Greensboro Prevails in Challenge to City Council Redistricting Legislation, Jim Phillips Leads Brooks Pierce Team
Brooks Pierce attorney Jim Phillips led a legal team representing the City of Greensboro in a lawsuit challenging the General Assembly’s changes to Greensboro’s form of government.
Jim Phillips led a team of Brooks Pierce lawyers who obtained a preliminary injunction in federal court halting the implementation of legislation passed by the N.C. General Assembly that would have restructured Greensboro’s form of government. Judge Catherine Eagles found that the legislation violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The legislation would have altered the number of at large and district seats on city council, the makeup of districts, the powers of the mayor and the ability of Greensboro’s citizens to choose their own form of municipal government in the future. As a result of the Court’s decision, the legislation will not apply to Greensboro City Council’s 2015 election.
This matter was heavily covered by the Greensboro News & Record. Their artist’s rendering of Jim arguing the City’s case can be seen here.