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Pro Bono Spotlight: Morrison Foerster Represents Afghan Family of Asylum Seekers

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Vanshika Vij and Carrie Cohen were featured in the Tahirih Justice Center’s discussion of its Afghan Asylum Project, which launched in August 2021 to support Afghan citizens who recently arrived in the United States.

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Vanshika Vij and Carrie Cohen were featured in the Tahirih Justice Center’s discussion of its Afghan Asylum Project, which launched in August 2021 to support Afghan citizens who recently arrived in the United States.Morrison Foerster’s pro bono team represented 18 clients through the Afghan Asylum Project, including six asylum applicants along with their spouses and children, building strong connections as they guided them through the asylum process.“It was incredibly rewarding to get to know our clients on a personal level and hear about their experiences,” Vanshika said. “The whole family was involved in government service and really cared about making Afghanistan a better place. Their personal histories and work made it all the more urgent and of the moment to make sure that they were all being advocated for.”In addition to their Tahirih clients, MoFo’s assistance to Afghan refugees has been among the largest pro bono undertakings in the firm's history. Some 200 lawyers and staff conducted 150 detailed intake interviews to determine individual Afghans’ eligibility for relief, and 50 firm lawyers began representing Afghan refugees seeking asylum or other routes to permanent resettlement.“Law firms often partner with different organizations,” Carrie said. “Tahirih knows how to make that partnership successful and understands how law firms are structured and how people work. You give the attorneys working with you jointly on matters the resources and the background that we need to provide a truly successful representation.”In addition to Vanshika and Carrie, the MoFo team working on the Afghan Asylum Project includes Jasmine Arooni, Justin Young, Mohammed Alismail, Karen Leung, Katherine Kubak, Zach Fuchs, Lily Smith, Sara Stearns, Clara Chilian, Fahd Patel, and Shouvik Biswas.Read the <a href="https://www.tahirih.org/news/pro-bono-spotlight-morrison-foerster-represents-afghan-family-of-asylum-seekers/" target="_blank">full article</a>.

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Carrie H. Cohen is global co-chair of the Investigations + White Collar Defense practice group and the firm’s State + Local Government Enforcement team. Prior to joining the firm, Carrie served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) where she prosecuted public corruption and securities matters, including obtaining the first trial conviction of former Speaker of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver. Carrie also served in the New York State Attorney General’s Office as Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau and an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Bureau where she received the Louis J. Lefkowitz Memorial Award for outstanding service. As a former federal and state prosecutor, Carrie routinely represents corporations, boards, and c-suite executives in government-facing investigative and regulatory matters with a particular focus on state and local government matters. Carrie’s extensive trial experience and distinguished record of success in high‑stakes, white collar defense matters cement her position as a leading lawyer who often is called upon for particularly sensitive matters. Carrie’s trial and white collar expertise have been recognized by a variety of organizations including Chambers USA, which describes her as “a terrific trial lawyer with great judgment and timing, [who] knows how to present complex cases in a digestible way.” Carrie also routinely prepares clients who are called to testify before Congress and state and city legislatures and works on matters that involve multijurisdictional investigations and significant media attention.Carrie is a recognized industry expert in public corruption and state and local government actions. She is frequently selected by government agencies to serve as independent counsel and issue public reports, including her appointment as independent monitor for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, special counsel to the New York City Council, special independent counsel to the City of Rochester, and counsel to the California Attorney General’s Office (CA AG) as well as being part of the Monitorship Team appointed by DOJ for the global Odebrecht corruption matter. She was also appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to the Metropolitan Transit Authority Inspector General’s Board and serves as its acting chair, and was appointed by the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York as counsel to the Court’s Grievance Committee. Carrie is also an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she teaches a seminar on Public Corruption and the Law.Carrie serves on multiple bar committees and task forces as part of her efforts to promote the rule of law. She was appointed as chair of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Task Force on Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes and served as a member of the NYSBA Task Force on Wrongful Convictions. As a leader of the Bar, Carrie was appointed as co-chair of the Federal-State Judicial Advisory Council and previously served as a vice president and trustee of the Federal Bar Council and president of its Inn of Court as well as prior service as a vice president of the New York City Bar, chair of its Executive Committee, and member of its Nominating Committee. Carrie was also appointed by the SDNY to its Criminal Justice Act Panel to serve as counsel to indigent defendants in federal criminal cases.<h4>Representative Experience</h4>Government Appointments/Public Corruption Matters. Independent counsel for federal, state, and local government agencies. Representing elected and appointed public officials, public entities, and individuals doing business with the government in a variety of public corruption-related matters with a focus on public-facing reports, including:<ul><li>Independent monitor for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation related to workplace issues.</li><li>Special independent counsel to the New York City Council related to investigations of certain council members for misconduct and corruption.</li><li>Special counsel to the MTA related to an examination of time, attendance, and overtime, which included presenting a report to the MTA Board.</li><li>Independent counsel to the CA AG related to conducting a review of its public release of confidential personal information associated with firearms permit holders and applicants, which included the preparation and release of a public report.</li><li>Service on the DOJ-appointed Monitorship Team for the global Odebrecht corruption matter.</li><li>County officials related to allegations of official misconduct and bid rigging.</li></ul>Trial Counsel. Serving as first-chair trial counsel for individuals in federal and state court criminal matters. Representations include Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren for state campaign finance charges; Hon. John A. Michalek for state and federal public corruption offenses; and Hon. Sylvia Ash for federal obstruction of justice charges.Financial Institutions/Securities Matters. Representing banks and other financial institutions in investigations of regulatory and consumer-related matters. Representing corporations and individuals in a variety of criminal investigations and regulatory matters involving federal and state securities laws.Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Representing corporations in FCPA investigations across industries and in numerous jurisdictions. Serving on the DOJ-appointed Monitorship Team in the criminal prosecution of Odebrecht.Workplace Misconduct. Conducting investigations for corporations and boards related to workplace misconduct and #MeToo issues and providing related advocacy and legal advice.Cybersecurity. Conducting investigations of cybersecurity incidents and representing companies in related government and regulatory matters concerning disclosures of data and privacy issues.RICO/Civil Fraud/Commercial Litigation. Representing a wide variety of public and private corporations in civil fraud, RICO, and commercial litigation including at trial. Represented UPS at trial in SDNY in a case brought by the NYAG and the City of New York alleging illegal transportation of untaxed cigarettes.

