From October 22 – 28, Ayuda celebrates Pro Bono Week to recognize the attorneys and law firms who amplify our impact for immigrants.
Immigration legal services are in high demand, but Ayuda’s Pro Bono Program allows us to say “yes” to making a difference for more of our immigrant neighbors. We do this in three key ways:
Monthly Clinics
Roughly once a month, immigrants can schedule free 1:1 telephone consultations with an attorney to get personalized brief legal guidance and start the path to securing immigration relief. Each walk-in clinic is made possible and staffed by a sponsoring law firm – one of Ayuda’s Pro Bono Partners – with mentorship by Ayuda’s own seasoned attorneys.
Direct Representation
Through our direct representation project, associates and other attorneys from our partner firms commit to help individual immigrants seek justice. Under the guidance of Ayuda’s immigration attorneys, pro bono lawyers work directly with immigrants to secure U visas, asylum, and other legal matters big and small.
Special Projects
Over the last year, a number of Ayuda’s Pro Bono Partners have generously embarked on special projects – targeted efforts in response to the changing needs of our immigrant neighbors. Arnold + Porter, for example, has been working with us to apply and pay for migrants’ work permits (EADs) – a significant need we’ve been seeing in our community.
Our 2023 Pro Bono Impact
Data below reflects Ayuda’s fiscal year 2023, running from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023.
PRO BONO CLINIC CONSULTATIONS
IMMIGRANTS + FAMILY MEMBERS SUPPORTED AT CLINICS
IMMIGRATION MATTERS WORKED ON PRO BONO
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN SERVED
%
OF CLINIC CLIENTS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR IMMIGRATION RELIEF
Our Pro Bono Partners
The impact above is made possible by the support of our Pro Bono Partners – law firms who partner with Ayuda to help immigrants apply for work permits, seek asylum, file for visas, and beyond. We are grateful to each and every Pro Bono Partner for choosing to volunteer their time in support of our immigrant neighbors. But we’d like to especially recognize some of our partners that have gone above and beyond to do good with Ayuda:
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- Arnold + Porter
- Baker Botts
- DLA Piper LLP
- Latham & Watkins LLP
- McGuireWoods LLP
- Orrick
- Skadden Arps
- Steptoe & Johnson
- Thomson Hine
- Verizon
Ayuda is always seeking to expand our impact and build new Pro Bono Partnerships. Whether or not a firm has immigration law expertise, we have opportunities to sponsor pro bono clinics, directly take on cases, or embark on special projects. Reach out to learn how you can become part of Ayuda’s Pro Bono Impact: [email protected].
Volunteer Testimony
“As an immigrant who is familiar with how complex immigration processes can be, it has always been a goal of mine to give back to the immigrant community through pro bono work. I was especially drawn to the work McGuireWoods does with Ayuda because this work primarily serves children. Without McGuireWoods and Ayuda’s early support, most of these children would not have the opportunity to pursue immigration benefits designed specifically for them, and unfortunately, many of them would ‘age out’ of these benefits.”
– Noriya Shahadat, Associate, McGuireWoods