Gregory B. Upton, Bradley L. Drell and Amanda Wood Barnett favorably settled a lawsuit in favor of St. Mary's Residential Facility for Developmentally Disabled Children against the Rapides Parish School Board and the Louisiana Department of Education with the entry of a Consent Judgment in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, guaranteeing the continuance of education for the children.

These attorneys were also instrumental in the passage of Act 710 of 2009 which insures that all children living in residential facilities receive the free and appropriate public education guaranteed by state and federal law, which Act ultimately led to the settlement of the lawsuit.

Barnett and Drell attended the bill signing ceremony by Governor Bobby Jindal in the Governor's Mansion on October 2, 2009.