Page 9 - Katten 2025 Pro Bono Annual Review

KATTEN WINS 15-YEAR-LONG CASE FOR THE SOUTH SUBURBAN HUMANE SOCIETY

Chicago Litigation Partner David Stagman led a 15-year, land- jurisprudence, and leveraged the principle that animals are
mark pro bono matter for the South Suburban Humane considered property to convert the plaintiffs’ demand for the
Society (SSHS) arising from a 2010 rescue in St. Anne, Illinois, dogs’ return into a monetary damages claim.
where investigators discovered and officers seized 53
The team also won rulings permitting SSHS to offset any
severely neglected dogs. After the State’s Attorney’s Office
claimed damages with substantial care expenses, and over-
declined to prosecute, the owners — one with a prior animal
came other legal challenges as the case passed through
cruelty conviction — demanded the dogs’ return and sued
multiple judges and endured pandemic-related delays.
when SSHS refused. The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)
referred the case to Katten. Amid intense media scrutiny, After trial, the court found that the plaintiffs failed to prove
community protests over the lack of criminal charges, and an market value and that SSHS’s expenses offset any potential
injunction requiring SSHS to fund ongoing care, David and a damages, therefore protecting SSHS’s resources and enabling
succession of Katten associates engaged in intensive litiga- all 53 dogs to be adopted into loving homes. Katten’s work on
tion over approximately five years and obtained multiple this case strengthened the firm’s relationship with ALDF, and
dismissals, including a motion asserting a novel theory under our continued work with the organization led to Katten’s
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPP, national recognition for a separate ALDF matter that involved
rescuing two lions from an Iowa roadside zoo under the
Endangered Species Act.

NY TEAM SECURES CLEMENCY FOR KATTEN SECURES ASYLUM FOR TOGOLESE
CLIENT SERVING LENGTHY FEDERAL CLIENT, ENABLING HIM TO BRING
PRISON SENTENCE DAUGHTER TO THE UNITED STATES

A Katten team from our New York office, including Insolvency A former Katten partner took on a case referred by the National
and Restructuring Partner Marc Roitman and Associates Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), with support from Chicago
Michael Rosella and Grace Thompson, secured clemency for Financial Markets and Funds Associate Robert Bourret and
a client who was serving a lengthy federal prison sentence for Litigation Associate Samantha Drake, for a political dissident
his involvement in a nonviolent drug conspiracy. In collabora- from Togo who had endured years of persecution, imprison-
tion with the Buried Alive Project, Katten filed a comprehen- ment and threats to his life. After escaping to the United States,
sive clemency petition in 2022 that painted a detailed portrait he suffered yet another tragedy when his wife, the sole care-
of the client’s extraordinary transformation since his sen- giver for their young daughter, passed away, leaving the child
tencing. Although the petition was initially denied, former alone in Togo. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the
President Joe Biden’s decision to grant clemency to nearly Katten team worked swiftly to expedite the hearing. With
1,500 individuals in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic NIJC’s strategic guidance throughout the process, the client was
Security (CARES) Act home confinement program included granted asylum in just under a year and is now in the process
our client, marking his official release from the Federal of bringing his daughter to join him in the United States. The
Bureau of Prisons’ custody. This outcome is particularly note- participating attorneys noted the outcome “reflects the human
worthy given the challenging odds — nearly 12,000 clemency stakes of such pro bono work: we are honored that our clients
petitions had been filed during Biden’s term, with only 135 would entrust us with their stories and allow us to advocate for
granted prior to this decision. a safer future for them and their children.”

2025 PR
O BONO ANNU

Katten 2025 PRO BONO ANNUAL REVIEWAL REVIEW 7 7
Katten