Wilkinson Stekloff Associates Mikaela Meyer and Anthony Ferrara recently obtained a civil protective order for a pro bono client who had been the victim of domestic violence by her husband. After multiple other incidents, in October 2023, the client’s husband became enraged when hearing her speaking in Spanish to her grandfather about her mother’s then-recent stroke. The husband assaulted the client, causing physical injuries. The client quickly obtained a temporary restraining order, but the hearing for a long-term restraining order was delayed until December 16, 2024, due to a pending criminal case against the husband. During the long-awaited hearing, Mikaela delivered the opening statement and expertly walked the client through her direct testimony. Anthony delivered closing arguments and handled three cross-examinations, effectively undermining the credibility of the husband’s case. At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge granted the protective order, allowing the client to obtain justice for the abuse she suffered both …
Wilkinson Stekloff Prevails in Appeals for Incarcerated Individuals Pursuing Deprivation of Rights Actions
December 9, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff recently prevailed in two pro bono matters related to the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act’s (PLRA) three-strikes rule, which bars prisoner plaintiffs from proceeding in a civil action without payment of filing fees, or in forma pauperis, if the prisoner has three or more times brought an action or appeal that was dismissed as frivolous, malicious, or failing to state a claim. Associates Logan Page and Dhruti Patel represented an incarcerated individual in his appeal challenging the dismissal of an action against Michigan state correctional facility employees who allegedly withheld medical treatment for his multiple sclerosis. In its dismissal, the District Court for the Western District of Michigan found that the three-strikes rule disqualified the client from proceeding in forma pauperis. Logan and Dhruti successfully disputed two of the client’s three assessed strikes, arguing that some of the claims in each action were dismissed on grounds not enumerated in …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Asylum Victory for Pro Bono Client Fleeing Persecution Based on LGBTQ+ Status
November 21, 2024
November 8, 2024, Wilkinson Stekloff Associates Dhruti Patel and Tania Martinez, with assistance from Counsel Sarah Neuman, obtained a decisive victory in an asylum matter for a pro bono client. The client, a gay man, had endured a lifetime of discrimination and persecution in his home country of Colombia. The client’s mistreatment culminated in a brutal attack carried out by state actors in 2023 on account of the client’s sexual orientation. The client’s attackers continued to pursue him after the attack, even threatening to kill him. During the client’s immigration hearing, he shared compelling testimony about the violence he faced in Colombia and his fear of being killed if he were forced to return. Building on this testimony, the Wilkinson Stekloff team successfully argued that despite instituting some legal protections for gay individuals, Colombia remains one of the most dangerous places in all of South America for members of the LGBTQ+ community, …
Law360 Recognizes Wilkinson Stekloff Among Top Five Firms in 2024 Pro Bono Ranking
October 16, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff placed fifth nationally among firms with fewer than 100 attorneys in the 2024 Law360 Pulse Pro Bono Ranking. This is the third consecutive year the firm has been recognized among the top five in its size category. An essential component of Law360’s Social Impact Leaders rankings, the Pro Bono Ranking is based on several metrics including overall participation rate in pro bono activity. Wilkinson Stekloff has maintained a deep and lasting commitment to providing pro bono representation. Since its 2016 founding, the firm has handled more than 100 pro bono matters, with the vast majority of its attorneys devoting significant time across areas including family law, immigration, post-conviction representation, appeals, and filing amicus briefs. In addition to Law360 Pulse, Wilkinson Stekloff has been recognized by organizations including Chambers and Partners, Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, and the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice for making this …
Law360 Recognizes Wilkinson Stekloff Among Top Firms in 2023 Pro Bono Ranking
September 28, 2023
Wilkinson Stekloff recently placed third nationally among firms with fewer than 100 attorneys in the 2023 Law360 Pulse pro bono ranking. An essential component of Law360’s Social Impact Leaders rankings, the pro bono ranking is based on several metrics including overall participation rate in pro bono activity. In addition to its third-place ranking, Wilkinson Stekloff’s 86.1% attorney participation rate was the second highest participation rate noted in the firm’s size category. Pro bono representation is woven into Wilkinson Stekloff’s DNA. The firm has handled more than 100 pro bono matters since its 2016 founding, and the vast majority of the firm’s attorneys devote significant time to pro bono matters across areas including family law, immigration, post-conviction representation, appeals, and drafting amicus briefs. In addition to Law360, Wilkinson Stekloff has been recognized by organizations including Chambers and Partners, the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, and the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice …
