meet a pro bono partner
Katie Bukrinsky
Associate
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
- Q: Why did you join Tahirih’s Pro Bono Network?
- A: McDermott Will & Emery LLP has had a close relationship with Tahirih for many years and frequently takes pro bono cases from them. I wanted to work with Tahirih because I had heard such great things from my colleagues regarding Tahirih's mentoring and support during the process.
- Q: Share a highlight from a pro bono case with Tahirih.
- A: We recently had an asylum case on behalf of a young woman from Africa who had been kidnapped by a powerful village chief. He held her prisoner for nearly a year in an effort to force her to consent to a forced marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting. We were able to secure asylum for her, allowing her to remain in the United States and out of the reach of this chief, who continues to look for her in her home country.
- Q: How has your Pro Bono service impacted you?
- A: Pro bono service has many benefits for me. Most importantly, it allows me to use my skills to assist people who are most in need of lawyers — in particular, refugees to this country who have escaped horrible situations, don't understand the U.S. legal system, and may not speak English. Navigating the immigration system is nearly impossible without legal assistance, and I find it very rewarding to help these deserving clients. In addition, pro bono work allows me to manage a case and handle high-level legal tasks including court appearances – opportunities that are difficult to come by for young attorneys in a large law firm.
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Please join us as a pro bono partner or volunteer today! Your time and talents can truly make a difference.meet more pro bono partners
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Meghan Leibold Lidster
Staff AttorneyRichards Kibbee & OrbeIt has been humbling to work with a client who, despite extreme hardship in her past, has been able to increasingly open up to me. -
Lindsay Wright Brett
Associate AttorneyBaker & McKenzie LLPThe women and children I've worked with over the years inspire me to take on new cases. -
Alicia Balthazar, Deborah Wei, Maria A. Arboleda, & Marta Thompson
Hogan Lovells US LLPRealizing the impact of the case’s outcome not just for our client but for her son, shows how these cases can be completely life changing for a family’s future.
