BASF Statement on Roe v. Wade Decision

June 24, 2022, San Francisco —Likening Roe to Plessy v. Ferguson, the United States Supreme Court today struck down Roe v. Wade, which established the constitutional right to abortion. Never before has the Supreme Court struck down established precedent to narrow, as opposed to broaden fundamental rights. The decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will have profoundly damaging consequences for millions across the country.

In withdrawing a fundamental right recognized and relied on for almost 50 years, the Supreme Court has delegated the issue of womens’ rights to state legislatures, where extremist forces often carry the day. Up to 26 states have either obliterated the right to abortion altogether or are now poised to implement new and dangerous abortion restrictions, including egregiously cruel criminal prohibitions. California and other haven states are preparing for an unprecedented influx of women seeking basic reproductive care, one that will put enormous strain on already-stressed health care systems.

The Bar Association of San Francisco deplores treating women as second class citizens.

The Bar Association of San Francisco is prepared to fight. On June 1, in cooperation with City Attorney David Chiu, BASF launched a first-in-the nation volunteer effort by law firms that will provide free legal services to those who will be affected by this decision. The Legal Alliance for Reproductive Rights (“LARR”) has more than 30 member firms, including many Big Law firms with national footprints. LARR will assist those who are criminally or civilly prosecuted in the post-Roe reality. BASF is planning a summit of participating LARR members and stakeholders to triage needs. In addition, BASF is planning roundtable sessions to discuss the myriad legal issues that businesses will face as they seek to protect their employees.

“We are ready to defend access to reproductive healthcare and protect those in need of legal assistance. Dobbs not only reverses nearly 50 years of precedent, it empowers the cruelest, most barbarous treatment of women imaginable. Women will be imprisoned, their health will suffer, their families will be impoverished. Some will die. This is a nationwide crisis,” said Mary McNamara, President of the Bar Association of San Francisco and the Justice & Diversity Center.

If your firm would like to join the fight to protect and defend reproductive rights, email LARR@sfbar.org. A list of participating firms follows.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Altshuler Berzon LLP; Arguedas Cassman Headley & Goldman LLP; Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP; BraunHagey & Borden LLP; Clarence Dyer & Cohen LLP; Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP; Conrad Metlitzky Kane LLP; Crowell & Moring LLP; Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; Durie Tangri LLP; Farella Braun + Martel; Fenwick & West LLP; Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes LLP; Hanson Bridgett LLP; Keker Van Nest & Peters LLP; Lewis & Llewellyn LLP; Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP; Moeel Lah Fakhoury LLP; Morrison & Foerster LLP; Nassiri & Jung LLP; O'Melveny & Myers; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; Ramsey & Ehrlich LLP; Rogers Joseph O’Donnell PC; Swanson & McNamara LLP; Tactical Law; Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP.

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