Akin Gump Assists Survivor in Prosecution of Her Trafficker and Immigration Process

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families will be honoring a team from Akin Gump for their compassionate and devoted pro bono representation of “Amy”, a survivor of sex trafficking.

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families will be honoring a team from Akin Gump for their compassionate and devoted pro bono representation of “Amy” during the prosecution of her trafficker and in securing T-Nonimmigrant status. The team consists of partner Estela Diaz and counsel Kate Powers.

Amy was a young teenager living in Mexico when she met “Mario.”  Mario told Amy that he had a big debt that he needed to repay, and asked her to help him. Specifically, Mario told Amy she had to prostitute to pay off his debts. When Amy refused, Mario became violent, imprisoned her, and forced her into prostitution. A few years later, Mario smuggled Amy into the U.S., and continued to traffic her throughout the tri-state area. Amy was able to eventually escape Mario, but was afraid to ever reveal what had happened to her, fearing for her family in her home country.

In April 2016, Amy was approached by special agents working for the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), which was investigating her trafficker. Once identified as a trafficking survivor, Amy was connected with Sanctuary for Families, who in turn contacted Akin Gump, seeking assistance on an expedited basis.

Akin Gump formed a team to help Amy prepare to meet with federal prosecutors and agents from DHS. The team jumped in immediately to educate Amy on the process of the investigation and the potential prosecution of her trafficker, and to represent her at the meeting with law enforcement. Understandably, Amy was nervous to participate in this ordeal; however, the Akin team ensured that Amy, a non-English speaker, fully understood what she was getting involved with and remained sensitive to the severe trauma she had experienced as they worked to prepare her and advocate on her behalf.

After the initial meeting with the prosecutors in 2016, Akin assisted Amy in preparing a declaration in support of her trafficker’s extradition. Thereafter, Amy bravely agreed to testify at her trafficker’s trial, though her trafficker ultimately pleaded guilty. As the process progressed, the Akin group watched Amy gain confidence and courage. In fact, Amy (with the Akin team beside her) chose to attend her trafficker’s sentencing so she could look him in the eyes when he was sentenced to more than a decade in prison.

Over the past 6 years, while the trafficker’s prosecution was ongoing, the Akin team was also assisting Amy in preparing a visa application so she could remain in the U.S. The process took a long time because her application was tied to her trafficker’s prosecution, and Amy could not obtain the necessary statement from law enforcement to support her application until the criminal proceedings were resolved. Eventually, Akin submitted an application which was over 120 pages long, and in April 2022, Amy was granted T-Nonimmigrant status.

Estela Diaz describes this representation as one of the “most satisfying matters” she has ever had the privilege to work on. Speaking on behalf of the team, Estela noted that Amy was so “deserving of relief” and watching her “evolve throughout the representation” was such a “great” experience.

“The Akin Gump team exemplifies what we as attorneys strive for in representing survivors of gender based violence. Not only did they achieve excellent results, but they provided a space for the client to feel respected, dignified and empowered throughout the legal process.”

Jessica-Wind Abolafia
Director of SFF’s Anti-Trafficking Initiative

Sanctuary is thrilled to honor Estela and Kate for their tremendous legal abilities and dedication to their client.


Join us at our Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony on November 2, 2022, as we honor Akin Gump’s outstanding pro bono work.

PURCHASE TICKETS

If you can’t join us, but would like to support Sanctuary’s work, please consider making an Above & Beyond donation here.


Nicole Vescova is an associate at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, where she practices labor and employment law in their Miami office. Nicole is also a member of Sanctuary for Families’ Pro Bono Counsel.

Schulte Roth & Zabel Assists Survivors in Critical Real Estate Matters

At this year’s Above & Beyond, Sanctuary will honor Gregory Pressman of Schulte Roth & Zabel for his invaluable assistance in multiple cases involving real estate matters.

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families is pleased to honor its go-to real estate counsel, Gregory Pressman of Schulte Roth & Zabel, LLP, with an Above & Beyond Award for his invaluable assistance to Sanctuary’s clients in multiple cases involving real estate matters.

Greg Pressman is a well-known and extremely accomplished real estate lawyer who has generously shared his expertise and decades of experience to help Sanctuary’s clients navigate complex and critical real estate matters that arise as part of the client’s domestic violence or matrimonial cases. In the cases that Greg has worked on, abusers often attempt to use ownership and financing of real estate, including the family’s home, as a means of control and intimidation against Sanctuary’s clients. The Sanctuary team, with Greg’s help, has worked on several cases where the team has been able to educate clients as to their rights with respect to real estate matters, work with clients to come up with innovative strategies in unusual and particularly complex cases, and help clients fight for their rights with respect to their homes and real estate assets (which are often used by abusers to jeopardize a client’s sense of security, sense of stability, and financial independence). For example, Greg was instrumental in helping a client and her children recover their rightful share of the proceeds of the sale of the family home through an escrow arrangement in a case where her husband had left the country and married again without the client’s knowledge.

