Practice Areas
First Amendment
You don’t need to be naked to catch our attention (although it helps). The firm handles a wide array of matters involving First Amendment violations in addition to our coverage of public nudity cases.
The firm represented urban clothing company Eckō, after the City revoked the company’s permit for a graffiti exhibition, to be sponsored by Eckō, during which artists would paint graffiti on mock subway cars. Alleging a violation of the First Amendment, the firm filed for an injunction. In an exegetical opinion, the Hon. Jed S. Rakoff, U.S.D.J., the City’s conduct was deemed unconstitutional and the permit was reinstated.Read Judge Rakoff’s Opinion.
In Hodges v. City of New York the firm obtained a $30,000 settlement on behalf of a teenager who was suspended from a New York City school for wearing a “Barbie is a Lesbian” t-shirt. Read news article.
Ronald L.Kuby was assistant counsel, along with lead attorney William M. Kunstler in United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990) and Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989), the two Supreme Court cases establishing First Amendment protection for flag-burning.
As special counsel to the Uniformed Firefighters Association, Ron Kuby fights to protect the constitutional rights of New York City firefighters. He has successfully challenged FDNY regulations which impinged upon the free expression of firefighters, including a recent order banning any “material presenting opinions or viewpoints” from FDNY firehouses and engines, and a 2007 policy that prohibited firefighters from decorating their lockers. Read about the recent dispute in these New York Times articles: A City Order in Firehouses Draws Angerand Free Opinions at Firehouses. Read about the 2007 issue here.
