DALLAS – The Fears Nachawati Law Firm is joining a growing number of businesses in Texas and across the country recognizing Juneteenth as a paid holiday for all employees.
Recent events like the tragic death of George Floyd and Blackout Tuesday have spurred communities to take a harder look at systemic racism and failures of the criminal justice system. Fears Nachawati co-founders Majed Nachawati and Bryan Fears said the decision to recognize June 19 as a paid holiday was an easy one.
“This is a time for reflection and community building, and it’s also a time for businesses to take a hard look in the mirror and recognize, acknowledge and ultimately do something to address the discrimination experienced by the African-American community in the past and in the present.” They are encouraging all their staff to connect with each other, spend time learning, and reflect on how we can move forward to achieve permanent and lasting change.
Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when U.S. Army Major Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with news that slavery was abolished. While Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery happened two years prior, it didn’t have an impact on those in Texas until Gen. Granger’s arrival.
While numerous large corporate law firms have moved to recognize Juneteenth, Fears Nachawati is one of the first plaintiff-focused law firms to make June 19 a paid holiday.
“Lawyers have a duty to stand up and support the legal industry’s highest professional and ethical standards,” said Mr. Fears. “We have always tried to conduct our business with that in mind and recognizing this important holiday is one more opportunity to do that.”