WASHINGTON—Covington has been selected by the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) as its 2025 Outstanding Pro Bono Partner. The award recognizes Covington's representation of DREDF and other in promoting disability rights in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the consolidated cases Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States. The brief advocated for the Court to find that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) preempted an Idaho abortion ban that made it illegal for doctors to perform an emergency abortion needed to protect a pregnant person’s health. EMTALA is a federal statute requiring that Medicare-funded hospitals provide stabilizing medical care—including abortion services—to patients experiencing a medical emergency.
The brief highlighted how individuals with disabilities face significant barriers in accessing medical care and an increased prevalence of medical complications during pregnancy. It urged the Court to find EMTALA protected access to emergency abortions for disabled pregnant people who needed them to protect their health. The Court dismissed the case, allowing the district court’s decision—which enjoined the Idaho ban and ensured continuous access to emergency abortion care under EMTALA—to stand until the Trump Administration dismissed the lawsuit in March 2025. Separate litigation has resulted in a preliminary injunction barring the enforcement of the Idaho ban where it conflicts with EMTALA for at least one hospital system in Idaho.
The Covington team included Carolyn Corwin, Brian Kempfer, Aroosa Khokher, Aubrey Stoddard, and Anna Venguer Benrey.
Covington has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. The firm is frequently recognized for pro bono service, including being ranked 12 times as the number one pro bono practice in the U.S. by The American Lawyer. Much of the firm's pro bono work is anchored in meeting local needs, serving economically disadvantaged individuals and families in our surrounding communities, in addition to its long history of serving vulnerable clients and important causes throughout the U.S. and the world.
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