At this year’s Above & Beyond Awards, Sanctuary for Families is honoring a team of outstanding attorneys from McDermott Will & Emery who secured an 18-month Order of Protection and divorce judgment for Ms. RF, a survivor of domestic violence. The pro bono team included partner John Song and associate Chenjia Zhu.

In August of 2023, Ms. RF came to Sanctuary for Families seeking an Order of Protection against her former husband. He was a cruel and relentless abuser who lied about his wealth and so-called “celebrity” status before they were married. In addition to physical abuse, Ms. RF’s abuser engaged in financial abuse and isolation tactics, withholding the income she earned from working and preventing her from learning English. Ms. RF lived in China before marrying her husband, who also prevented her efforts to make friends in the United States and develop a support network that might help her seek relief.

When Ms. RF first came to Sanctuary, she had already filed pro se in Queens Family Court and received a limited Order of Protection against her abuser, yet he repeatedly violated the order. After significant legal advocacy from Sanctuary in combination with several filed police reports, he was finally arrested. The pro bono team at McDermott provided further legal aid to Ms. RF. Although Ms. RF’s abuser pushed for a 6-12 month restraining order, Chenjia’s team was firm in advocating for a longer order. They worked diligently to secure a final and full 18-month Order of Protection and assisted Ms. RF in obtaining a divorce judgment.

Chenjia’s extraordinary advocacy for Ms. RF included a compassionate approach and an emphasis on legal precision. Chenjia helped Ms. RF navigate complex Family Court processes, preparing her for court appearances and carefully strategizing to strengthen her case. She also drafted a highly detailed Amended Family Offense Petition and assisted further with criminal justice advocacy for Ms. RF’s criminal case against her abuser, coordinating extensively with the DA’s office.

While this was the first time Chenjia handled a case in Family Court, her devotion to obtaining a positive outcome for Ms. RF’s case ensured its success. Chenjia notes, “To be able to utilize what I know or what I can do to help folks who do not have that access to support on their own is extremely fulfilling and important to me. This made me feel like I’m using my knowledge for a good cause.”

Chenjia emphasized the educational value of this experience as a junior associate, saying, “I was able to appear in court for the first time other than interim appearances. Lindsey [Song] and John [Song] were so generous in letting me appear on behalf of Ms. RF…They helped me take the lead on this case. Going to court and negotiating a settlement was a very neat experience and I learned a lot throughout that process.”

Throughout her time working on the case, Chenjia drew inspiration from her client’s strength and tenacity. She adds, “[Ms. RF] is an optimistic and kind person. She is so strong…she has built a life for herself in this country. I find her to be such an incredible woman.”

Ms. RF was thrilled with the outcome of this case and grateful for the hard work of McDermott’s pro bono legal team and that of Sanctuary’s attorneys. As a beneficiary of their steadfast legal advocacy, Ms. RF is safely continuing to build her life in the United States. Sanctuary is grateful for the time and efforts of the attorneys at McDermott and for their incredible devotion to Ms. RF’s wellbeing.

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Join us at our Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony on October 8, 2024, as we honor McDermott, Will & Emery’s outstanding pro bono work.

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Alexandra Prendergast is a volunteer with Sanctuary for Families. After graduating from Wesleyan University in 2020, she went on to complete Mintz Levin’s Project Analyst Program and spent a year in Brussels, Belgium as a Fulbright Recipient. An aspiring human rights attorney, she is currently a student at the University of Connecticut School of Law.