Greg is both a trusted advisor and a critical member of several litigation teams where real estate matters are central to the outcome of cases. Greg’s thorough understanding of real estate law, real estate ownership and financing documents, and negotiation strategies has been invaluable to clients. In a case where the client’s abuser is using the foreclosure of the family home and associated debt to exert coercive control over the client, Greg has offered invaluable insight into the complex foreclosure matters, employed strategic negotiations, and worked on innovative settlement solutions to obtain the best outcome for our client.

Greg is always willing to assist the Sanctuary lawyers in any way they need him to, from reviewing mortgage documents, answering questions about sales of client’s homes and real estate foreclosure issues to leading negotiations and coming up with novel and creative litigation strategies that involve thinking out of box. Greg is very responsive and has spent countless hours advising clients, the Sanctuary lawyers and other pro bono counsel in spite of his busy schedule. He will even call the Sanctuary team on weekends to answer questions. He always goes above and beyond in his representation of Sanctuary’s clients, such as visiting the client’s property to better understand why the house is in foreclosure and assess its potential value better and personally contacting and staying in touch with a referee appointed to oversee the foreclosure of a house so as to keep the client updated and informed in order to obtain the best possible outcome in a difficult situation.

While Greg’s dedication in generously volunteering his time and skills in real estate matters has made him an invaluable resource to Sanctuary, what really stands out is that Greg treats every client with respect, dignity, and compassion as he empowers clients with respect to their rights. Greg also has a great appreciation for the dedication, skills, and stress level that Sanctuary’s lawyers work under and therefore wants to share his time and knowledge with them and be a part of the team. Greg’s involvement with Sanctuary started many years ago when he successfully advised Sanctuary on a critical mortgage matter involving Sanctuary’s Sarah Burke House shelter, which led to Sanctuary inviting Greg to join the Sanctuary Board in 2007. Greg served on Sanctuary’s Board from 2007 to 2016 and during his board tenure worked closely with Sanctuary on real estate matters involving Sanctuary’s office space. In the past few years, Greg has become involved with direct client pro bono work (even connecting clients to Sanctuary), which he has done with great energy and dedication for the last several years. Sanctuary is pleased to honor Greg for his countless contributions towards helping and empowering Sanctuary’s clients.


Join us at our Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony on November 2, 2022, as we honor Greg Pressman’s outstanding pro bono work.

PURCHASE TICKETS

If you can’t join us, but would like to support Sanctuary’s work, please consider making an Above & Beyond donation here.


Tushna Gamadia is an of counsel in the Real Estate Group at Morrison & Foerster LLP, works with Sanctuary for Families’ clients on pro bono cases and is a member of Sanctuary for Families Pro Bono Council.

Stroock Team Honored for Representation of Domestic Violence Survivor

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary will honor a Stroock & Stroock & Lavan team for their dedication to representing “Jasmine” in modifying a custody agreement to allow for relocation and obtaining an order of protection against her abuser.

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families will be honoring a team from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan for their dedication to representing “Jasmine” in modifying a custody agreement to allow for relocation and obtaining an order of protection against her abuser. The outstanding team representing Jasmine included partner Christopher Guhin, currently with Paul Hastings, and associate Hinako (Hina) Gojima.

Jasmine, a survivor of physical abuse by her ex-partner, including while she was pregnant, received criminal and Family Court Orders of Protection for herself and her son “Quentin” in early 2019.  Sanctuary for Families’ Lindsey Song also assisted Jasmine in a successful custody settlement with Jasmine receiving primary physical and legal custody of Quentin.  After the case was settled, Quentin visited several times with his father until a concerning incident occurred by the father towards Quentin.  Given the safety concern, Jasmine immediately filed for a petition for suspension of visits and an Order of Protection on her and Quentin’s behalf.

After the visits were suspended for several months and amidst pandemic concerns, Jasmine thought it was best for her and Quentin to quickly relocate out of state to be with family.

The Stroock team took on the case at a difficult juncture one year after Jasmine had relocated.  Given Jasmine’s relocation was done unilaterally and without judicial consent, the Stroock team knew it was going to be challenging given the complexity of the circumstances.  In 2021, Chris and Hina dove right in, developed a broad strategy, filed a petition for relocation, and planned for a potential trial.  Hina worked diligently with Jasmine to prepare extensively for trial and to avoid having Quentin testify.

Hina worked endlessly for over a year while the case was pending to prepare for trial, including obtaining medical and school records, text messages, and other documents.  Hina reached out to potential witnesses, interviewed them to assess their ability to testify, and ultimately prepared several witnesses for the trial.  Throughout, Hina was extraordinarily compassionate, mindful and sensitive about the impact of the case on Jasmine and Quentin and continuously checked in on how Quentin and the rest of Jasmine’s family were doing during this time.

At trial, Hina powerfully and smoothly took the client through the examinations, responding to objections, reviewing documents and other pieces of evidence.

Hina seamlessly navigated powerfully advocating for Jasmine while continuing to reach out to opposing counsel for a favorable resolution until, on the fourth day of trial, the father finally consented not only to Jasmine’s relocation out of state, but also to the suspension of visitation until Quentin was comfortable.  Both the team and Jasmine were surprised and elated about the turn of events.  Jasmine was so grateful Quentin did not have to visit with his father, and she was extremely excited that the pair could finally peacefully settle into their new home.

