On December 3, 2025, the Firm filed an amicus brief in the D.C. Circuit on behalf of two nonprofit organizations in a case challenging the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  The case, American Federation of Government Employees v. Trump, was brought by federal employees, including the American Foreign Service Association, and Oxfam America.

Kaplan Kirsch filed the amicus brief on behalf of ActionAid USA and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, two nonprofits that work globally on human rights and poverty eradication. The brief focuses on USAID’s work and achievements, how it was dismantled, and the impacts on vulnerable populations and the humanitarian aid ecosystem.  Recent research estimates that the loss of USAID funding and services will result in 14 million additional deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million deaths among children younger than 5 years, among other devastating impacts.

The Firm was motivated to assist with this project as part of its long-standing commitment to charitable work and Firm leadership in civic and community-building institutions, and this issue has personally impacted members of the Kaplan Kirsch family.  If you have questions or wish to discuss the brief, please contact Sara Mogharabi, Subash Iyer, John Putnam, or Caitlin McCusker.