 CGRS Bids Farewell to Appellate Advocacy Fellow, Leena Khandwala
In July, CGRS bid farewell to Appellate Advocacy Fellow, Leena Khandwala, who had worked with the Center since 2004. Leena graduated with honors from Fordham University School of Law in New York, where she distinguished herself as a dedicated public interest advocate.
Leena joined CGRS after receiving a fellowship through New Voices, a national leadership development program that helps nonprofit organizations recruit innovative, new talent. In this capacity, Leena helped to advance one of the most time-intensive, yet critically important aspects of the Center’s work: appellate - or legal appeals - advocacy. Through CGRS’s ongoing efforts to track and monitor decisions in gender-based asylum decisions nationwide, it identifies key cases that have the potential to broadly set precedent for all refugees seeking protection in the U.S. and that are best addressed through appellate advocacy.
During her time at CGRS, Leena assisted numerous pro bono attorneys and other advocates with cases on appeal, providing them with one-on-one technical assistance, legal resources, and other support. She frequently conducted trainings and presentations for advocates and community members on a range of topics, including gender asylum and women’s human rights. Leena also co-drafted amicus briefs and other documents in cases in which CGRS served as co-counsel or otherwise became closely involved, often having a positive impact on the outcome of individual claims, as well as the overall development of gender-based asylum law.
Leena also played an integral role in developing CGRS’s Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, which was launched at U.C. Hastings in 2005. In addition to the classroom component of the clinic, students carry out fieldwork that has included work on CGRS cases and projects. Leena worked closely with clinic students, leading classroom discussions on topics related to international human rights norms and refugee law and providing supervision and mentoring.
Leena co-authored several CGRS articles published in academic and legal journals, including an important piece on the impact of the one-year bar, a statutorily imposed deadline for filing asylum applications. She also contributed to positive coverage of gender asylum issues in other media.
CGRS Director Karen Musalo remarks that “Leena’s intellect, passion, and dedication to women’s rights and human rights have been an inspiration to all of us who have had the pleasure of working with her. I have no doubt that she will make major contributions to the development of the law as well as to cases of individuals in need of protection.”
The proud parents of a one year-old daughter, Leena and her husband, Huzefa, have moved back to the New York area to be closer to family. However, before relocating to New York, Leena and her daughter will enjoy an extended visit to Leena’s native Pakistan. Leena plans to continue working in the field of refugee and asylum law, and although she will be greatly missed in San Francisco, her many contributions to CGRS’s work will continue to benefit refugee women and girls from around the world. |
