to making HRC’s vision a reality. Founded in 1980, the Human Rights Campaign advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans, mobilizes grassroots actions in diverse communities, invests stra- tegically to elect fair-minded individuals to office, and educates the public about LGBT issues. HRC envisions an America where LGBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest, and safe at home, at work, and in the community. Mintz Levin has served as pro bono counsel to HRC since 1995. Since 1998, Geri Haight has supervised Mintz Levin’s work on behalf of the Campaign and has provided the organization with advice and assistance on a wide range of issues.This past year, she provided trademark and copyright advice, and coordinated a wide variety of state and federal law research projects on topics ranging from immigration to health law. Mintz Levin summer associates also assisted on a variety of matters. Hurricane Katrina-Related Work in Mississippi On December 11, 2009, Moore Community House (MCH), a social service agency in Biloxi, Mississippi, held a rededication ceremony for its new community center. Operated by the women of the United Methodist Church, MCH is dedicated to helping vulnerable people in Biloxi, especially children, flourish in spite of economic hardship. When Hurricane Katrina sent a 12-foot wall of water through Biloxi in August 2005, MCH was devastated. Jennifer Cleary and Helen Guyton (working with former Mintz Levin attorney Fernando LaGuarda) offered their services after MCH applied for public assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and was denied.The Mintz Levin team crafted an appeal of FEMA’s decision, arguing that MCH was an eligible private non-profit under FEMA regulations and that the orga- nization provided essential services, as well as employment for local residents. Ultimately, FEMA reversed its decision. In addition, Mintz Levin—led by Boston attorneys Larry Schoen, Andy Nathanson, Noah Shaw, Amanda Carozza, and Yalonda Howze—continues to work closely with the committed lawyers at the Mississippi Center for Justice and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to ensure that a proper portion of Mississippi’s more than $5 billion in federal relief money is made available to other victims of Hurricane Katrina who remain left out. Mintz Levin presses its litigation in federal court on this front, and also continues to work with all parties involved in an effort to reach creative resolutions that are sufficient to satisfy both the needs on the ground and the requirements of the law. Immigration Mintz Levin assisted with the representation of “Wasyl” in an immigration matter. A native of Ukraine, Wasyl received asylum with his family in the United States in the 1990s after suffering persecution on the basis of their religious faith. In 2006, Wasyl pleaded guilty in a Massachusetts state court to a charge of assault and battery, which led to removal proceedings. After exhausting his administrative remedies, Wasyl submitted a pro se appeals brief to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and the First Circuit contacted Susan Cohen to request that Mintz Levin provide supplemental briefing and argument on several issues identified by the Court. Specifically, Andrew Nathanson, Matthew Levitt, and Susan submitted supplemental briefing on the following four issues: the appropriate standard of review; whether the appeal presented legal or constitutional claims that would allow the appeal under the limited jurisdiction provided by the immigration statutes; the particular relevance of a First Circuit decision involving a peti- tioner’s claim that he is entitled to relief under the Due Process Clause and the Convention Against Torture; and a procedural issue, namely the degree to which the administrative immigration courts must consider all evidence presented to them and then describe their consideration in their decisions.  Our Partners in Change