Pro Bono Spotlight: Morrison Foerster Represents Afghan Family of Asylum Seekers

Vanshika Vij and Carrie Cohen were featured in the Tahirih Justice Center’s discussion of its Afghan Asylum Project, which launched in August 2021 to support Afghan citizens who recently arrived in the United States.

Morrison Foerster’s pro bono team represented 18 clients through the Afghan Asylum Project, including six asylum applicants along with their spouses and children, building strong connections as they guided them through the asylum process.

“It was incredibly rewarding to get to know our clients on a personal level and hear about their experiences,” Vanshika said. “The whole family was involved in government service and really cared about making Afghanistan a better place. Their personal histories and work made it all the more urgent and of the moment to make sure that they were all being advocated for.”

In addition to their Tahirih clients, MoFo’s assistance to Afghan refugees has been among the largest pro bono undertakings in the firm's history. Some 200 lawyers and staff conducted 150 detailed intake interviews to determine individual Afghans’ eligibility for relief, and 50 firm lawyers began representing Afghan refugees seeking asylum or other routes to permanent resettlement.

“Law firms often partner with different organizations,” Carrie said. “Tahirih knows how to make that partnership successful and understands how law firms are structured and how people work. You give the attorneys working with you jointly on matters the resources and the background that we need to provide a truly successful representation.”

In addition to Vanshika and Carrie, the MoFo team working on the Afghan Asylum Project includes Jasmine Arooni, Justin Young, Mohammed Alismail, Karen Leung, Katherine Kubak, Zach Fuchs, Lily Smith, Sara Stearns, Clara Chilian, Fahd Patel, and Shouvik Biswas.

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