Filing Summary

In this brief, Ackerman seeks to disqualify NRA outside counsel Bill Brewer from the Texas case for three primary reasons.  First, Ackerman claims that Brewer himself is a “tortfeasor engaging in wrongful conduct as a primary actor in the underlying dispute.” (p.2).  Second, the brief notes that Brewer has a familial relationship with the McQueen family, creating potential conflicts of interest.  Third, Ackerman notes that Brewer and his firm are, in addition to being a law firm, also a “business competitor” of Ackerman in the public relations space. (p.2).  Portions of the brief are redacted.  Factual allegations in the brief include:   

Key Points

• “Without consulting the Board of Directors or obtaining approval required by the NRA bylaws, LaPierre authorized Brewer to begin a lawsuit campaign. Soon, Brewer became chief legal provider, earning fees of roughly $100,000 per day ($1.5 to $3 million per month). Upon information and belief, the NRA paid the Brewer Firm over $54 million in just two years.” (para. 8)
• “Brewer was often disrespectful to the McQueen family, voicing frequent professional criticisms about [Ackerman], slow-paying for the services his law firm received from [Ackerman], and vocalizing his disdain for [Ackerman’s] relationship with the NRA due to his own political sentiments against Second Amendment rights.” (para.3)
• “After ramping up his “investigation” efforts, Brewer sent a message through LaPierre threatening to have [Angus] McQueen and [Revan] McQueen indicted by the Department of Justice for unidentified improprieties related to their work for the NRA.  Naturally, this deeply distressed [Angus] McQueen, who had devoted most of his career to serving the NRA.” (para. 22)
• Angus “McQueen was so distraught that he requested that Brewer be excluded from his memorial service. On July 16, 2019, libeled as a criminal and with two pending lawsuits against his company at the hands of his son-in-law, A. McQueen passed away.” (para. 28)