At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families will honor SA’s dedicated team of Milbank attorneys who have repeatedly achieved remarkable outcomes over their 4 years representing SA in his initially uncontested divorce.
SA’s Milbank team consists of associates Ashley A. Satterlee, Elizabeth Hamilton, Morgan M. Williams, Alisha Gupta, and Leslie Irwin and partner Stacey J. Rappaport.
While living in Nigeria, where it is unlawful to be gay, SA’s abuser engaged in many methods of abuse, including forcing SA to engage in polyamory despite SA’s protests and to be on heavy medication which dulled SA’s senses. The abuser constantly threatened to tell SA’s family and friends in Nigeria about SA’s sexuality, which would have put SA’s life at great risk. Subsequent to their marriage, the abuser also attempted to use the United States’ immigration system to control SA.
Lauren Patel of Sanctuary filed for the uncontested divorce in 2020 which turned into a complicated case as a result of the abuser’s litigation tactics. After the abuser filed multiple interlocutory appeals in 2022, Milbank then offered to co-counsel to help SA. Over the last two years, Milbank and SA have had to bat away constant filings – including extraordinarily lengthy requests to file counterclaims alleging fraud and demands for punitive payment, and multiple motions and appeals – all part of the abuser’s attempts to abuse the justice system to continue to assert power and control over SA. These verbose filings (many over 100 pages long) are riddled with insulting jabs at the court and SA’s attorneys and contain slanderous allegations designed to humiliate SA.
However, as Milbank associates Morgan and Elizabeth explained, “The courts have seen straight through the abuser and that he is using the courts to abuse” SA. SA and his Milbank team have succeeded in opposing a significant amount of relief sought by the abuser, and in February 2024, obtained a judgment of divorce for SA.
Milbank’s team was initially engaged to assist with an interlocutory appeal, but ultimately helped complete the divorce in chief and has remained on to represent SA in multiple subsequent filings including three appeals. Because the abuser is pro se, the papers and arguments are difficult to understand. As described by Lauren, Milbank’s pro bono team “constantly goes above and beyond to respond to each and every argument, motion, and paper to zealously advocate and protect SA against this abuse. It has required a significant amount of legal research, time, and drafting to be able to continue to knock down each attempt, and they continue to be dedicated to doing so.”
The diversity of experience across Milbank’s incredible pro bono team allowed them to jump right in on SA’s case. Each member of the team is passionate about working with SA: as Elizabeth noted, “everyone puts their whole hearts into it.” Morgan added “Sanctuary has been so amazing, Lauren is such an amazing resource in helping understand this case.”
Though the constant litigation has been arduous for SA and his lawyers, Morgan explained that she has learned a lot about drafting and client advocacy along the way. She explained it recently occurred to her how much professional growth she’s had while working on SA’s case. While drafting an outline, Morgan realized “when I was first added to the case, it would have taken me months to draft this,” and now she is able to put papers together much more quickly. Morgan also said that working on SA’s case has strengthened her understanding of the importance of advocacy for Sanctuary clients. Elizabeth explained that the team has continued to not only work with SA to defeat the abuser’s constant frivolous filings, but to help work with SA to stay safe by ensuring that SA’s whereabouts and contact information are kept away from the abuser, consistent with the confidentiality order in place in the case.
The Milbank team and SA continue to fight SA’s abuser and plan to defeat him in his third appeal. Morgan explained that the abuser “might file something wild or crazy, but we are ready to fight it vigorously.” She further provided, “Our firm is committed to pro bono work – the firm recognized us for this case last month.” Elizabeth added, Milbank knows it’s important to “fight for a righteous cause and take care of other people who need someone to stand up for them.” Now that the team secured the judgment of divorce this February, Milbank and SA continue to work together on the third appeal, and expect oral argument to be held in October.
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Join us at our Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony on October 8, 2024, as we honor Milbank’s outstanding pro bono work.
Anastasia Regne is a member of Sanctuary’s Pro Bono Council.