Pro Bono Report 2024
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4
63
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Lawyers
Countries
Clients Served
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Greece, Kenya, Mexico, Paraguay, Philippines, Russia, and Thailand.
Women and Children
2024 was another remarkable year for the MDIVANI CORPORATE IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM PRO BONO PROGRAM. This year, we continued providing free legal services to immigrant women and children who are survivors of domestic violence and other violent crimes, in collaboration with domestic violence shelters in Kansas and Missouri.
We are very grateful to get to work with some of the nation's most dedicated advocates and shelter administrators. These incredible support systems for our mutual clients have enabled them to take significant strides toward freedom from their abusers. It is an honor to work alongside such wonderful individuals and organizations.
Business Immigration Attorneys Mira Mdivani, Danielle Atchison, Leyla McMullen, and Hadley Bybee along with the firm law clerks AJ Gordon, Nate Longoria, Sam Short, Daniel Simon, Ana McMullen, and Ellie Wiltanger worked with women and children referred by local domestic violence shelters and assistance programs. Together, they ensured that these immigrant survivors have access to high-quality legal representation in obtaining and maintaining legal status in the United States, helping them break the cycle of violence.
Free Legal Services Provided to the Survivors
I-360 petitions based on Domestic Violence Under the Violence Against Women Act, U Visa petitions, Applications for green cards, Naturalization for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Services for Battered Women and Children under the Violence Against Women Act:
In 2024, Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm provided free legal services to immigrant women survivors of domestic violence in applying for legal status in the United States under the Violence Against Women Act. We met with many potential VAWA petitioners and helped strategize with them.
U Visas and U-Based Green Cards for Victims of Violent Crimes
In 2024, we continued providing free legal services to women and children victims of crimes falling within the U Visa category. These individuals are eligible to apply for status in the United States if they are a victim of a qualifying crime and are helpful in prosecuting the perpetrator.
What we prepared on Behalf of Survivors:
I-918 U Visa petitions and related applications
I-485 Application to Adjust Status
I-765 Employment Authorization Application for Work Permits for our clients
Results:
We prepared multiple U Visa-based Green Card applications;
USCIS approved U Visa Petition, granting a survivor of domestic violence four years of eligibility to live and work in the United States and the opportunity to file for a green card;
USCIS approved Green Card based on U Visa status for domestic violence client; and
USCIS approved work permit applications for abused women and their dependents and placed them in deferred action while their U Visa Petition is pending.
Naturalization
If possible, we provide ongoing services to our pro bono clients as they become eligible. Specifically, we will work for justice for victims to gain status in the United States, then permanent residency (green card), on to U.S. citizenship.
In 2024, we were proud to begin working on naturalization preparation for many of our pro bono clients who we have been working with for almost a decade or more in some cases.
Renewal/Replacement Applications
Our services range throughout the entire immigration process for our clients. We often jump into cases where the victim already has status but has had their evidence of status stolen, such as a green card. Stealing passports, green cards, etc. is often used by abusers to control their victims. We have and will continue to help in replacing those documents for our pro bono clients.
Often clients who have approved Green Cards will come with us for the renewal of the Green Card as well. In 2024, we are proud to have helped clients renew their 10-year Green Card.
Our Thoughts
"I am grateful for another year of having the honor to serve with pro bono work. In addition to helping the most vulnerable members of our community, we also get to help make our community a safer place by enabling these victims of violent crimes remain in the US to testify and assist the police/prosecutors to incarcerate dangerous criminals. I feel blessed to be able to continue to give back like I promised to do on my law school admission essay. I am also excited to watch our new lawyers, law clerks, and interns get involved with and excited about doing pro bono work. It’s great to see that a new generation of lawyers and future lawyers are learning to value pro bono work, and that they are so willing and eager to get involved with our pro bono program."
— Leyla McMullen, Corporate Immigration Attorney
"Through Mdivani's Pro Bono work, I have had the unique opportunity to see firsthand the life-changing impact that the work of dedicated attorneys has on individual lives. Attorneys at Mdivani commit a tremendous amount of time and effort to Pro Bono cases. This important work continues to shape my values as an aspiring attorney. As I prepare to enter the legal community as a full-time professional, Mdivani's Pro Bono work reminds me of our responsibility to strive for a world where access to justice and quality representation is available to all."
— Daniel Simon, Law Clerk
What Our Pro Bono Clients Say
“Thank God I have already received the green card. I am very grateful. This will be the first Christmas I will spend with my mother in Mexico after 21 years without seeing her.”
— Pro Bono Client
“I am very thankful to the immigration team at Mdivani Corporate, they are a professional team. The times that I had meetings with the attorneys, they always treated me with respect and kindness, and they made me feel good. I thank them for all that the Mdivani team did for my legal process. They are wonderful people. Thank you Mdivani Corporate for taking my case. Thank you for every process that they carefully handled for me.”
— Pro Bono Client
Community Outreach re. Domestic Violence and Immigrant Women & Children
Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm Attorneys continue to train lawyers and shelter advocates through outreach programs to educate the community about options for immigrant women and children victims of domestic violence. This includes:
Training advocates at local Kansas City domestic violence shelters on how to recognize, triage, and work with attorneys on these cases;
Teaching the mini-term course titled Immigration Law and Violence Against Woman at UMKC School of Law. This course focuses on working with immigrant women and children who are survivors of domestic violence and other violent crimes; and
Providing continuing legal education (CLE) about the firm’s pro bono program and related issues to practicing attorneys.
In 2024, we were proud to commit to training shelter therapists at local domestic violence shelters on therapist specific concerns including confidentiality, expert opinion letters, etc.
Special Thanks
We want to continue to thank our corporate clients for doing business with our firm. We thank you for enabling our pro bono work. It is through you that we can continue providing free legal services to immigrant women and children survivors of domestic violence and other violent crimes. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
It Takes a Village, Want to Help?
If the situation calls for some immigration assistance outside the scope of our ability, we are very grateful to have colleagues all over Kansas and Missouri who are willing to help. If you are interested, in helping, please email DAtchison@uslegalimmigration.com.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only, it is not legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Viewing it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
© Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm, LLC
