London Arnold & Porter Pro Bono Team Obtains Leave to Remain for UK Family

In a recent collaboration with Kids in Need of Defense UK (KIND), the preeminent non-governmental organization devoted to legal protection of unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings, Arnold & Porter successfully secured the regularized immigration status of a family that fled Nigeria for the UK.

Arnold & Porter acted on behalf of four children and their mother to secure leave to remain in the country. We obtained British citizenship for one of the children who had been born in the UK and then lived here for ten years. Another child who was born in Nigeria, and was not yet eligible for British citizenship applied for leave to remain on the basis of having lived in the UK for more than seven years and that it was in the best interest to remain in the UK together with the mother and two younger siblings.

On August 21, 2020, the UK's Home Office granted the entire family leave to remain. As a result, the family can now plan for their lives in the UK without the threat of removal to Nigeria.

The cross-discipline Arnold & Porter team was led by partner John Schmidt and included associates Melissa Dames and Zeno Frediani.

Arnold & Porter's pro bono work with KIND was shortlisted for the Legal Week Innovation Awards in the "Corporate Social Responsibility Innovation (Multi-Firm)" category. Winners will be announced at a virtual award ceremony on October 2, 2020.