George C. Fatheree III has been recognized by the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) with the “CUP Legal Trailblazer of the Year” award. CUP’s goal is “to inspire, elevate, and empower the next generation of diverse business and civic leaders.”
George led the Sidley team which secured the return of Bruce’s Beach to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce, Black entrepreneurs who opened the Los Angeles coastal resort in 1912. Bruce’s Beach had been unjustly seized by the city of Manhattan Beach through eminent domain, ostensibly for a public park although actually as a result of racial animus. George also advised the Black Owned and Operated Community Land Trust (BOOCLT) in the US$6.5 million acquisition of a Los Angeles building which houses multiple Black-owned businesses. BOOCLT recorded a 55-year covenant against the property, which requires that commercial rent be substantially below market and that the space be rented to small businesses or nonprofits which reflect the community.
George was recognized as part of the CUP 13th Annual Lawyers Power Forum. George opened the forum with a presentation about his advocacy in the landmark Bruce’s Beach matter.
