George Ruttinger Honored by Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

Washington, D.C. – June 7, 2011: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that Washington, D.C.-based Government Contracts Group senior counsel George D. Ruttinger will receive the Wiley A. Branton Award from the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs at a luncheon on June 16 at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel.

The award is bestowed upon a member of the legal community whose lifetime efforts on behalf of civil rights advocacy reflects Wiley Branton’s commitment to civil rights. Among the reasons why Ruttinger was selected for the award include his representation of African American individuals in several mortgage-lending cases under the Fair Housing Act, his handling of a landmark class action public accommodations discrimination case against Avis-Rent-A-Car, and his representation of low-income individuals on Section 8 housing discrimination cases.

Ruttinger has served as general counsel to the Equal Rights Center for over 15 years. In addition, he has served as the co-chair of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for the past two years and in other leadership positions at the Committee.

In private practice, Ruttinger has represented government contracts clients in state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings, mini-trials, mediations, and boards of contract appeals. He is a versatile litigator and trial lawyer who has successfully represented clients in complex antitrust litigation, mass torts cases, and international arbitration.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with more than 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels.