Foley Hoag secured a decisive victory for the National Trust for Historic Preservation when Judge Richard J. Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction to immediately halt construction of the new ballroom at the White House.
"The National Trust has a congressional mandate to facilitate public participation in the preservation of nationally significant buildings. We filed this suit to require the government to follow the law and obtain authorization from Congress before making irreversible changes to the nation's most iconic residence – the White House. We are pleased the Court agreed," said Partner Tad Heuer.
The decision orders the White House to stop construction of the new ballroom until it complies with the legally required commission review and approval processes, which includes obtaining authorization from Congress.
In addition to Heuer, the Foley Hoag team representing the National Trust for Historic Preservation includes Greg Craig, Matthew Casassa, Jack Smith and Elza Bouhassira.