Seyfarth Receives 2022 Allegiance Award From Kids in Need of Defense

On Monday evening, October 17, Seyfarth received a 2022 Allegiance Award from Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). The Allegiance Award is given for outstanding pro bono commitment to unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children. Seyfarth’s Lorie Almon, a New York office managing partner and member of the firm’s Executive Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the firm at the annual KIND Gala, which was also attended by Ashley Cano, Seyfarth’s Pro Bono and Philanthropy partner, other firm leaders and firm personnel who provide pro bono legal services via referrals from KIND.

(Above: Lorie Almon accepts the Allegiance Award from Brad Smith, President and Vice Chair of Microsoft and President of KIND Board of Directors. Image credit: Getty)

Founded by Angelina Jolie and Microsoft Corporation in 2008, KIND provides quality legal counsel to unaccompanied refugee and immigrant children in the United States and seeks to ensure that no such child appears in immigration court without representation. The large majority of children KIND serves are from Central America, but KIND has been referred children from 74 different countries.

(Above: Seyfarth attendees included (from left to right) Rob Whitman, Emelinda Santiago, Ashley Cano, Kimberly McClain, Lorie Almon, Denice Tokunaga, Phillip Ebsworth, Briana Stapleton, and Owen Wolfe. Image credit: Getty)

A longtime supporter of KIND, Seyfarth shares KIND’s vision of a world in which children’s rights and well-being are protected as they migrate alone in search of safety. Seyfarth has been involved with KIND for well over a decade, providing pro bono support, financial support, and Seyfarth Lean Consulting support to help KIND provide consistent, efficient legal services to children. During the last 12 years, more than 275 of Seyfarth’s legal professionals have dedicated more than 13,000 pro bono hours to matters from KIND. Most importantly, during that same time period, Seyfarth has helped well over 100 children via pro bono matter referrals from KIND.

“We are incredibly proud of the many volunteer attorneys and legal professionals who stand with KIND and help achieve the important goal of ensuring no child faces immigration court alone,” said Cano. Almon continued, “We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with KIND and are grateful for this recognition.”