Law360 Profiles Arnold & Porter’s Religious Liberties Victory in ‘Pro Bono Spotlight’

Law360 featured Arnold & Porter's work in protecting the religious liberties of death row inmates in a recent "Pro Bono Spotlight" profile. Law360's section regularly highlights outstanding pro bono work performed in pursuit of expanding access to justice.

The publication highlighted partners Anand Agneshwar and Paige Sharpe for their recent settlement with the Alabama Department of Corrections, which will allow a Muslim death row inmate to be accompanied by a spiritual advisor during his execution. This settlement builds on the duo's record of similar pro bono wins; they have worked together on religious liberty cases for 15 years.

"This is not about whether there should be a death penalty or not. But it's about, if you're going to have one in our society, there should be just simple humanity in how you treat the prisoners," Agneshwar told Law360. "Perhaps there's no time in people's lives when they feel a need for spiritual comfort then when they're at the point of being executed."

"For me, it's knowing that our client is going to have this comfort," Sharpe explained to Law360. "… Knowing that we were able to do something to allow that to happen and to give him that comfort in his final moments is so meaningful."

Arnold & Porter's robust pro bono program includes litigation, transactional, regulatory and public policy advocacy, on both systemic and individual levels. The firm has successfully represented clients in a broad range of areas, including the right to freely exercise religion.

» Read the full profile (subscription required).