Atlanta Bar Asylum Project – GAIN

OUR BEGINNINGS

GAIN, formerly known as the Atlanta Bar Asylum Project, was formed in 2005 through the joint efforts of the Atlanta Bar Association, Catholic Charities, and associates from several top Atlanta law firms. Our founders recognized that unrepresented immigrants in the Atlanta area were in need of pro bono representation with the goals of:

  • Introducing pro bono attorneys into the U.S. Immigration system in Atlanta to facilitate the reasonable and efficient adjudication of unrepresented immigrants’ cases.
  • Providing supervision and guidance in immigration law to ensure that lawyers who venture into the U.S. Immigration system are adequately prepared and able to provide a satisfactory level of representation.

GAIN’S SERVICE

Since 2005, GAIN has transitioned from a loose affiliation into a formal pro bono opportunity referral organization by placing asylum cases with volunteer attorneys and expanding its services to place cases involving immigrants who have been victimized upon their arrival in the United States.

GAIN has helped hundreds of men, women, and children secure immigration status as a result of a prior victimization or fear of persecution. While the majority of our activities serve residents of metro-Atlanta, we recognize the need that exists outside the city’s limits, and make efforts to serve rural areas of Georgia. GAIN’s clients include men, women and children originally from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

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OUR IMPACT

“Everyone involved in this project felt our client’s pain as we gathered more and more information on one example of human tragedy that happens all around us without our knowledge. Then we had the pleasure of sharing her tears of joy when the process was behind us. Not only were we enlightened, but many lives were changed around our conference room table.”
Jamie Graham, Kilpatrick Townsend
“Representing this case was extremely rewarding. Finally obtaining approval of her application was more than just a victory in the sense that we accomplished a goal. Giving our client’s family the opportunity to be present in the United States legally and eliminate the fear they had daily of deportation not only was a victory in a professional sense, but knowing we changed her life and her children’s lives is extremely gratifying personally.”
Legal Team, Delta Air Lines
“As a healthcare regulatory lawyer, although I volunteered at various organizations over the years in an effort to make a difference in this area, I never had an opportunity to use my legal skills to make an impact in a specific individual’s life in any way…This client’s T-visa case was the first trafficking case I worked on and the first time I felt that I was able to use my legal experience and knowledge to make an impact in someone’s life in a truly meaningful way.”
Amy McCullough, Polsinelli