September 7, 2004
Litigation associate Sherally Munshi obtains asylum for Mr. R, who fled Chile in 2003 after years of abuse and persecution related to his political opinions and sexual orientation.
The firm was recently praised for successfully obtaining asylum on behalf of a client in a challenging pro bono case. Litigation associate Sherally Munshi represented Mr. R, a gay man afflicted with AIDS, who fled Chile in 2003 after years of abuse and persecution related to his political opinions and sexual orientation. Mr. R's case was particularly compelling because he suffers from an AIDS-related condition called Toxoplasmosis, which results in severe memory loss. Ms. Munshi, was lauded by the Refugee Assistance Program Director of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York for putting together an extremely strong asylum application, including a comprehensive and sympathetic affidavit for Mr. R, as well as a memorandum of law, medical records, country condition research, and various supporting affidavits. She also obtained a critical affidavit from a clinical psychologist and successfully prepared the client for a taxing asylum office interview. In a letter to the firm, the program director stated that if Mr. R “had been pro se or represented by a less able attorney, I have absolutely no doubt that he would not have been able to obtain asylum.” Willkie’s pro bono program has earned the firm numerous awards, including most recently the Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Award, inMotion’s Commitment to Justice Award, and the MFY Legal Services Scales of Justice Award.