Leech Tishman Partner Steven D. Irwin to Serve as Chair of Pennsylvania Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights “Fair Housing Access and Zoning Practices” Web Briefing Series

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PITTSBURGH, PA – June 21, 2022 – Leech Tishman is pleased to announce that Government Relations partner, Steven D. Irwin, will be chairing the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Web Briefing Series entitled, “Fair Housing Access and Zoning Practices.” The panels are scheduled for Tuesday, June 28 and Thursday, July 14 from 11:00-1:00 pm EST.

Members of the public will be invited to speak during an open comment session near the end of each meeting. The Committee will also accept written comments from members of the public. In this ongoing study, the Committee seeks to examine the impact of zoning laws, municipal nuisance laws, crime-free housing ordinances, and related fair housing concerns on disparities based on race, color, disability status, national origin, age, religion, sex and/or familial status.

“Sadly, it appears that discrimination in housing opportunity persists, and that certain laws in place either perpetuate racial disparities or are not sufficiently enforced to prevent these unacceptable outcomes,” stated Steve. “I am very happy that the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee is committing to investigate this situation more thoroughly and I look forward to reporting our findings & recommendations to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.”

Irwin is a Partner with Leech Tishman and a member of the Corporate Practice Group, where he co-leads the Government Relations Group and the Securities Group. He is also a member of the Employment & Labor Practice Group. Irwin is based in the Pittsburgh office, where he handles business matters, routinely interacts with government bodies and counsels high-level management, defending against or asserting allegations of fraudulent conduct. Irwin currently serves as Chair of the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

ABOUT THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR). Since then, Congress has reauthorized or extended the legislation creating the Commission several times; the last reauthorization was in 1994 by the Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994.

Established as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding federal agency, the USCCR’s mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. USCCR pursues this mission by studying alleged deprivations of voting rights and alleged discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice. USCCR plays a vital role in advancing civil rights through objective and comprehensive investigation, research, and analysis on issues of fundamental concern to the federal government and the public.

ABOUT LEECH TISHMAN

Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl is a full-service law firm dedicated to assisting individuals, businesses, and institutions. Leech Tishman offers legal services in business restructuring & insolvency, corporate matters, employment & labor, estates & trusts, intellectual property, litigation & alternative dispute resolution, and real estate. In addition, the firm offers a wide range of legal services to clients in the aviation & aerospace, cannabis, construction, emerging cyber technologies, energy & natural resources, healthcare, and hospitality industries. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Leech Tishman also has offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Sarasota, and Washington, D.C.