At this year’s third annual Pro Bono Awards, Davis Polk recognized eight associates for their commitment to and performance of high-quality pro bono work through charitable donations to be made in their honor.

We are pleased to present this year’s honorees and acknowledge their outstanding pro bono achievements.

First Place - Mari Byrne - Mari has been active on U-visa, asylum, veterans and clemency matters. She is currently working on a longstanding death penalty case in Louisiana. The case has gone through the post-conviction state court process and a habeas corpus petition has been filed in federal court in Louisiana.

Second Place - Gabe Jaime-Bettan - For many years, Gabe has co-taught the Columbia Asylum Clinic, handled numerous asylum cases and provided support and supervision to associates throughout the firm working on asylum cases. Most recently, he has led teams in preparing amicus briefs in response to the Attorney General’s review of various procedural mechanisms employed by immigration judges.

Third Place - Matt Brock - Matt has developed expertise on “junk science” related issues and has worked on a variety of appeals and amicus briefs addressing the admissibility of expert testimony. He has also worked on a number of veterans matters, and is active in the mortgage “scam” cases.

Honorable mentions:

John Briggs - John has taken a leadership role in the Election Protection effort and is working on criminal appeals. John also filed a habeas petition on behalf of a detained immigrant and successfully argued, after prevailing on the habeas, that the government’s appeal should be dismissed.

Robyn Crowter - Robyn has worked on a variety of matters in New York and in Hong Kong, including criminal matters and asylum and immigration matters.

Merinda Davis - Merinda has focused on asylum and immigration-related matters, assisting unaccompanied minor siblings from Honduras and an Indonesian Christian family seeking to reopen their case. She has also done micro-finance work.

Brook Jackling - Brook worked on a section 1983 case brought on behalf of a child in foster care with her brother who disappeared following the failure of the City and foster care agency to provide the children with appropriate care. The case was litigated in the EDNY and was recently resolved.

Jennifer Prevete - Jennifer has worked on a number of habeas corpus petitions in the SDNY and Second Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as in Louisiana. She has also worked on a special education matter.

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