Empowering Change Through Pro Bono Asylum Work: Meiran Yin, Olivia Zacks, and Billy Wu, of Latham & Watkins
Describe your experience working with Yeny in helping her prepare for her asylum merits hearing.
Yeny is a fantastic client to work with. She was referred to us in the fall of 2020, and we have worked with her for three years, helping her get her ankle monitor removed, get work authorization for her and for her children, and then eventually work on the hearing prep. We had several multi-hour interview sessions with Yeny in order to draft her declaration – she is always very responsive and cooperative, as well as genuine and grateful. Before the hearing, we met with her in person for the first time for an all-day hearing prep, which was crucial in securing strong testimony on the day of the hearing.
What was the most rewarding part of the process?
Changing the lives of Yeny and that of her two children, literally. I feel that this is the most impactful thing I have done in my legal career. Yeny said she will never forget the moment when the judge announced her decision and she saw the smile on our faces (before the decision was translated to her), and that’s when she realized she had won. Afterwards, she gave me the biggest hug, and we were both crying – I was overjoyed for her and so proud of her for overcoming all the challenges and being as resilient as she is. I’m also amazed at our incredible team at Latham working on Yeny’s case, from the core group of attorneys to our long-time interpreter and other supporting personnel.
What was the most challenging part of the process for you?
Getting ourselves up to speed with an area of the law (i.e., immigration law) that we are not familiar with – both substantively with respect to elements of the claim and procedurally with respect to immigration court processes.
Did you find CLSEPA's mentorship and technical assistance helpful?
Without a doubt. We’ve had many mentorship Zoom calls and email exchanges with Mariam over the three years we worked together. She has provided incredibly valuable advice and precedents on all aspects of the case – we couldn’t have won the case without her help.
What is your advice for pro bono attorneys considering taking on an asylum matter?
Do it! It’s literally life-changing and astonishingly rewarding, and really reminds you of the purpose of our profession.
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