Page 5 - Katten 2018 Pro Bono Annual Review

CALIFORNIA

Taking Action

in the Golden State

FROM FOSTER FAMILY TO FOREVER FAMILY Katten will also represent a transgender individual from
Ukraine, who was repeatedly harassed and beaten by the
For children placed in foster care, the removal from their police due to her gender identity and sexual orientation.
homes starts an often diffi cult journey. In 2017, an estimated Katten partnered with a Russian-speaking attorney,
123,000 of those children were waiting to be adopted, accord- successfully fi led an asylum petition and obtained a
ing to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
work permit on her behalf.
Katten attorneys in California from across our practice A woman from Colombia was married to a US citizen,
groups have volunteered their time and legal knowledge who violently attacked her and her adult children. The
to handle dozens of permanent adoptions over the last husband was arrested and subsequently charged with
several years through the fi rm’s partnership with Public attempted murder. Katten attorneys assisted her in
Counsel, the nation’s largest not-for-profi t law fi rm special- responding to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services
izing in delivering pro bono legal services. In fact, last (USCIS) request for evidence related to her petition for
year, when nearly 5,000 children in foster care were removal of conditions on residency. Simultaneously, the
offi cially adopted during National Adoption Day, Katten USCIS threatened to deny her petition for removal of
attorneys were on hand to help guide clients through conditions on residency on the grounds that she was
the adoption process.
unable to provide information demonstrating that she
ENSURING DUE PROCESS AND A had a bona fi de marriage. Information, such as joint
MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD bank accounts, etc., was solely in the possession of her
husband, and it was not safe or even possible for her to
One of the ways that Katten attorneys assist underserved be in contact with him. In addition, a language barrier
communities is by proudly partnering with organizations provided further diffi culties. Katten assisted her in
that focus on ensuring the basic principles of our legal responding to the USCIS and explaining the reasons for
system to all. Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a any perceived defi ciencies.
relationship that Litigation associate Joanna Hill intro-
duced to the fi rm, is one such organization that has LENDING A HAND TO THOSE WHO LEND
connected Katten attorneys with clients, ensuring them A HAND
a meaningful opportunity to be represented and heard.
Beginning in June 2018, Katten provided pro bono
The life of a Ugandan refugee was threatened when he services to a Los Angeles-based nonprofi t regarding
was wrongfully accused of engaging in homosexual activity allegations of misappropriating funds. A Katten Litigation
with members of a youth soccer team he was coaching. team led by Los Angeles managing partner Zia Modabber
Due to the threats on his life, he was forced to leave the and including partners Sheldon Zenner, Stacey Knight,
country, leaving his wife and children behind. Katten Matthew Baker and associate Leah Solomon undertook
attorneys obtained witness statements and documentary the four-month-long investigation.
evidence corroborating his claims and will be representing
him in an upcoming merits hearing.

2018 PRO BONO ANNUAL REVIEW 3