New York Locke Lord Lawyers Secure Permanent Residency for Unaccompanied Child After Seven Years of Advocacy Through Pro Bono Efforts

Locke Lord’s Chris Fontenelli and Vienna Messina (both of New York), in partnership with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), secured permanent residency for an unaccompanied child who initially entered the U.S. immigration system alone. After more than seven years of the Firm’s dedicated advocacy through various legal proceedings, the young individual is now a permanent resident of the United States.

Locke Lord has a long-standing tradition of giving back to its communities through pro bono projects like KIND, a nonprofit organization that works to ensure unaccompanied children receive fair and humane treatment throughout their journey to safety by advocating for policies and actions that advance child protection globally. As part of the ongoing partnership, Locke Lord lawyers represent unaccompanied children, helping them advance their best interests, safety and well-being by regularly appearing in state courts, federal immigration courts and administrative proceedings on their behalf with the goal of securing permanent resident status.

Locke Lord considers it an obligation and responsibility as lawyers and as human beings to provide legal services to people who cannot afford them. Read about Locke Lord’s commitment to pro bono initiatives.
Posted on November 6, 2023