Most people in Atlanta and elsewhere know Dan Grossman as the dogged attorney who fought City Hall — and won.
When the Atlanta Eagle, a Midtown gay bar, was raided in 2009 by the Atlanta Police Department, Grossman was the only attorney willing to represent the patrons of the bar and sue the city in federal court for constitutional right violations because the patron were detained and searched without cause. Grossman won — several times — and the city paid out millions to settle the lawsuits.
The Atlanta Eagle is ready to party.
In April, the gay bar in Midtown celebrates its 25th anniversary with a barbecue, balloon drop and giveaways, as well as the annual Leather Pride event.
The entire month of April is also booked with numerous other parties each weekend, including the celebration of Richard Ramey and Robby Kelley owning the bar for 15 years and MondoHomo’s popular WigOut party and fundraiser.
Dan Grossman, attorney for patrons of the Atlanta Eagle the night the gay bar was raided, says courts are the worst place to solve problems. His nemesis in recent years, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, agrees wholeheartedly.
At a recent LGBT town hall forum to discuss the 2009 police raid, Grossman invited Reed to “do lunch.” The mayor accepted.
Although Reed himself has not reached out, as of press time, to Grossman to take him up on the offer for lunch or a face-to-face meeting, the city’s attorneys and Grossman were set to meet on Wednesday, Nov. 9, to discuss the second pending Eagle lawsuit as well as other issues.