“Pro bono is a great way to broaden your views on a lot of things. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet people you might not have met, and also to have a meaningful impact on someone’s life. As a young associate it was also a great opportunity to argue in a hearing, because it was something I’d never done before.” – Darlena Subashi, Associate, Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray Associate Darlena Subashi first met Andrew* at a Legal Clinic for the Homeless at MBHP.
Because of issues with his landlord, Andrew was seeking legal assistance transferring his Section 8 housing voucher to a new apartment. A while later, Darlena was working on Andrew’s transfer paperwork when he told her he had received a notice of proposed termination of his housing voucher from the Boston Housing Authority, due to perceived criminal activity related to an incident with one of his friends.
Andrew told Darlena he had already filed an appeal seeking an informal hearing, and she and her colleague, Mitch Stromberg, agreed to represent him. At the hearing, they showed the hearing officer a video of Andrew’s friend, who claimed the incident had been a prank and that the two men had a history of pranking one another. Andrew also spoke about how he had been able improve his life in the six years he had been housed and off the streets.
Shortly after the hearing, Andrew received a formal notice that his housing would not be terminated. The hearing officer agreed that there had been a misunderstanding and that Andrew should not lose his housing voucher. Andrew told Darlena he was very happy and grateful for the outcome and reiterated how meaningful his housing was to him.
*Client’s name has been changed to protect privacy.
