Date: October 22, 2010
Contact: Kelly Griffith, Marketing Manager
Phone:
(612) 492-7514
Email: kgriffith@fredlaw.com
For Immediate Release
Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Attorneys Receive
National ‘Beacon of Justice’ Award for Pro Bono Work
Minneapolis, MN October 22, 2010 – – Fredrikson & Byron’s immigration attorneys received the national Beacon of Justice award from the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), the oldest and largest U.S. non-profit association of individual legal professionals and legal organizations devoted to ensuring the delivery of legal services to the poor. NLADA is based in Washington, D.C.
The award is given to law firms that have had a significant impact on the lives of immigration clients between Jan. 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. During that time, Fredrikson attorneys contributed 1,636 pro bono hours to immigration matters and handled over 40 pro bono immigration cases. The Beacon of Justice award was presented to Fredrikson attorney Loan Huynh on behalf of Fredrikson & Byron on Oct. 6 at NLADA’s annual awards dinner in Washington, D.C.
Fredrikson was nominated for the award by the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights (MAHR), the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ICLM), Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam (HSCV), law student Sanjee Weliwitigoda, and the Walker Art Center.
“With Fredrikson and Byron’s assistance, ILCM (where Fredrikson attorney Debra Schneider is on the board) has been able to double in one year the level of assistance we provide to U-visa applicants and domestic violence advocates,” says John C. Keller, ILCM executive director. (U visas are special visas granted to victims of domestic violence).
“Nine years ago, a four-year-old girl in a village near Ha Noi was severely burned and needed medical treatment from the United States,” adds Charles DeVet, president of HSCV. “Today, thanks to the pro bono assistance of Fredrikson’s attorneys, she has been treated by U.S. doctors for three years, and her prognosis is very good.”
According to Robin Phillips, executive director of MAHR, Fredrikson attorneys have contributed invaluable legal assistance to indigent asylum seekers, as well as mentoring support to other attorneys working on behalf of immigrants seeking asylum.
“We’re pleased that Fredrikson has been able to provide substantial pro bono legal representation to Minnesota’s vibrant immigration community,” says Laura Danielson, Fredrikson’s immigration practice group leader. “Over the past 10 years, we have developed a multi-faceted program to represent many clients seeking assistance with a wide variety of immigration matters.”
Fredrikson & Byron is a 240 attorney law firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Bismarck, Des Moines, Fargo, Monterrey, Mexico, and Shanghai, China. We’ve built a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet” by bringing business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to our work with clients, and by operating as business advisors and strategic partners as well as legal counselors. The firm’s primary areas of practice include banking, corporate, employment, energy, renewable energy, franchise, government relations, healthcare, intellectual property, international, litigation, real estate, securities, and tax. We serve a broad range of clients, including multinational corporations, public companies, privately-held businesses, entrepreneurs, government agencies, and family businesses. Fredrikson & Byron’s attorneys also work with individuals on estate planning, family law, and immigration matters. We are the exclusive Minnesota law firm member of the World Services Group, a worldwide network of professional service providers. More information about the firm is available at www.fredlaw.com.