Carrie Cohen

Partner

Jasmine Arooni is an associate in the firm's Data, Cyber + Privacy Practice Group and is based in the Washington, D.C. office.Jasmine's practice focuses on advising clients across multiple industries on privacy and cybersecurity matters, with particular experience in data breach and security incident response and matters related to health information. She regularly counsels clients on federal, state, and international data privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and state data breach statutes. Jasmine has experience defending clients in regulatory inquiries regarding data security practices, including investigations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, state attorneys general, and foreign regulators. She supports clients with implementing privacy compliance programs and developing risk management strategies, as well as privacy and data security aspects of M&A transactions. Jasmine also has experience advising and representing clients in matters relating to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Jasmine received her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where she was a member of the Federal Communications Law Journal and authored a student note, “Debugging the System: Reforming Vulnerability Disclosure Programs in the Private Sector,” 73 Fed. Comm. L.J. 445 (2021). During law school, Jasmine worked at the Word Bank Group’s Data Privacy Office and at a Washington, D.C. think tank, where she assisted with briefing congressional offices, technology companies, and investors about digital rights, data privacy, and emerging technologies. She is also a recipient of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Westin Scholar Award for Excellence in Privacy, recognizing emerging leaders in the field of data protection. Before law school, Jasmine worked in cybersecurity program management at a multinational technology company, as well as at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.Jasmine received her B.A. in political science and entrepreneurship from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Jasmine Arooni

Associate

Justin Young is an associate in the Litigation Department of Morrison Foerster’s New York office.Justin’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation. He has counseled and represented clients in matters related to federal securities law, mass tort defense, government contracts, and corporate governance disputes. Justin has achieved several victories for his clients, including summary judgment and favorable settlement negotiations.Justin also maintains an active pro bono practice. He has assisted Afghan nationals seeking asylum in the United States, litigated in support of reproductive rights, and submitted an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit on behalf of an LGBT rights client.In addition, Justin is a regular commentator on matters related to federal securities law and enforcement. Justin’s insights have been published in leading industry publications including New York Law Journal, Law360, and Insights – The Corporate & Securities Law Advisor.Justin recently served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable LaShann DeArcy Hall of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Justin graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University Law School and received his B.A. summa cum laude in Political Science from the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Won summary judgment in favor of Farmland Partners Inc. and its CEO and CFO, ending a federal securities fraud class action regarding alleged defrauding of investors, false statements pertaining to due diligence, and failure to disclose loan information.</li><li>Successfully negotiated a settlement for LaunchCapital LLC and a director of co-defendant Atonomi in a securities class action in the Western District of Washington alleging violations of state securities laws.</li><li>Representation of a private investor in an SEC investigation related to a reverse merger involving a cryptocurrency company with no action taken by the SEC.</li><li>Representation of a Fortune 500 company in a class action and individual cases alleging environmental contamination and toxic torts in excess of $1 billion, which also includes advising the client on related regulatory issues.</li></ul>

Justin Young

Mohammed Alismail is a Corporate associate in the New York office of Morrison Foerster.Mohammed’s practice focuses on advising on a range of corporate matters, including public and private M&A, private equity transactions, and general corporate and securities matters.Prior to joining MoFo, Mohammed spent nearly two years at the Saudi office of another international law firm, where he advised on domestic and inbound M&A transactions, as well as general corporate, securities and antitrust matters.Mohammed received his LL.B. from the University of Reading (UK) and his LL.M. from the NYU School of Law. Mohammed is a native Arabic speaker.

Mohammed Alismail

Tahirih Justice Center