HinsonSnipes, LLP

06/19/2026

Biden, Obama, Bush, and Clinton posed together in Chicago's Jackson Park ahead of the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center. The pool photo, shot by AP's Pablo Martinez Monsivais, also caught the four first ladies alongside them: Jill, Michelle, Laura, and Hillary.

There's no known prior photo of these exact four posed together. The closest precedent was April 25, 2013, at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, but that frame had Obama, Clinton, and W. Bush together with George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Biden wasn't in it.

Backstage produced the moment that's already going viral: George W. Bush slipped Michelle Obama a tin of Altoids, a callback to the cough drop he passed her at John McCain's 2018 funeral. Obama and Clinton were laughing as it happened. Before the public ceremony, the Obamas personally walked the Bidens, Bushes, and Clintons through the museum, including the replica Oval Office and East Room miniatures. An Obama spokesperson described the gathering as warm and gracious, with the group catching up on family.

The center sits on a roughly 19-acre campus on Chicago's South Side, near where the Obamas lived before the White House. It's not a traditional federally run presidential library. It's a privately funded Obama Foundation project that includes a museum, a Chicago Public Library branch, gardens, a playground, athletic facilities, and a basketball court. Final cost came in around $850 million, making it the most expensive presidential center to date. It opens to the public tomorrow, June 19, with tickets already sold out through October and over 1 million annual visitors expected.

The tower itself was designed to look like four hands coming together, a visual echo of what happened on stage. Speeches came from Barack and Michelle Obama. The performer lineup ran from Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Bono and The Edge, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and Common to Christina Aguilera, Eddie Vedder, Marc Anthony, Tems, and The Roots, with the night closing on an all-star jam of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." The crowd included Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom, Rahm Emanuel, Oprah, and David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O'Brien.

Donald Trump was not invited. He's previously called the project a total disaster, and his absence made today's frame what it was: four living former commanders-in-chief from both parties, in one shot, at one of the most polarized moments in modern American politics.

Their faces told slightly different stories. Obama looked warmly engaged, Clinton grinned wide, Biden managed a quieter smile, and Bush kept it stoic.

08/12/2025

04/15/2025

01/11/2025

Recent Third Circuit Win Highlights the Need to Reevaluate Qualified Immunity

The recent victory of Hinson Snipes, LLP in the Third Circuit has reignited the debate on the necessity of qualified immunity in our legal system.

Justice Thomas, in his concurrence in Ziglar v. Abbasi, raised valid points critiquing the doctrine of qualified immunity. He highlighted its departure from the original common law principles established during the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1871, emphasizing the discretionary nature of the decisions made under this doctrine. Support for reevaluating qualified immunity is not new. Justice Breyer's 1997 proposal suggested that individuals should not enjoy immunity if their financial accountability is ultimately borne by their employer, questioning the fairness and accountability of such protection.

Moreover, Justice Kennedy's 1992 stance hinted at the potential redundancy of qualified immunity, especially in light of the Court's existing summary judgment practices, indicating a need to reassess the necessity of this legal safeguard for government defendants. The concerns raised by Justice Sotomayor in both 2015 and 2018 regarding the impact of qualified immunity decisions on perpetuating a culture of police violence further underscore the urgency to address the implications of this legal doctrine.

The recent success of Hinson Snipes, LLP serves as a catalyst for a broader conversation on the relevance and implications of qualified immunity in today's legal landscape. It prompts us to reflect on the evolving nature of legal protections and the need for a more nuanced approach to accountability in our justice system.

The Third Circuit ruling is significant because "qualified immunity makes it extremely difficult for victims of police misconduct to achieve justice," said plaintiff counsel Tracey Hinson.

01/15/2024

Tracey C. Hinson received the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award from New Jersey Association for Justice. Hon. John W. Bissell (ret.) and Justice Barry T. Albin presented the Professional Lawyer of the Year Awards.

09/06/2023

Justice for James

Louis, who is now 49, has had a hard time adjusting to life outside prison since his release, said his attorney. It's been very difficult for him, Eric Dakhari said.

07/12/2023

These are two of the civil rights cases being handled by Hinson Snipes, LLP. Both involved severe police misconduct.

We are thankful that the families finally received justice in the Crespo case, and we are optimistic that Darrell's family will also get justice.

07/12/2023

These are two of the civil rights cases being handled by Hinson Snipes, LLP. Both involved severe police misconduct.

We are thankful that the families finally received justice in the Crespo case, and we are optimistic that Darrell's family will also get justice.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/nj-correctional-officer-indicted-in-beating-of-resident-who-died/ar-AA1dA3Uq =1