Leah Charlesworth

Associate

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Q: Why did you join Tahirih’s Pro Bono Network?: A: My parents and I migrated to the United States when I was three years old. I understand the importance of gaining citizenship and feeling safe in a place one considers home. Being a pro bono attorney for Tahirih Justice Center allows me to help women gain the same sense of security I have in the United States.
Q: Share a highlight from a pro bono case with Tahirih.: A: Submitting a U visa application is not only a legal process but also a therapeutic process. My client was able to tell her story for the first time and not be doubted or told that she was at fault. My client disclosed that she felt uncomfortable speaking to friends about her continuous abuse for fear that they would judge her. My client had the chance to be heard for the very first time during our work together.
Q: How has your pro bono service impacted you?: A: My work with Tahirih reminds me of how strong women can be for themselves and their children. My client endured a life of abuse, starting with her father verbally and physically mistreating her mother. Despite years of assault, my client was willing to stand up to her abusers and seek safety for herself and her children in the United States.

Meghan Leibold Lidster

Staff Attorney

Richards Kibbee & Orbe

It 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 Attorney

Baker & McKenzie LLP

The 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 LLP

Realizing 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.

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