Associate Sean Arthurs (Washington, DC-Litigation) was honored with the Tahirih Justice Center’s first-ever Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award at the center’s 13th annual benefit, held recently in Washington, DC. The award recognized Arthurs “for being an outstanding pro bono partner who has consistently demonstrated excellence in protecting women and girls from violence.”

The Tahirih Justice Center is a nonprofit legal services organization for immigrant women and girls fleeing gender-based human rights abuses. Shearman & Sterling has been working with Tahirih since 2007.

Along with other Shearman & Sterling associates, Arthurs has worked on several cases with Tahirih, including one case involving a woman who fled her abusive, drug-dealing husband only to have him order her kidnapped and tortured in the US, and another involving a client who moved to the US to marry an American, who turned out to be abusive. “Too often, the immigrant women and children who come to Tahirih are denied access to our justice system," Arthurs says. "Obstacles including language barriers, distrust of legal processes, lack of awareness of legal rights and remedies or even fear of the police and court system can intimidate or deter even the bravest victim. Fortunately, our firm’s associates can bring to bear the skills, experience, and compassion required to give voices to those whose voices are often ignored.”

You can read more about the firm’s work with Tahirih by clicking here and here.