October.11.2021
Through an innovative collaboration between a dozen law firms and Asylum Aid, volunteer lawyers have been working to help stateless individuals in the UK navigate the complex statelessness determination procedure. To date, the project has taken on 45 matters and helped 13 clients obtain recognition as stateless or other permanent status, allowing them to obtain crucial access to identity documents, education, health services and employment.
The Law Society, a professional association for lawyers in the UK, recognized the collaboration with its 2021 Excellence in Pro Bono Award for achieving “lasting and dramatic change in an area of significant public importance. The judges were impressed by the collaborative effort of 12 global law firms who combined their expertise and resources to provide pro bono assistance on a large scale to help Asylum Aid deal with statelessness within the UK.”
In addition to Orrick, partner firms include Akin Gump, Ashurst, Cooley, Dentons, Freshfields, Latham & Watkins, Morrison & Foerster, O'Melveny, Reed Smith, Skadden and White & Case.
Thank you to our Orrick volunteers: Adam Rizzo, Rebecca Evans, Max Iles, Kihye Park, Kirstie Parr, Fiona Shajko, Amanda Voss, Matt Rose, David Shipton, Jake Ferm, Hanna Hewitt and Noelle Van Wyk.