Page 6 - Katten 2024 Pro Bono Annual Review

CHICAGO TEAM WINS ASYLUM FOR
VENEZUELAN MAN ATTACKED BY
PRO-MADURO ‘COLECTIVO S’ GANG

On March 20, a team from Katten’s Chicago office, including
Insolvency and Restructuring Partner Joshua M. Altman,
Litigation Associates Ben Levine and Casey McClaren, and
Litigation Paralegal Matthew Doran, successfully won asylum
for a Venezuelan man persecuted for his opposition political
activities. Brutally attacked by a pro-Maduro gang and aban-
doned by local police, the client fled Venezuela and sought refuge
in the United States. Represented by Katten through a referral
from the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), the client’s
powerful testimony led the immigration judge to grant asylum,
with the US Department of Homeland Security waiving its right
to appeal. This victory ensures the client can remain safely in
the United States, and his wife, who has Temporary Protected
Status, can now apply to join him permanently, securing a future
for their family in the Chicago area.

SHARON KANTRO WITZ SECURES
SOLE GUARDIANSHIP FO R MOTHER
OF ADULT DISABLED DAUGHTER

New York Health Care Special Counsel Sharon navigated multiple legal chal- including social workers from the daugh-
Sharon Kantrowitz, whose pro bono lenges, including multiple meetings with ter’s former school, her pediatrician and
practice focuses particularly on assisting the client and the court to amend the the consulting neurologist, to ensure the
women in domestic abuse situations, petition for sole guardianship, addressing court understood the daughter’s needs
met the client, a mother who had left an the father’s opposition, and overcoming and limitations. Sharon’s efforts culmi-
abusive marriage and was living in a the guardian ad litem’s (GAL) recommen- nated in a court hearing where she sub-
domestic violence shelter, at a commu- dation for a Supported Decision-Making mitted a detailed brief and affidavit,
nity event and learned that she was (SDM) process instead of guardianship. leading to a favorable decision granting
seeking sole guardianship of her adult Sharon gathered evidence such as neuro- sole guardianship to the mother.
disabled daughter. Though the client and psychological evaluations to demonstrate
Sharon expressed gratitude for the sup-
her estranged husband had initially filed that her client’s daughter lacked cogni-
port from Katten and Jonathan Baum,
for joint guardianship, she had realized tion, judgment, emotional maturity and
allowing her the necessary autonomy and
that joint guardianship was not feasible. overall capacity for SDM. Sharon also
resources to handle the case effectively.
Sharon, impressed by the mother’s coordinated with various professionals,
resilience, decided to represent her pro
bono after the private attorney could no
longer continue.
“ The experience was truly gratifying. I saw up front that having representation really
made a difference for [the mother] … Neither [she] nor I believe this outcome would
have been the same had she remained pro se.” Sharon Kantrowitz

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