“When we first started working for Jasmine, I was very concerned about whether the court would seek to force her to move back closer to her child’s father, and away from the home where she and her child were getting far more support,” Chris reflected on the case. “Via our advocacy, strategic negotiations, and the compelling testimony of Jasmine, we were able to strike a settlement giving Jasmine everything she was seeking.  We are very proud of that result.”

“Hina, Chris and the Stroock team were incredible advocates for Jasmine and her family through an extraordinarily difficult time. Hina was not only an effective attorney but also a kind and genuinely compassionate support for Jasmine–something that showed in the amazing relationship they developed throughout the case. It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with the Stroock team and I know Jasmine is so grateful to them!”

Lindsey Song
Deputy Director, Courtroom Advocates Project

When asked about the experience, Jasmine writes, “Hina is a phenomenal woman who goes above and beyond for all her clients and their cases. She’s very patient and understanding. I appreciate all her hard work and dedication on my case. My family and I will forever be grateful for all her help and we can’t thank her enough.”


Join us at our Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony on November 2, 2022, as we honor Stroock’s outstanding pro bono work.

PURCHASE TICKETS

If you can’t join us, but would like to support Sanctuary’s work, please consider making an Above & Beyond donation here.


Naina Rasheed is a Corporate Governance Specialist in the Office of the Corporate Secretary at American International Group, Inc. Naina is also a member of Sanctuary’s Pro Bono Council and Co-Chair of this year’s Above and Beyond Pro Bono Awards and Benefit.

Kasowitz Team Secures Parole for Incarcerated Survivor of Gender Violence

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary will honor a Kasowitz team for their dedicated advocacy on behalf of “Amanda.”

At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families will be honoring a Kasowitz team for its dedicated advocacy in successfully securing parole for “Amanda,” an incarcerated survivor of gender-based violence. This representation included both parole preparation, as well as preparation for a parole rescission hearing, and ultimately was a major factor in the client’s release. We are thrilled to highlight the work of Kasowitz’s Nefertiti J. Alexander, Partner; Teresa Matushaj, Counsel; Binta A. Watkins, Staff attorney; Christina Lewis, Associate; and Katrina Bader, Law Clerk.

When the Kasowitz team first met their client, Amanda, she was incarcerated for identity theft and larceny. She had served a third of her sentence and would be up for parole in four months. In New York State, incarcerated individuals are not entitled to legal representation in their parole hearings. The onus falls entirely upon them to convey their remorse and rehabilitation, while simultaneously discussing a highly traumatic incident in their lives and responding to difficult questions from the Parole Board.

The Kasowitz team diligently set about preparing Amanda for her hearing through mock interviews and, equally importantly, bolstering Amanda’s self-confidence and sense of preparedness. At the same time, they put together a compelling parole packet that included statements from Amanda and her friends and family, records of her highly successful performance in various programs while incarcerated, and discussions of the support she would receive and the plans she had for her life post-release.

Like all of Sanctuary’s clients, Amanda is a survivor of gender-based violence and compound trauma. She has suffered a lifetime of abuse, beginning with sexual abuse at the hands of a family friend when she was only a child, and continuing through abusive relationships as an adult. The value of having a truly trauma-informed, compassionate, and communicative team in such a matter cannot be overstated, and the team’s relationship with Amanda grew stronger and stronger as they worked together. It was a celebration for all when Amanda was granted parole. Director of Sanctuary’s Incarcerated Gender Violence Survivors Initiative Ross Kramer reflects, “At the time [the team] started working with her, Amanda was struggling with the conditions of her confinement, and was receiving little support. The team immediately stepped in, formed a strong bond with Amanda, and assisted her in every possible sense. They helped her prepare for her parole hearing, and they also made a tremendous difference in her life and self-confidence, through their trauma-informed, compassionate, and skillful work.”

However, after parole was granted but before her release, Amanda received—unfairly, we believe—a disciplinary ticket from a correctional officer that put her at risk of potential revocation of her parole. The team jumped in again to prepare their client and represent her in her rescission hearing, and their zealous advocacy helped Amanda to secure her release the following month.

“The Kasowitz team formed a strong bond with Amanda that allowed her to begin addressing and processing her trauma. Their compassion and patience not only helped Amanda secure her release from prison, it also allowed her to tap into her own strength and emerge as someone who was more confident, self-assured, and ready to begin a new chapter in her life. The Kasowitz team was a true friend and advocate for Amanda, and they went “above and beyond” in support of their client.”

Ross Kramer
Director of SFF’s Incarcerated Gender Violence Survivors Initiative

Sanctuary is thrilled to honor Nefertiti, Teresa, Binta, Christina, and Katrina for their tremendous legal abilities and dedication to their client.


Join us at our Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony on November 2, 2022, as we honor Kasowitz’s outstanding pro bono work.

PURCHASE TICKETS

If you can’t join us, but would like to support Sanctuary’s work, please consider making an Above & Beyond donation here.


Romy Felsen-Parsons is Pro Bono Project Assistant at Sanctuary for Families.