KUDOS to our August Volunteers

Celebrating Our Volunteers: August Highlights

This August, our dedicated volunteer attorneys generously shared their time, skills, and compassion to support our community. From helping survivors obtain protection orders to standing up for children’s rights in court, their efforts have made a meaningful difference in the lives of many.

We’re honored to recognize these incredible attorneys and applaud their tireless dedication to providing pro bono legal support. Their contributions continue to shape brighter, more secure futures for those who need it most.

Are you interested in getting involved or learning more about our volunteer opportunities?

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AUGUST KUDOS

Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence

• Drake Birnbaum – Achieved an outstanding result in his first Civil Protection Order case. Drake was able to help a survivor of domestic violence get a two-year extension of his Civil Protection Order!
• Blair Decker, Melissa Jacobs Giangrande, Chi Mpundu, and Ashley Johnson (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Zealously represented a survivor of domestic violence in her Civil Protection Order case.
• Desiree Fernandez (US Naval JAG Corps) – Supported a survivor of domestic violence in navigating the court system and helped her obtain a divorce against her abuser.
• Meron Bayu, Simona Xu, and Alyssa Kurke (Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP) – Provided dedicated, compassionate, and zealous advocacy that resulted in a survivor of domestic violence obtaining a favorable custody order, resulting in her regaining custody of her child.
• Stefan Schropp (Ropes & Gray LLP) – Helped his client obtain both a permanent custody order and a 2-year Civil Protection Order!
• Katherine St. Romain and Tyler Winters (Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP) – Zealously represented a survivor of domestic violence, resulting in the entry of a 1-year Civil Protection Order and reimbursement of the full amount of money owed in the original Order.
• Andrew Pecoraro and Christina Grigorian (Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP) – Succeeded in dismissing the Opposing Party’s complaint for annulment and obtaining an uncontested absolute divorce on behalf of their client.

Advocating for Children

• Sarah Gilcrest (Immyrse) and Rinad Bsharat – Represented two child clients, resulting in a consent permanent order that is in the children’s best interest.
• Ryan Klima (Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP) – Provided steadfast representation of his child client at trial, which ultimately led to the best custodial outcome for the child.
• Kristen Wilcox (Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP) – Excellently represented her child client through trial, ultimately leading to an order that is in the best interest of the child.
• Hedda Garland – Facilitated a consent agreement that is in the best interest of her child clients and helped connect the children to the therapy they urgently needed.
• Anna Perina (Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP) – Provided steadfast representation of her child clients, which led to a consent agreement in their best interest.

Fighting for Immigrant Rights

• Ron Ross and Lisanne Crowley (Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP) – Alerted the attorney and client about the Bona Fide Determination and maintained good contact with the client and Volunteer Legal Advocates.
• Viraj Paul, Sydney Fay, Eduardo Lobaton Guzman, Rachel Reiss, and Batya Kemper (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Zealously represented a survivor of domestic violence, resulting in the submission of an immigration application that can increase the client’s stability and safety in the US.
• Anne Bonfiglio (Department of Labor) – Did a great job communicating with the client and making the client feel supported. The client has talked about self-deportation, and Anne gave the client space to process all the changes while still making the client feel supported.
• Kit Wheatley and Julie Sommers Neuman – Provided zealous advocacy for their asylum client, resulting in him obtaining a new 5-year employment card, which will provide him with increased stability in the United States.

Pursuing Justice in the Courtroom

• Sharelle Love – Prepared a thorough and comprehensive direct of the client.
• Marissa Hill Daley (McDermott Will & Emery LLP) – Served as limited representation for a survivor of domestic violence and supported the client’s goals related to her Civil Protection Order case.
• Alyssa Kurke (Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP) – Successfully represented their client in posttrial motions in a custody case, which kept their client and her child safe by preventing their client’s abuser from overturning a successful outcome.

Going Above & Beyond

• Lauren Fleming (Crowell & Moring LLP) – Successfully navigated an incredibly difficult first custody matter. Lauren was kind, patient, and hardworking, and made her client feel very supported.
• Patience Tyne (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Provided outstanding representation for a survivor of domestic violence. With Patience’s help, the client was able to get a custody order giving her sole legal and sole physical custody of the child-in-common.