Emerging lawyer John Biernat serves as an associate attorney at the Padilla Law Group. He is responsible for writing case evaluations and for facilitation summaries and motions. John Biernat is a member in good standing of the Michigan State Bar.
On July 15, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ruled in favor of the Michigan State Bar’s membership mandate. Michigan-based lawyer Lucille Taylor filed a lawsuit challenging the state bar’s membership mandate. In her complaint, Taylor said that her freedom of association and also her freedom of speech were violated by the state bar’s use of her membership dues for advocacies.
By a vote of 3-0, the appellate court asserted that the US Supreme Court has already ruled in prior cases that the mandatory collection of membership dues as a condition for practicing law is not violative of freedom of association. The appellate court said further that the state bar’s use of membership fees to support advocacies that Taylor does not endorse is not violative of freedom of speech. The appellate court has cited two Supreme Court rulings in Keller v. State Bar of California and Lathrop v. Donohue as precedents for ruling in favor of the Michigan State Bar.
On July 15, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ruled in favor of the Michigan State Bar’s membership mandate. Michigan-based lawyer Lucille Taylor filed a lawsuit challenging the state bar’s membership mandate. In her complaint, Taylor said that her freedom of association and also her freedom of speech were violated by the state bar’s use of her membership dues for advocacies.
By a vote of 3-0, the appellate court asserted that the US Supreme Court has already ruled in prior cases that the mandatory collection of membership dues as a condition for practicing law is not violative of freedom of association. The appellate court said further that the state bar’s use of membership fees to support advocacies that Taylor does not endorse is not violative of freedom of speech. The appellate court has cited two Supreme Court rulings in Keller v. State Bar of California and Lathrop v. Donohue as precedents for ruling in favor of the Michigan State Bar.
