Public Service to People and Communities Volume IV, Issue 1 Winter 2007 @manatt THE PRO BONO NEWSLETTER OF MANATT, PHELPS & PHILLIPS, LLP A Message From Manatt’s Chief Executive Officer National Center For Refugee & Immigrant Since our Firm’s inception, we have always engaged in pro bono and civic activities that contribute to the communities in which we work and live. In 2006 we strove Children Names Manatt to enhance our tradition of service by establishing a national Pro Bono Committee “Children’s Defender Of and setting a goal to devote at least 3% of our billable hours to pro bono work. The Year” With the broadest participation by professionals in our Firm’s history, we attained our Manatt was named “Children’s goal. More importantly, we achieved results for our pro bono clients that signifi cantly Defender of the Year” for 2006- improved the quality of their lives and meaningfully enriched our communities. 2007 by the National Center for Th is newsletter highlights several (of our many) 2006 successes. Reading the newsletter reinforces my Refugee & Immigrant Children belief that through our pro bono activities, we grow not only as professionals, but also as individuals. (the “Center”). Th is award I am proud of all the pro bono work we did in 2006, and I hope that our 2006 accomplishments will honors our direct representation inspire us to achieve a higher level of excellence in our 2007 pro bono endeavors. of 18 unaccompanied minors William T. Quicksilver seeking asylum and other forms Managing Partner and Chief Executive Offi cer of immigration relief, as well as our development of a unique California Women’s Law . In partnership with CWLC, conviction for the murder of national mentoring program Center Honors Manatt the California Coalition for her abusive husband. for “Special Immigrant Juvenile With Its “Pursuit Of Battered Women in Prison, . We also conducted research Status” cases involving children and the University of Southern and analyzed potential who have been orphaned, abused Justice” Law Firm Pro California Gould School of legal theories relative to law or abandoned by their parents. Bono Service Award Law’s Post-Conviction Justice enforcement’s response to Project and Family Violence domestic violence issues, Th e Center provides pro bono As the fi rst legal organization Clinic, more than 20 Manatt with the goal of encouraging legal and social services to in California dedicated solely professionals have dedicated responses that would protect unaccompanied children released to addressing the unique legal over 3,000 hours of time since domestic violence survivors from immigration detention in needs of women and girls, the 2002 seeking habeas relief for rather than causing additional the United States. Many of these California Women’s Law Center a pro bono client under a law suff ering through the law children have experienced horrors (CWLC) focuses on gender that was enacted after her enforcement process. such as traffi cking, persecution, or discrimination, violence against Continued On Page 2 domestic violence. Without the women, women’s health and Manatt attorneys David Elson, Stan Levy, Lisa Specht, Ellen Berkowitz, Gordon Bava, Diana Iketani assistance of pro bono attorneys, reproductive justice. and Daniel Gryczman accepting the California Women’s Law Center “Pursuit of Justice” Award these children would not only fail to obtain the right to stay in the Manatt’s involvement with country, all too often they also CWLC was extensive during would simply fall through cracks 2006 and included the following in the legal system and possibly projects: end up on the streets. 15 attorneys from 8 practice In addition to accepting more pro groups drafted portions of a bono referrals from the Center legal resource manual that will than any other law fi rm in the help directors and managers country, Manatt has supported at over 100 domestic violence the Center’s mission by providing shelters develop and run their guidance on legislative and programs more eff ectively. Continued On Page 2 Albany Los Angeles New York Orange County Palo Alto Sacramento San Francisco Washington, D.C. WWW.MANATT.COM PURSUIT OF JUSTICE continued advancing the rights of refugee Federal Court Judge 6 partners) collaborated to assist In response to our receipt of children. As this newsletter Commends Manatt For 114 homeless veterans, in many CWLC’s “Pursuit of Justice” Law was going to press, nearly 100 Legal Assistance To cases enabling them to move on Firm Pro Bono Service award, attorneys from fi rms across Homeless Veterans from the rehab center and begin several governmental bodies, Southern California had signed rebuilding productive lives. including the U.S. House of up for the training. Nearly In early 2006 United