Simpson Thacher Wins Asylum for Pro Bono Client from Guinea
03.15.11
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On March 9, 2011, an asylum officer of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services granted asylum to a Guinean client, who had been the victim of female genital mutilation (FGM), as well as kidnapping and rape by the Guinean military. Through the efforts of the Firm, the client, who left Guinea for the U.S. several years ago, was able to demonstrate that her application fit within the “extraordinary circumstances” exception to the one-year filing deadline for asylum cases. If deported, the client faced the difficult choice of either being separated from her young U.S. citizen daughter, or taking the child with her to Guinea, where she feared the daughter would also be subjected to FGM. The matter was referred to the Firm by Sanctuary for Families. The STB team included associates Anne Knight and Minta Nester, and partner Linda Martin. Chris Shields provided invaluable paralegal support.