CBA Record

PRO BONOWEEK 2016– CARING, ONE PERSON AT A TIME

Asylum By Samina A. Kapadia

I soon realized the battle his asylum application would be. I needed to convince the U.S. Government that he deserved to remain because of his well-founded fear of being persecuted by his government and family. I shuddered to think what would happen if I failed–if he had to return home only to face abuse or even death. After months of preparation, we walked into the asylum interview together. I watched as he carefully and confidently answered the asylum officer’s questions– having no doubt in mind that this man deserved protection. At the end, the asylum officer asked me to give a closing statement. I recited a list of reasons why he was entitled to asylum, but I more so emphasized that I myself knew what terrors he would face if he were forced to return home–unable to live openly as a gay man. After the interview, we waited patiently for months. Then came the news. “I got asylum!” he exclaimed over the phone. I remember feeling so relieved. But I did not truly appreciate the impact this case had on me until months later. I was walking in my winter coat to the train station, after having had a long and stressful day at work. I suddenly saw a familiar face walking towards me, a young man holding hands with his boyfriend. He stopped to hug me and began telling me of about his new job and new apartment with his boyfriend. As I walked away, I thanked him for making my day. He simply smiled and said that he was happy he was able to do something for me. That moment made all the difference, and was a simple but much needed reminder of why I became a lawyer in the first place.

home country. It was not until his father allowed him to attend graduate school in Chicago that he had the opportunity to embrace his true self. He finally felt liber- ated and found supportive friends. He left any semblance of shame behind. But as he approached graduation, he had to face the looming anxiety of having to return to a life of shame and fear. His journey through asylum is howwe met. I was eager to learn about his roots and what led him here. We spoke the same language and shared the same culture, but I soon learned just how different our child- hoods were. He was bullied, raped, harassed and abused by all those around him.

L iving in fear of going home is a terrible thought. Even worse is not being able to rely on the support of your own family and friends when facing the deepest of personal struggles. As a new lawyer, I met a young man who was afraid to leave Chicago and return home due to his fear of persecution. He grew up shouldering an immense burden–a secret that he was a homosexual. He hid his homosexuality from his family and friends while growing up because homosexuality was illegal in his

“Yes, it is time to retire, but first find something that interests you,” my wife replied. Good advice leading me to pro bono. I could still practice law plus I had a sense of the goodness of the work —relieving a debt problem, caring for an aged parent, correcting a property interest and so many other issues.

One becomes filled with a sense of well-being, personal pride and respect for the importance of law to our society.

Leo Feldman Retired attorney

The Chicago Bar Association & The Chicago Bar Foundation 2016 Pro Bono Week Oct 24-28 www.chicagobar.org/probonoweek

Samina Kapadia supports clients during complex construction and real estate disputes at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP.

40 OCTOBER 2016