Cravath’s Pro Bono Work for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its Cross‑Border Program

Cravath lawyers are working with The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on a cross‑border program that addresses the lack of adequate medical treatment for cystic fibrosis in Iran. The Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and helping those with the disease receive proper care and treatment. The Firm assisted in forming the cross‑border entity and obtaining the 501(c)(3) not‑for‑profit status to facilitate raising funds in the United States to enable the Foundation to identify and help patients in Iran, and potentially other countries, with travel for medical treatment. Specifically, the program provides high‑quality cystic fibrosis treatments in the United States for two to three weeks. Cravath also led the process of obtaining a license from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control in order to ensure that the activities carried out by the program will not violate various sanctions imposed on Iran by the U.S. government.

In light of the program’s initiative, the Firm also assisted Iranian patient Reza Ali Akbari and his father, Aziz Ali Akbari, in overcoming the nonimmigrant U.S. visa application process to obtain a U.S. visa for Reza to receive outpatient treatment at Stamford Hospital’s Cystic Fibrosis Center in Connecticut, which considerably improved Reza’s condition.

The Cravath team working on these pro bono efforts with the Foundation includes associates Stephanie R. Gallina and Janet Kyung Ah Yu on corporate matters and associate Tara L. Rhoades on tax matters.