BGL Celebrates 25 Years of Olmstead with Bazelon Center – Technologist

Brown, Goldstein & Levy was a proud sponsor of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Olmstead v. L.C. (Lois Curtis) decision hosted by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health. The event, ‘Advocating for Community-Based Services for Children with Mental Disabilities,’ kicked off on Wednesday, June 12th with a virtual gathering featuring discussion with legal experts, advocates, policymakers and mental health professionals. A reception celebrating the lives and legacies of the plaintiffs, Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, followed at Microsoft’s offices in Washington, D.C.

The landmark Supreme Court case was decided on June 22nd, 1999, when the United States Supreme Court held in Olmstead v. L.C. that unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities constitutes discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson had remained confined in an institution after seeking medical treatment at a State-run psychiatric unit, despite medical professionals advising that they were ready to move to a community-based program. 

The virtual celebration reflected on accomplishments, lessons learned, and the future of Olmstead-related legal advocacy. Featured speakers included Megan Schuller, Legal Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Alison Barkoff, Principal Deputy Administrator of the Administration for Community Living, and Jalyn Radziminski, Founder and President of Count US IN. 

“Because of these two heroes [Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson], the highest court in our nation recognized that disabled people are as capable and as worthy of participating in community life as everyone else,” Schuller said in her speech.

An insightful panel followed, featuring Kimm Campbell, LCSW, Deputy County Administrator of Broward County, Florida, Ira Burnim, Senior Counsel at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health and Brit Vanneman, Staff Attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health.

As sponsors and close partners of the Bazelon Center, as well as fierce disability rights advocates, BGL was honored to support and attend the event celebrating the monumental case. Eve Hill, partner at BGL and Chairman of the Board for the Bazelon Center for Mental Health, played a pivotal role in planning this impactful event and contributing to the celebration by championing disability rights and community advocacy. 

ABOUT EVE HILL

Eve Hill is one of the nation’s leading civil rights lawyers, known especially for her work with clients with disabilities and LGBTQ+ clients. She has been recognized by Law360 as one of just 12 “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” for 2023, as well as by Lawdragon as one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2022 and 2023). Her wide-ranging experience complements Brown, Goldstein & Levy’s decades of dedication to high-impact disability rights cases and its advocacy on behalf of individuals with disabilities and their families. Eve also leads Inclusivity, BGL’s Strategic Consulting Group, which works with organizations to promote the education, engagement, and employment of people with disabilities. Learn more about Eve here.

ABOUT BGL

Founded in 1982, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a law firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, with an office in Washington, D.C. The firm is nationally recognized in a wide variety of practice areas, including complex civil and commercial litigation, civil rights, health care, family law, and criminal defense. Above all else, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a client-centered law firm that brings decades of experience and passionate, effective advocacy to your fight for justice.