on the non-punitive damages issues, and just last week, the Ninth Circuit denied defendants' petition for rehearing. In noting that our clients had decided not to seek rehearing on the punitive damages issue (we successfully sought and won rehearing in 2002), Maria said, "This was never about money, it was about protecting doctors' lives." The defendants have stated that they will again seek Supreme Court review. The case remains as the only civil jury verdict under the federal statute protecting reproductive health care workers. In addition to Maria, partner Marty London tried the case in 1999, and associates Bill Taylor and Jessica Sombat have worked on the most recent phase of the case.