Paul, Weiss is committed to providing impactful pro bono legal assistance to individuals and organizations in need. Our program is all-encompassing, spanning the core issues facing our society.
Paul, Weiss and Legal Aid Society Help Secure Release of Transgender Prisoner
- Client News
- October 16, 2020
Paul, Weiss, in partnership with The Legal Aid Society (LAS), successfully advocated for the early release of a transgender pro bono client incarcerated at Eastern Correctional Facility in Naponach, New York. Our client was released on October 13, over two months before the earliest date she could be released on parole. The victory followed a litigation and advocacy campaign led by Paul, Weiss and LAS to secure the release from state prison of transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary and intersex (TGNCNBI) New Yorkers, who are especially medically vulnerable to COVID-19.
Our client has medical conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure, that placed her at higher risk for severe illness or death if she contracted the virus. On this basis, we petitioned for her early release through a writ of habeas corpus, which was on appeal at the time of her release, while separately lobbying New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York Attorney General’s office to grant early release.
The Paul, Weiss team included litigation partner Audra Soloway and associates Ross Wilson, Eric Felleman, David Giller, Ariane Rockoff-Kirk, Peter Baltera, Sarah Joseph, Jin Kim, Edward Nasser, Natsumi Antweiler and Jessica Puterman.