meet a pro bono partner
Chelsea E. O’Sullivan
Associate Attorney
Venable LLP
- Q: Why did you join Tahirih’s Pro Bono Network?
- A: I decided to join Tahirih’s Pro Bono network because I wanted to engage in pro bono work that had tangible results for clients and that filled a growing need. I thought Tahirih was the best place to do that.
- Q: Share a highlight from a pro bono case with Tahirih.
- A: A major highlight was calling my client recently to tell her she had been granted asylum and hearing the excitement and relief in her voice. During the process, a highlight was when I realized I had gained her trust. While preparing her declaration, my client finally told me about a part of her experience that she had never been able to tell anyone. She had been through so much and found it difficult to open up to people, but she trusted me. It has also been incredibly rewarding to see my client gain confidence in herself. When we first met she could hardly talk about her experiences, but by the time she got to her asylum interview she was able to explain what happened to her. I am her lawyer, but she is also her own advocate.
- Q: How has your Pro Bono service impacted you?
- A: My experience has been inspiring and challenging. I am inspired by my client who has overcome so much. Learning about her experiences and advocating for her has also shown me a lot about myself. On the professional side, I was challenged. I learned about a new area of law, immigration law, and acquired new skills that I would not normally have been exposed to in my usual practice, including writing briefs and navigating immigration court procedures.
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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.
