Don Keenan
Painting a subject without their knowing it, a surprise portrait, is always fraught with danger… and in the case of Don Keenan, doubly so. A larger than life character, electrifying, the trial lawyer community with his “Reptile Theory” of practice, a TV personality, renowned children’s advocate, often to be found unshaved wearing shorts, T-shirt, and always those sunglasses. An ex-marine of Irish blood and creator of the Kids Foundation and Bono aficionado. All this and more went into this painting. It was with relief that I saw it was warmly and enthusiastically received at its unveiling in Houston. Kudos to the courage of the man brave enough to commission this painting!
Painting a subject without their knowing it, a surprise portrait, is always fraught with danger… and in the case of Don Keenan, doubly so. A larger than life character, electrifying, the trial lawyer community with his “Reptile Theory” of practice, a TV personality, renowned children’s advocate, often to be found unshaved wearing shorts, T-shirt, and always those sunglasses. An ex-marine of Irish blood and creator of the Kids Foundation and Bono aficionado. All this and more went into this painting. It was with relief that I saw it was warmly and enthusiastically received at its unveiling in Houston. Kudos to the courage of the man brave enough to commission this painting!
Don Keenan
Keenan, Don. 16" x 20". 2015. Collection of Keenan Law Firm. Atlanta, GA. Portrait on canvas. Commissioned by HMR Funding, Dean Chase.
Keenan, Don. 16" x 20". 2015. Collection of Keenan Law Firm. Atlanta, GA. Portrait on canvas. Commissioned by HMR Funding, Dean Chase.
Chairman of Public Justice.
Fighting for consumers’ rights, workers’ rights, civil rights and liberties, environmental protection, the poor and the powerless, and access to justice for all. One of the 100 Most Influential Attorneys in America.
Chairman of Public Justice, a national public interest law firm created by trial lawyers and currently supported by – and able to call on – over 2,700 of the top plaintiffs’ lawyers in the country. He has won major victories and established new precedents in constitutional law, toxic torts, civil rights, consumer protection, class actions, and mass torts. The National Law Journal has twice named him one of the 100 Most Influential Attorneys in America.
Arthur H. Bryant.
Arthur Bryant. original painting on canvas. 2018. 24" x 18". In the collection of the artist.
Arthur joined Public Justice (then Trial Lawyers for Public Justice) in 1984 as its sole staff attorney. He became Executive Director in 1987 and was named Chairman in 2014, his 30th anniversary with the organization. When Arthur became Executive Director, the organization had two staff (Arthur and the receptionist), a small office in Washington DC, fewer than 25 annual members, a $275,000 budget, and very few cases on its docket. When he became Chairman, it had thirty staff (including 15 attorneys), offices on both coasts, over 2,500 members, a $5.3 million budget, and a broader range of high-impact, precedent-setting cases than any public interest organization in the country.Public Justice uses cutting-edge litigation and public education to fight for consumers’ rights, workers’ rights, civil rights and liberties, environmental protection, corporate and government accountability, and the poor and the powerless. Its Access to Justice Campaign made Public Justice the national leader in the courts against corporate efforts to expand mandatory arbitration, federal preemption, class action bans and limitations, unjustified secrecy, and other barriers to Americans’ constitutional right to a jury trial and a day in court. Arthur and Public Justice have made new law and won justice for millions.
Arthur is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Harvard Law School, where he captained his team to the Ames Moot Court Competition Championship. After serving as a law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Gabrielle M. McDonald, he worked as an associate at the Philadelphia law firm of Kohn, Savett, Marion & Graf (now Kohn, Swift & Graf), handling First Amendment, civil rights, and complex civil litigation. While at that firm, he brought and tried the case that forced the admission of women to Philadelphia's previously all-male Central High School.
Arthur is recognized in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Law, andWho’s Who in the World. In 1991, he was honored by the American Bar Association as one of twenty young lawyers making a difference in the world.
In 1994, because of his success litigating Title IX cases, he was named one of the 50 most influential people in college sports by College Sports magazine. In 1996, he received a Wasserstein Public Interest Fellowship from Harvard Law School for “outstanding contributions and dedication to public interest law” and was named by The American Lawyer as one of 45 young lawyers “whose vision and commitment are changing lives.”
In 2002, Arthur received the George Moscone Memorial Award for Public Service from the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and the American Bar Association’s Pursuit of Justice Award. In 2005, he received the Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award from the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and the Leonard Weinglass Award for Excellence in Defense of Civil Liberties from the American Association for Justice (then ATLA).
In 2011, Arthur received the New Jersey Association for Justice’s Presidential Award for “his dedication to Public Justice and his boundless energy to help and protect consumers.” In 2012, he was honored with the League of Fans’ “Sport at Its Best Award” for his success advancing “Equal Opportunity in Sports.” In 2013, he received the Joe Tonahill Award from the American Association for Justice's New Lawyer Division for “Outstanding Service to Consumers and the Trial Bar.”
In 2015, Arthur received the New Jersey Association for Justice’s Gold Medal for Distinguished Service, the organization’s highest honor, and the President’s Award from the Pennsylvania Association for Justice for his “lifelong devotion to public service” and “bringing justice to those least able to fight for themselves.”
In 2016, he received the Clarence Darrow Award from Mass Torts Made Perfect in recognition of his achievements and commitment to justice and the Dale Haralson Fallout Award from the Western Trial Lawyers Association for his “extraordinary dedication, diligence and commitment to the pursuit of justice.”
In 2017, he received the Consumer Advocate of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego “in recognition of his tireless efforts and endless dedication to protect California consumers.”
The Oregon Trial Lawyers Association has named its public service award the Arthur H. Bryant Public Justice Award.
For more information about Arthur and Public Justice, see www.publicjustice.net.