Four Decades for Justice
On October 4, 2023, an immigration judge (IJ) granted asylum to Cravath pro bono client Johanna R., a transgender woman from El Salvador who had been abused by gang members based on her identity.
Cravath began representing Johanna in her application for asylum in May 2019. In advance of a 2020 master calendar hearing, Cravath submitted supportive documentation, including reports from a medical professional indicating that Johanna suffered from severe PTSD caused by her past abuse and from an expert on El Salvador gender issues opining that Johanna was likely to be persecuted if she returned to the country. That hearing was canceled because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, and a merits hearing was not scheduled until October 2023. In the interim, Cravath twice filed work permit renewal applications to allow Johanna to continue to work at a bakery and later at a beauty salon.
During the October 4 hearing, in addition to granting asylum to Johanna, the IJ held that she had been persecuted based on her status as a transgender woman, determined that the Salvadoran police were unwilling to protect her as a member of this group and held that she was a member of the class covered by the 2021 settlement agreement in Mendez Rojas v. Johnson (W.D. Wash.), whereby applicants who were not informed of the one‑year filing deadline while in detention could have their applications deemed timely.
The Cravath team was led by partner Antony L. Ryan and senior discovery attorney James E. Canning.
Deals & Cases
October 19, 2023
On August 30, 2023, Judge Leo A. Finston of the Newark Immigration Court granted asylum to a Cravath pro bono client persecuted by gang members in El Salvador.
Deals & Cases
September 21, 2023
On September 19, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated a district court’s order denying class certification to all children who are or will be in the custody of New York City’s foster care system. Cravath, working on a pro bono basis, represents the putative class alongside co‑counsel at A Better Childhood (“ABC”).
Deals & Cases
August 23, 2023
On July 31, 2023, the Michigan Supreme Court reversed the conviction of Joshua Stewart, who argued that he had been convicted based on a post‑arrest confession obtained as a result of deceptive police interrogation tactics. Cravath, working on a pro bono basis, submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the Innocence Project in support of Mr. Stewart’s appeal.
Deals & Cases
June 27, 2023
On May 15, 2023, the New York City Department of Homeless Services (“DHS”) implemented a policy change, DHS‑PB‑2023‑006, altering the eligibility process for families seeking to stay in homeless shelters and ensuring such families are not turned away from shelter in a time of need. Cravath, working on a pro bono basis, partnered with the New York Legal Assistance Group to help secure this change, which followed a formal complaint, a demand letter shared with New York City and State officials and years of negotiation.
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