Client Staff, & Intern News!
Client News:
Our client, a citizen of DRC, pled guilty in November 2022 to one count of conspiracy to traffic wildlife to the US and one count of Lacey Act False Labeling of wildlife for shipment to the US, along with his cousin who was a Co-Defendant.
Client was represented by former AFD Jennifer Wellman, Seattle AFD Greg Geist and First Assistant Corey Endo. Defense asked for time served and the Government recommended 51 months. Judge Coughenour ordered 20 months with credit for time served and in April client was transferred to the NW Immigration Detention Center. His cousin had been transferred there a few months earlier due to a lighter sentence and had an ICH (Individual Court Hearing) in June of this year. Both were represented in the Immigration Court in Tacoma by attorney Michael Martin, of Siderius Lonergan & Martin, LLP.
Michael represented our client pro-bono. Both clients’ applications for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal were denied, as the judge did not find they were part of a socially recognizable group but he granted CAT (Convention Against Torture) which means they won’t be deported to their native countries unless country conditions change.
Our client had an individual court hearing yesterday and after all due procedures such as receiving the signed order by the judge from the Government, getting client’s paperwork from the ICE and, finally, meeting him by the entrance to the detention center, we called his supporting cousin in the US, who gave us his info to purchase a plane ticket, and we drove to the airport.
When we picked up the client, there was an AIDNW (Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest) van nearby, and the volunteers offer snacks, water, backpacks and clothes for those who leave the facility. We were happy they offered backpacks, as client had nothing but paperwork on him. Our client was overwhelmed with emotions: He was happy to leave the detention center but sad that under the CAT he is unable to bring his family. I got a word from Michael earlier today that client reached his destination and was sleeping. Beyond wonderful news for our client! Great work team!
To learn more about AIDDNW, please visit their website.
Staff News:
Our office celebrated the summer and took a mini reprieve from case work at an all day gathering at Lost Lake. Lots of fun was had!
Colleagues that Costco together:
Intern News:
Meet Our Two New Legal Interns:
Former Intern Update:
Andrew Wendel (Summer ’23 Legal Intern) is excited to announce that he has accepted a Clerkship with Justice Matthew McDermott for next year’s Iowa Supreme Court Term.
Abby Gellman (Summer & Fall ’22 Legal Intern) has accepted a two-year Clerkship with Judge Michael Diaz at Div. 1 at the WA Court of Appeals. Abby will be starting in 2024 after she graduates from University of Washington. Abby is incredibly excited to be able to polish her research and writing skills, which she hopes to put to good use in her future public defense career!
Henry Zhu (Spring ’22 Legal Intern) just finished his Federal District Court Clerkship in Chicago and is moving to Memphis, TN for an one-year clerkship with Sixth Circuit Judge Ronald Lee Gilman.