Pro Bono Highlights
MINNEAPOLIS
Gray Plant Mooty and Client Open Legal Clinic in North Minneapolis
In late 2009, Gray Plant Mooty and its client, The Ackerberg Group/Catalyst Community Partners, announced the opening of a pro bono legal clinic in north Minneapolis.
“Catalyst and its founder, Stu Ackerberg, believe that a key part of helping people stay and grow businesses in this community is access to legal advice,” says Wade Anderson, cochair of Gray Plant Mooty’s Real Estate practice group. “We know about the important role Catalyst plays in revitalizing areas in our community, and we think the clinic is a great opportunity to extend our pro bono services to a new location.”
The clinic, which operates in a Catalyst- owned property developed by Ackerberg in north Minneapolis, is currently open two Wednesdays each month. Clients are screened for financial eligibility and, if eligible, legal consultations are provided without charge. The clinic is handling a variety of issues involving debt/bankruptcy law, civil law, consumer law, and housing law.
Gray Plant Mooty Attorneys Help Ethiopian Man Obtain Asylum in United States
Joy Anderson, Max Bremer, and Max Schott worked throughout 2009 on an
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GRAY PLANT MOOTY: YEAR IN REVIEW
emotional asylum case for their pro bono client, a 26-year-old man from Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia, the man was being persecuted by the government because his uncle was a prominent member of an opposition political party, and the Ethiopian government suspected the man and other members of his family of also being part of the opposition party. The man was arrested and interrogated on one occasion—and grabbed in the middle of the street and beaten on another occasion—before he was able to come to the United States to get treatment for dystonia, a disabling movement disorder, with the sponsorship of an Ethiopian philanthropist.
Max Schott wrote the affidavit for the man’s case, Max Bremer tracked down corroborating documents, and Joy Anderson wrote the brief, with research assistance from Hailey Harren, one of Gray Plant Mooty’s summer associates in St. Cloud.
The man was officially granted asylum in early January 2010, ensuring that he is able to remain in the U.S. and get treatment for his dystonia.
ST. CLOUD
Larison Honored with Pro Bono Publico Award
Dorrie Larison was one of only three state residents to earn a 2009 Pro Bono Publico award from the Minnesota Legal Services
Coalition (MLSC). The award, given every other year during the MLSC’s statewide conference, was presented in recognition of Dorrie’s untiring efforts to provide civil legal services and preserve the human dignity of disadvantaged citizens. In the award nomination submitted by Jean Lastine, executive director of Central Minnesota Legal Services, Dorrie was praised for her outstanding leadership in helping low-income Minnesotans with debtor/creditor issues.
WASHINGTON, DC
Yaffe and Team Win Pro Bono Criminal Jury Trial
Eric Yaffe and Iris Rosario won a 2009 criminal jury trial heard in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Eric and Iris defended a Maryland man. His brother-in-law was also indicted and was represented by separate counsel. The pair had been charged with conspiracy to hide property from the federal government, transferring property for their own financial gain, and impeding the government’s ability to seize the property. After testimony by nine witnesses over two days, the jury issued a verdict of not guilty on all charges against both defendants. The verdict was especially satisfying because the Eastern District of Virginia has a 98 percent conviction rate in criminal cases.
Eric and Iris received able trial preparation assistance from paralegal José Garcia and legal administrative assistant Kathy Johnson.
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