Pro Bono Representation
- African-American Farmer was Unfairly Denied Farm Loans
In what has become known as the Black Farmer Litigation, a class-action lawsuit was brought in federal court against the U.S. Government for unfairly denying African-American farmers government loans in the 1950s and 1960s, while similarly situated white farmers obtained loans. The U.S. Government settled the litigation by agreeing to pay class members $50,000 each, plus other benefits if they could prove they were in the class.
Mr. Perry's client, a wonderful woman named Susie White from Natchez, Mississippi had raised 13 children on a Mississippi farm with her husband, who had died years earlier. Mrs. White had been discriminated against and applied for the settlement, but was rejected.
She came to Mr. Perry for help in 2001. Mr. Perry agreed to represent Mrs. White pro bono, and appealed the decision rejecting Mrs. White's claim. The good news is that in late 2005, Mr. Perry learned that he had won Mrs. White's appeal and that she would receive the $50,000 settlement. In an unfortunate manifestation of the phrase "Justice Delayed is Justice Denied," Mrs. White died just two months before the court rendered its decision. But not all is lost; the $50,000 and other benefits will be shared equally among Mrs. White's children. View the Court's Opinion » - More than one-half million dollars obtained for client who suffered severe burns on 9/11/01
In pro bono representation, Mr. Perry represented a wonderful man and his wife before the 9/11 Commission established to compensate victims. Mr. Perry's client was severely burned in World Trade Center Tower One when ignited jet fuel shot out of an elevator shaft. As a result, he sustained severe injuries to his hands as well as scarring on his face. Mr. Perry represented his clients before the 9/11 Commission and obtained a very significant settlement, which allowed his client to obtain his rehabilitation needs.
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