WS Honored by Law360 as Social Impact Leader
November 29, 2022
Law360 Pulse recently announced its 2022 Social Impact Leaders Ranking, and Wilkinson Stekloff scored second nationally among firms with fewer than 100 attorneys on the standalone pro bono list. The Social Impact Leaders ranking seeks to measure law firms’ engagement with social responsibility across five pillars: racial and ethnic diversity, gender equality, employee engagement, pro bono service, and responsible business practices. The pro bono pillar is broken out into a separate ranking to allow for more detailed comparison among peer firms, and the score is calculated based on three metrics: percentage of attorneys who provided at least 50 hours of free legal services, overall participation rate in pro bono activity, and average pro bono hours per attorney. While ranked second in its size category, WS posted the highest percentage of participating attorneys — 85.7% — besting the top-ranked firm. WS has innovated away from the billable-hour model, and its holistic …
D.C. Court of Appeals Affirms Trial Win for First Wilkinson Stekloff Pro Bono Victory of 2022
February 28, 2022
Cali Cope-Kasten recently won an appeal at the D.C. Court of Appeals affirming her earlier trial win in Brian Macklin v. Janai Johnson, a complex and contentious divorce and child custody case. The appeal followed a five-day trial in D.C. Superior Court at which Cali and the Wilkinson Stekloff team, representing their client pro bono, won primary physical custody of the parties’ five children, tie-breaking authority in legal custody, and a 40% interest in the parties’ marital home. The Court’s 32-page opinion affirmed Ms. Johnson’s victory on all issues and gives hope to other women in Ms. Johnson’s position, “hold[ing] as a matter of first impression that substantial homemaker services can indeed entitle a spouse to an equitable interest in real property purchased by the other spouse before the marriage and used as the family home.” This is the first pro bono victory of 2022 for the Wilkinson Stekloff team and comes on the heels …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Landmark Immigration Appeal
August 26, 2021
Washington, D.C. — Wilkinson Stekloff associates Chanakya Sethi and Alison Zoschak have secured a major pro bono win in the Ninth Circuit, convincing the court that non-citizens facing reinstatement of prior deportation orders have a right to counsel in their removal proceedings. Chan was appointed to represent Walter Orozco-Lopez as a member of the Ninth Circuit’s pro bono panel and argued the case in April 2021. The precedential decision could affect thousands of individuals in the Ninth Circuit each year. The federal government has for the last decade deported upwards of 100,000 people annually under an expedited procedure that allows for reinstatement of earlier deportation orders. Unlike non-citizens in ordinary removal proceedings, these individuals have been denied the right to an attorney when they have challenged their deportation on the grounds that they fear return to their native countries. Chan and Alison argued that the Immigration and Nationality Act codifies …
Wilkinson Stekloff Named Top Fundraiser in Legal Aid Campaign
August 12, 2021
Washington, D.C. — The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia recently recognized Wilkinson Stekloff for its contribution to the 2021 Making Justice Real Campaign, an annual fundraiser to support Legal Aid’s mission to provide legal services to people living in poverty in DC. Wilkinson Stekloff raised the most money from firms with 25 to 49 attorneys, contributing a total of $54,000, enough to staff a Legal Aid attorney for seven months. “Our firm has a deep and lasting commitment to providing pro bono representation, and we are honored to support Legal Aid’s mission to improve access to justice for all,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Kosta Stojilkovic. “Especially at a time like this, with so many people in our community facing possible eviction due to the impact of the pandemic, we take seriously our responsibility to support Legal Aid.” Bringing together thousands of people, the 2021 Making Justice Real Campaign has …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Qualified Immunity Appeal in the Eleventh Circuit
November 12, 2020
Washington, D.C. – Wilkinson Stekloff associate Xiao Wang secured another significant pro bono appellate win in the Eleventh Circuit, representing Joshua Dickinson, an individual who was violently assaulted while detained in an Alabama jail following an argument with a family member. The Eleventh Circuit concluded that Mr. Dickinson could continue his lawsuit to vindicate his civil rights. Xiao, along with supervising partner Jeremy Barber, argued on appeal that the district court had correctly allowed Mr. Dickinson’s suit to proceed. Wilkinson Stekloff’s briefing highlighted the unjust and unsafe conditions of the Mobile County Metro Jail, including the information and multiple warnings the County Sheriff and Jail Warden had received prior to the unfortunate event. The Eleventh Circuit agreed that the Sheriff and Warden were not entitled to qualified immunity, deciding to interpret narrowly a prior opinion that had applied an expansive reading to qualified immunity. “The jail failed to address multiple …