In March 2011, some two painstaking years after they took up the case, Cleary Gottlieb lawyers brought an end to a horrific ordeal for a Pakistani family. The family's fifteen year old daughter had been kidnapped and assaulted, and her family intimidated by Pakistani police and courts. Their lives were threatened.

After fleeing to the United States, they were referred to us by Sanctuary for Families. Our lawyers pieced together evidence and affidavits clearing their path to asylum, drawing praise from the immigration judge for our preparation and briefing.

The case underscores one of our most important values: it is a privilege to practice law and a duty to give back to the community. Indeed, almost two-thirds of all Cleary Gottlieb lawyers worldwide participate in pro bono and public service programs.

Our lawyers have provided counsel to all kinds of people – from veterans to domestic violence survivors to microentrepreneurs starting small businesses in their communities. All of which has earned our pro bono practice a number of awards.

We are proud of the recognition – yet what matters to us is not that our work is noticed, but that it gets done.