Bethan R. Jones

May 1, 2020— Kellogg Hansen attorneys qualified for recognition on the 2019 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll for contributing fifty hours or more of pro bono work to those who cannot afford legal counsel.  Nine Kellogg Hansen attorneys also qualified for the High Honor Roll for providing one hundred hours or more of pro bono service.  The District of Columbia Courts have recognized attorneys through the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll since 2011.  The complete list of 2022 honorees can be found here. Kellogg Hansen 2019 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll Scott K. Attaway Christine A. Bonomo* Kimberly A. Briggs* Andrew J. Churella* Katherine C. Cooper* Daniel S. Guarnera* Michael J. Guzman* Julia Haines* Minsuk Han* T. Dietrich Hill* Mark P. Hirschboeck* Bethan R. Jones* Michael K. Kellogg* Geoffrey M. Klineberg* Grace W. Knofczynski Gabriel A. Kohan Sean A. Lev Benjamin D. Margo Ariela Migdal* Sean M. Nadel* Bradley E. Oppenheimer* Albert Y. Pak Ana N. Paul* Michael S. Qin Gregory G. Rapawy Melissa Rodriguez* Thomas B. Samuels* Thomas G. Schultz* Benjamin S. Softness James W. Webster* Collin R. White *denotes High Honor roll ..

January 6, 2019— The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that a farmer can pursue his lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s practice of favoring incumbent farmers in its cooperative farming program.  The district court had dismissed the case, holding that the federal government’s adoption of a policy promising a competitive process rendered the plaintiff’s claims moot.  In Hymas v. U.S. Dep’t of Interior, the Ninth Circuit reversed the district court’s dismissal and sent the case back for consideration of the merits.  The Ninth Circuit concluded that “the new policy has not resulted in a substantially different controversy,” which remains “whether or not it is permissible to favor incumbent farmers when awarding cooperative farming agreements.” On appeal, Jay Hymas was represented by Kellogg Hansen Associates Minsuk Han and Bethan R. Jones.  Appointed as pro bono counsel by the Ninth Circuit, Mr. Han presented oral argument in Seattle, Washington, on December 9, 2019.  After the decision, Mr. Han said, “The Ninth Circuit’s decision gives Mr. Hymas, who has been litigating this case for over six years, an opportunity to pursue his claims and be heard on the merits.  The district court’s dismissal was against the well-established principle that an agency’s post-litigation adoption of a new policy alone does not automatically deprive a plaintiff of his right to pursue his claims in court.” The case concerns the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s award of cooperative agreements in the Mid-Columbia River region, which allow commercial farmers to grow crops on refuge lands as long as the farmers agree to leave a portion of the crops for the wildlife.  After unsuccessful attempts to obtain a cooperative agreement, Mr. Hymas brought a lawsuit challenging the Service’s selection practice under the Administrative Procedure Act and seeking bid preparation costs, among other claims. ..