Arnold & Porter Recognized in Daily Journal 2025 ‘California Lawyers of the Year’ Report

Arnold & Porter retired partner Matthew Heartney, senior associate Daniel Shimell, and associate Kristina Iliopoulos, along with pro bono co-counsel Public Counsel and Western Center on Law & Poverty, were recently named to Daily Journal’s 2025 “California Lawyers of the Year” (CLAY) report for their role securing a significant victory for street vendors across Los Angeles in July 2024. The annual report honors teams of attorneys for their work on matters that have made a “significant impact on the legal profession or society as a whole.”

In July 2024, Arnold & Porter and its co-counsel announced a landmark settlement with the City of Los Angeles that concluded a year and a half of litigation challenging the City’s restrictions blocking its sidewalk vendor community from vending in or near many of the City’s retail areas, including Dodger Stadium and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The settlement, which concluded a legal battle initiated in December 2022, required the City to eliminate no-vending restrictions around major tourist destinations and high-traffic areas. Arnold & Porter and its co-counsel represented three nonprofit organizations — Community Power Collective, East LA Community Corporation, and Inclusive Action for the City — alongside two individual sidewalk vendors in the lawsuit.

In the Daily Journal profile, Heartney told the publication that the impact of the case will be far-reaching and substantial, affecting not only small businesses but also the local and state-wide economies. “This case and the bill that protects these businesses will impact municipal policies statewide for the benefit of all,” he said.