Don Verrilli Recognized by the Southern Center for Human Rights as 2025 Frederick Douglass Award Honoree 

Munger Tolles & Olson Partner Don Verrilli has been recognized as a 2025 Frederick Douglass Award honoree by the Southern Center for Human Rights. He will be honored at the 2025 Frederick Douglass Awards Dinner on October 21 in Washington, DC. The event recognizes and celebrates those who “demonstrate exceptional courage and tenacity in the defense of human rights and equal justice.” 

Since 1976, the Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR) has been working for equality, justice and dignity in the criminal legal system. SCHR’s mission is to end capital punishment, mass incarceration and other practices that are used to control the lives of poor people, people of color and other marginalized groups in the Southern United States. This is done through death penalty representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy and public education.

Don will be honored for his leadership in standing up for the rule of law and the integrity of the legal profession in response to the Executive Orders issued by President Trump seeking to punish law firms for the stances they have taken on behalf of their clients. This includes Don’s leadership of MTO’s representation of the Susman Godfrey law firm in its successful challenge of the Executive Order issued against the firm, as well as his efforts spearheading the filing of three amicus briefs, on behalf of hundreds of law firms from across the country, in support of Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block and WilmerHale’s lawsuits challenging similar Executive Orders.

Prior to joining the firm, Don served as Solicitor General of the United States from June 2011 to June 2016. During his time as Solicitor General, Don argued dozens of cases before the Supreme Court, including landmark decisions upholding the Affordable Care Act (National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius and King v. Burwell) and marriage equality (Obergefell v. Hodges).  

On receiving this honor Don shared, “To receive the Frederick Douglass Award from the Southern Center for Human Rights means a great deal to me. My work with the Southern Center and its lawyers over four decades has taught me so much about what a true commitment to the rule of law and the fight for justice looks like. The Center’s work inspires me every day—and never more than now when our nation’s commitment to the rule of law is under such a severe threat.”

Learn more about the Southern Center for Human Rights and the 2025 Frederick Douglass Awards.