In a remarkable pro bono effort, Jackson Walker’s Meredith Tavallaee and Nina Manansala successfully represented a client seeking political asylum from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On August 23, 2024, the Honorable Charissa Dvorak granted asylum to the team’s client who had fled to the United States in 2014 to escape severe human rights abuses in the DRC.
The win came after a long journey starting in 2019 when Meredith partnered with Human Rights Initiative of North Texas (HRI), a Dallas-based agency helping immigrant survivors of human rights abuses. After encountering numerous challenges, including a significant delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the asylum trial was held on August 23, 2024.
Meredith and Nina submitted extensive briefings to the Immigration Court detailing the past persecution suffered by our client and future persecution he would suffer if he were to return to the DRC. At trial, the team successfully presented their expert witness and client before the Court.
In a rare and immediate decision, at the close of evidence, the judge granted asylum and the right to appeal was waived, solidifying the judge’s ruling as final and ensuring our client’s safety and future in the United States.
This case demonstrates Jackson Walker’s unwavering commitment to ensuring equal access to justice. The firm’s pro bono efforts, in partnership with organizations like HRI, continue to make a sincere impact on the lives of individuals facing persecution and danger.
To learn more about the Firm’s dedication to pro bono work and our efforts to champion human rights, visit our Pro Bono page.
Meet Meredith
Meredith Tavallaee is well-versed in contractual disputes and regularly analyzes and litigates issues related to a variety of complex contracts such as purchase agreements, employment agreements, promissory notes, loans, leases and non-disclosure and non-solicitation agreements. She is experienced in all phases of litigation from investigation to trial including taking and defending depositions of witnesses, managing mediations, preparing witnesses for trial testimony and depositions, drafting and arguing evidentiary and dispositive motions, negotiating settlements, and collecting judgments.
Meet Nina
Nina Manansala is an attorney in the Trial & Appellate Litigation practice of Jackson Walker’s Dallas office. While in law school, Nina was an editor of the Baylor Law Review and a Summer Associate at Jackson Walker in 2022. She also served as an intern for the Honorable Reed O’Connor (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas) and the Honorable Alan D. Albright (U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas).