Four Am Law 200 Firms on California Episcopal Church Case

January 6, 2009
by Zach Lowe

When litigation is simmering nationwide, people tend to look to California for guidance. On Monday, that state's Supreme Court ruled that three breakaway Episcopal churches--offended by the parent church's 2003 decision to ordain a gay bishop--forfeited their property rights when they affiliated with a different parent church, according to the ruling and this recap from the Los Angeles Times.

The ruling was a win for two Am Law 200 attorneys who argued the case: John Shiner of Holme, Roberts & Owen, representing the Los Angeles diocese, and Heather Anderson of Goodwin Procter, representing the U.S. Episcopal Church. (A team from Weil, Gotshal & Manges submitted an amicus brief on the behalf of the U.S. Presbyterian Church--another parent church concerned about losing property to breakaway parishes.) the rest