The Lawyers Alliance for New York, which connects lawyers and legal services to nonprofits and community organizations, recognized Robert Kennedy, Max Goodman, Bessie Qu, Taylor Muller, and Nam Phan of Milbank LLP for their pro bono support of the New York Immigration Coalition (“NYIC”) during the ongoing pandemic.
NYIC is an advocacy organization representing more than 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups, including community organizations, nonprofits and legal aid organizations, throughout New York. NYIC recently created the #NYUnited Fund in support of immigrant New Yorkers who are excluded from accessing disaster relief funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Under the terms set out in the CARES Act’s federal stimulus package, undocumented immigrants are considered ineligible for direct economic assistance. In response to this exclusion, NYIC’s new #NYUnited Fund disburses its charitable proceeds to nonprofits, which then distribute financial relief to individuals who are exempt from federal financial support.
Milbank provided pro bono support for NYIC’s operation of the #NYUnited Fund by updating grant agreement documents and drafting guidelines for disbursing the fund’s emergency grants to NYIC’s partner organizations. These documents and guidelines clarify the eligibility criteria for the fund’s recipients, supporting the safe and efficient distribution of financial relief to organizations and individuals in need.
NYIC expects that the #NYUnited Fund will disburse more than $2 million as of June 2020.
Read the Lawyers Alliance for New York's press release on Milbank's pro bono support of NYIC here.
