Press Release

April 22, 2021 (San Francisco, CA) – Tuesday's conviction of Derek Chauvin on all counts was a relief. Relief to the Floyd family that was seeking justice for their son, brother, and father, George. Relief for the nation that the system finally "got it right." And relief for the world, that the jury was able to "believe their eyes" that what they witnessed was a homicide.

And yet, in spite of our collective relief, the result in this one trial does not mean we can let up. This verdict was about Chauvin’s individual accountability. Justice must be about transformation, and commitment to action that results in real change of the system that led to the death of George Floyd and so many others. As we pledged last summer, Hanson Bridgett LLP will continue in our dedication to marshaling our resources, our brainpower, and our privilege toward working to advance racial justice and equity.

This firm supports legislative and policy efforts to create better systems of accountability for law enforcement. And we further support the dialogue that is happening right now in communities across America that are looking to adopt alternative approaches to policing and de-escalation, particularly in the types of situations that led to the death of George Floyd and so many other Black lives.

The hurt, shock, and sadness that we all experienced last summer after George Floyd's murder spurred our firm to take real action. And the relief and vindication that many feel now at Derek Chauvin's conviction is just as palpable. Just know that as a firm, we see this not as the end of the commitment we made last summer; it is only the beginning.

In Solidarity,

Kristina Lawson
Managing Partner