Overview
(January 24, 2025, New York) – Steptoe LLP, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), have reached a historic settlement that will establish fair and equitable legislative maps for Black, Latino, and Asian voters in Nassau County, New York. This landmark achievement—resolving one of the first lawsuits brought under New York’s John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act—marks the first settlement of its kind.
In February 2024, voters challenged the redistricting plan for the Nassau County Legislature as a gerrymander that diluted the votes of Nassau County’s Black, Latino, and Asian communities. Though residents of color make up over one-third of Nassau County’s eligible voters, the redistricting map rushed through the Nassau County Legislature in February 2023 created only four districts out of 19 in which Black, Latino, and Asian residents constituted a majority of eligible voters. Through a consent decree signed on January 23, 2025 by Justice Paul Marx in New York Communities for Change v. Nassau County, the revised map will create six districts where Black, Latino, and Asian residents constitute a majority of eligible voters, along with an additional district to rectify the prior map’s dilution of Asian voting influence. This new map will govern Nassau County’s legislative elections through the 2032 redistricting cycle.
Steptoe partner Michael G. Scavelli and co-lead counsel on the matter, stated: “We are immensely proud to have achieved this landmark settlement, which provides fair representation for all of Nassau County’s voters. This result would not have been possible without the tireless work of a truly remarkable team of clients, lawyers, and legal professionals. We are grateful to New York Communities for Change, Ms. Ortiz, Ms. Jordan Awalom, Ms. Diaz, and Mr. VanEtten for giving us the privilege of representing them in this important case. We are also grateful to the incredibly talented and dedicated teams at NYCLU, ACLU, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, AALDEF and the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington with whom we were proud to work alongside. We stood together to tell our clients’ stories and demonstrate why fair maps and a fair mapmaking process matters. Our Steptoe team looks forward to continuing this important work.”
During the two weeks of trial preceding the settlement, Steptoe and co-counsel put on a compelling case through testimony from distinguished expert witnesses and from their clients who provided powerful testimony about how the previous map marginalized their voting power. Members of Steptoe’s trial team, many of whom have deep personal connections to Nassau County, dedicated considerable pro bono time, effort, and resources to achieve this outcome.
The settlement underscores Steptoe’s commitment to pro bono work and the pursuit of justice for underrepresented communities. It highlights our dedication to ensuring that electoral systems are fair, equitable, and reflective of the diverse populations they serve.
The Steptoe team was led by partner Michael G. Scavelli, and included partners Evan Glassman, Jason Abel, and Lorrie Marcil, of counsel David Kahne, associates Ida Adibi, Elizabeth Goodwin, Ciara Davis, Kylie Clouse, and Laura Niday, paralegal Kimberly Gulino, and pre-law fellows Ruby Donaghu and Isabella Inouye.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
