Manatt’s Sirena Castillo, a litigation associate in the firm’s Los Angeles office, has been named one of Public Counsel Law Center’s Pro Bono Volunteers of the Year for 2011. She received the award at Public Counsel’s annual Pro Bono Awards reception on June 15, 2011, and was recognized for her work on immigration matters.
Castillo has volunteered many hours to represent low-income clients in their cases involving asylum and immigration status issues through Public Counsel’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. In her most recent case, Castillo help to provide a man with a path to citizenship after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers outside of his home. The client, who was waiting to walk his daughter to school, was caught up in the search for his former neighbor – a convicted felon and known gang member. Castillo and the rest of the team went to great lengths to achieve legal residency for the client, an extraordinary feat given the circumstances.
“It’s with great pride that I congratulate Sirena on her outstanding achievements. She is a valuable asset to the firm and our community,” said William T. Quicksilver, the firm’s chief executive officer and managing partner. “Manatt is committed to providing pro bono services. Sirena’s work is indicative of the contributions that our firm’s lawyers make across the country, and a wonderful example of how these services positively impact and change people’s lives. Congratulations, Sirena.”
Public Counsel, the nation’s largest pro bono law firm, provided free legal services to over 32,000 underprivileged clients this past year. Castillo’s dedication and court achievements distinguished her as a leader among more than 5,000 volunteer attorneys.
Read more about the award here.