Sterne Kessler Succeeds in Petition to Reunite Unaccompanied Refugee Minor with Family in the United States

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 17, 2018) – Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox is pleased to announce success today in its petition to release a 17-year-old unaccompanied refugee from a Northern Virginia juvenile secure detention facility. The Guatemalan minor was held in custody by the Office of Refugee Resettlement for nine months. In conjunction with the Legal Aid Justice Center, the Sterne Kessler team including Directors, Dennies Varughese and Salvador Bezos; Associate, Josh Miller; and Secretary, Renee Moore filed a petition two weeks ago for grant of habeas corpus for the minor’s release.

“We were elated to receive the news that our client boarded a flight this morning to reunite with his uncle in another state. Our Sterne Kessler pro bono immigration team continues to make us all proud,” said Director Jorge Goldstein, head of the firm’s award-winning pro bono practice.

Through Sterne Kessler’s pro bono efforts, the firm is assisting many deserving organizations and underserved communities—both locally and internationally. A list of representative matters the team has supported, as well as further information on the practice is available here.

About Sterne Kessler
Founded in 1978 and based in Washington, D.C., Sterne Kessler is dedicated exclusively to the protection, transfer, and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Our team of attorneys, registered patent agents, students, and technical specialists include some of the country’s most respected practitioners of intellectual property law. Most of our professionals hold an advanced level degree, including nearly 50 master’s degrees and an additional 50+ with a doctorate in science or engineering.