February.11.2013
A team of attorneys around the firm, supported by bi-lingual staff who are graciously translating and interpreting for the attorneys, is representing clients who are seeking U-visas, a form of immigration relief that would allow each client to obtain a visa granting them lawful immigration status in the U.S.
The first group of clients are part of a class of over 100 abused immigrant poultry plant workers located in Mississippi who are part of an underlying case in which we have no involvement, and involves claims by the workers that they were subjected to sexual assault, physical assault, verbal threats, and extortion at the hands of their employer. Due to the lack of legal services in Mississippi, where most of the workers are currently living, a nationwide search was conducted to find each of these clients a pro bono attorney, who would be willing to assist the client remotely. Another group of attorneys is helping Bay Area clients who are the victims of domestic violence and are assisting in prosecutions against their abusers.
The participating attorneys are Los Angeles litigation attorney Raija Horstman, New York corporate managing associate Kirsty McGuire, San Francisco managing litigation associate Elizabeth Stevens, San Francisco litigation associates Harry Moren and Katie Pulaski, San Francisco energy and infrastructure associate Lisa Magged and Seattle senior intellectual property associate Jeffrey Cox. The volunteer interpreters/translators are Los Angeles intellectual property practice assistant Victoria Hernández, Los Angeles litigation paralegal Mystic Palencia, Los Angeles information services systems administrator Pete Hurtado, New York team lead support specialist Jose Sandoval and San Francisco legal secretary Mirtha Rodas.