WASHINGTON - On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch presented Adrian Brown, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, with the prestigious John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation.
The John Marshall Awards are the Justice Department’s highest awards offered to attorneys for contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brown was recognized along with ten other 2016 John Marshall Award recipients at the 64th Annual Attorney General Awards ceremony hosted by Attorney General Lynch.
Brown and five other colleagues were recognized for their extraordinary work in securing, alongside private plaintiffs, a landmark settlement agreement remedying systematic discrimination in Oregon’s employment service system for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Through the team’s outstanding oral and written advocacy, a groundbreaking settlement was secured in Lane v. Brown, the nation’s first class-action lawsuit to challenge a state funded and administered employment service system, relying primarily on sheltered workshops, as a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) integration mandate.
Throughout the more than three-year litigation, the team successfully positioned the department and private plaintiffs to obtain a comprehensive settlement agreement providing relief to approximately 7,000 people with I/DD. These individuals include 1,115 adults who have long been relegated to segregated workshops when they were able and wanted to work in traditional jobs in their communities. 4,900 youth with I/DD will now receive employment services to aid in selecting, preparing for, obtaining, and retaining traditional jobs. The team’s accomplishment serves as a model for integrated employment of persons with disabilities nationwide.
“The Attorney General’s Awards provide us with a rare opportunity to honor the efforts of outstanding department employees and our invaluable partners across the federal government and at the state and local levels," said Attorney General Lynch. “Their work has made our nation - and our world - stronger, safer and more just, and I am proud of and inspired by each and every one of them."
“I am honored and delighted that Adrian was recognized today for her outstanding achievements and important contributions to protecting Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities," said Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Adrian is a critical member of our team whose knowledge and creativity contribute significantly to furthering the mission of the Justice Department across Oregon. Her efforts demonstrate our steadfast commitment," continued U.S. Attorney Williams, “to protecting our most vulnerable citizens from discrimination. I am proud to work alongside such a talented and dedicated public servant."
Attorney General Lynch recognized 376 Justice Department employees for their distinguished public service at today’s awards ceremony. Forty-seven other individuals outside the department were also honored with their work. The annual ceremony recognizes individuals for their outstanding service and dedication to carrying out the missions of the Department of Justice across the country.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