States Representatives and the California two dozen Manatt attorneys Court of Appeals Judge Harry For this work, Judge Pregerson State Assembly, also conferred representing four of our offi ces Pregerson challenged the Firm commended Manatt as “one certifi cates of recognition upon also planned to attend. If you to “do something” to help the of the rare law fi rms that really Manatt, honoring our eff orts to missed the training, you can still 30,000+ homeless veterans who puts its pro bono money where increase awareness, and combat obtain copies of the materials by struggle to its mouth is. the eff ects, of domestic violence. contacting [email protected]. survive on the “Manatt is the only Firm Manatt is the streets of Los that stepped up to the plate only Firm Th e Los Angeles and San Francisco Manatt’s work for the Center Angeles. We when I put together the that stepped Daily Journals also selected our complements our long-standing r e s p o n d e d up to the partnership with CWLC as one commitment to protecting by working homeless veterans project. plate when I of California’s “most innovative” refugees and children. During with Public I applaud their compassion put together pro bono projects in 2006. 2006 attorneys in four of our Counsel to the homeless offi ces successfully obtained develop our and tireless dedication in v e t e r a n s CHILDREN’S DEFENDER continued asylum for seven refugees from own pro helping out vets who have project. I funding opportunities. Th e Firm fi ve countries, and we continue bono legal nowhere else to turn.” applaud their also organized and sponsored an to advocate for an additional 12 clinic on compassion all-day pro bono/MCLE training asylum seekers referred to us by the grounds U.S. Court of Appeals Judge and tireless at UCLA to allow the Center and the Center and the AIDS Legal of our local Harry Pregerson de di ca ti on other legal services organizations Referral Panel, Human Rights VA. During our inaugural year in helping out vets who have to present practice tips for First, and Public Counsel. 20 Manatt attorneys (including nowhere else to turn.” Profi le In Courage: Brad Seiling and the Becerra Children In late 2005 a tragic accident took the lives of Rosa and Daniel, loving parents of six children. While waiting at a bus stop, Rosa and Daniel were hit and killed by a tow truck driver who plowed onto the sidewalk and through a crowd of people. Th e six children, in the wake of their tremendous loss, went to live with their aunt and uncle. Out of this tragedy, an amazing story of generosity has grown. Although the children’s uncle Ricardo was already supporting his wife and their three young children, he welcomed his six nieces and nephews into his one-bedroom home without hesitation. Upon referral by a social worker, the family went to Th e Alliance for Children’s Rights for help obtaining legal guardianship of the children. Th e Alliance turned to Manatt for pro bono assistance on the case. Th e circumstances required a substantial amount of eff ort and expertise, which Manatt partner Brad Seiling was happy to provide. Although Brad had no prior experience with guardianships, after attending a brief training, he successfully navigated a new area of law. Th ough his legal role is done, Brad continues to monitor the family’s situation and remains invested in their well-being. Brad says that working with the family was “one of the most rewarding things [he’s] done in almost 17 years of practice.” Brad and Gene Elerding also worked with the Vernon Police Department to put together a fund to assist the family. Brad recalls being struck by the strong sense of family and their ability to pull together in the face of such a diffi cult experience. Ricardo told him that this is what his (and Rosa’s) mother had taught them: that you help family and take care of them. As a young man with a family of his own, Ricardo’s willingness to take on the responsibility of his six nieces and nephews was “awe-inspiring” to Brad, who was also impressed by the ways the older children helped to care for the younger ones. In discussing the case, Brad shared some of his thoughts and feelings. “What draws me to these pro bono cases is the opportunity to help families stay together in diffi cult times. Th e case was particularly tragic—a horrible car accident that killed the kids’ mother and stepfather. It is heartening to see how these guardians are willing to step up and assume responsibility for entire families in addition to the large families that they already are raising. Meeting the families is always a rewarding experience. You can see how the kids and their guardians have drawn close together to deal with the children’s loss and adjustment to an entirely new life, new home and new schools.