Awards

The best part of the work we do is winning for our clients — for the people born elsewhere who call this place home.  Whatever it is: someone released from detention, an application for permanent residence approved, a newly sworn in U.S. citizen eager to vote — those are the best rewards and that is why we do this work.

That said, it makes us proud to be recognized by our colleagues, peers, and other advocates for our human rights work on behalf of immigrant communities.  We’ve done a lot of great, innovative, and challenging work over the years.  The acknowledgement we’ve received from our colleagues is humbling and inspiring.  We collaborate with advocates all across Oregon and the nation.  And we sure appreciate the work that they do each and every day to make our nation a safer, saner place for immigrants and their families.

In 2008, our firm was awarded the Gerald R. Robinson, Excellence in Advocacy Award for innovative immigration related pro bono impact-litigation to benefit Oregon’s immigrant communities as we took on the litigation and removal defense organizing after the tragic Del Monte Immigration Raids (check out this Op-Ed piece we co-authored about Del Monte).  Stephen has been recognized for his defense of immigrants in court cases across the nation.  In 2009, he was awarded the Edith Lowenstein Award, (American Immigration Lawyers Association, 2009) for Significant Contributions to the Advancement of Immigration and Nationality Law.  In 2010, he was the Chair of the American Immigration Lawyer’s Associations Amicus Committee that received (for the first time ever!) the prestigious Jack Wasserman Award for Excellence in Immigration Litigation for successful and innovative immigration litigation nationwide.  In 2008, he was acknowledged for his work on behalf of immigrants and refugees by the Mayor of Portland with a Spirit of Portland award. In 2013 Stephen was named the first ever AILA western region Pro Bono Hero.

What we’ve said has made the news, too. Stephen was quoted in the New York Times a couple of times. There is this Op-Ed in The Guardian. You can read The Artesia Report, a report on the pro bono work at the family detention center in Artesia, New Mexico.

In 2013 and 2014 all three attorneys were named to the Oregon Super Lawyers list of outstanding immigration attorneys.  In prior years we’ve been recognized repeatedly as being Super Lawyers and Super Lawyers Rising Stars for several years running.  You can check out the details here: Jessica, Jennifer, Stephen.