meet a pro bono partner
Bryan Nese
Associate
Mayer Brown LLP
- Q: Why did you join Tahirih’s Pro Bono Network?
- A: My prior firm didn’t offer much in the way of pro bono opportunities, so I was excited to team up with Mayer Brown’s many pro bono partners. With nearly two decades of experience, a broad range of cases, and a dedicated team of mentor attorneys, Tahirih immediately stood out as one of the more outstanding organizations with some of the most rewarding work. One of the first pro bono cases of my career was with Tahirih.
- Q: Share a highlight from a pro bono case with Tahirih.
- A: For nearly two years, I helped a woman from El Salvador and her two young children seek asylum in the United States. Her story was heartbreaking; she had experienced multiple instances of kidnapping and abuse at the hands of the gangs operating unchecked throughout her home country. Working with Tahirih’s attorneys, we got our client out of a detention facility in Texas and into the home of her U.S. partner. We also obtained work authorization for her and helped her begin a safe, secure life here.
- Q: How has your pro bono service impacted you?
- A: Working on pro bono cases has shown me how important it is for lawyers to donate their time – even just a little bit – to helping other. It shouldn’t take a lawyer to ensure that a person’s basic human rights are met, but until that changes, it’s our responsibility to lend a hand where we can. My work with Tahirih and several of the other fantastic organizations in the DC area has given me a deeper appreciation for how impactful a little bit of our time can be on someone’s life. Something as simple as writing a letter or accompanying a client to court can make a world of difference, so why aren’t we doing more of this?
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Please join us as a pro bono partner or volunteer today! Your time and talents can truly make a difference.meet more pro bono partners
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Meghan Leibold Lidster
Staff AttorneyRichards Kibbee & OrbeIt has been humbling to work with a client who, despite extreme hardship in her past, has been able to increasingly open up to me. -
Lindsay Wright Brett
Associate AttorneyBaker & McKenzie LLPThe women and children I've worked with over the years inspire me to take on new cases. -
Alicia Balthazar, Deborah Wei, Maria A. Arboleda, & Marta Thompson
Hogan Lovells US LLPRealizing the impact of the case’s outcome not just for our client but for her son, shows how these cases can be completely life changing for a family’s future.
