February 2018 Volunteer Spotlight: Danny Essadiq and Adham Elsayed

The Legal Aid Society relies on the assistance of thousands of volunteers every year to expand and enhance services to our clients. This past year, our Immigration Law Unit has been especially busy. Luckily, they have had a number of dedicated volunteers assist them with their work.

Two of these volunteers are Danny Essadiq and Adham Elsayed. Danny and Adham both came to The Legal Aid Society around the same time, and have been working together to assist our clients. Their work includes meeting with clients, drafting memos and letters on their behalf, filing applications, and doing a lot of research to inform their work. A specific project that both of them are working on currently is developing a pro se toolkit for individuals with final orders of supervision. According to Adham, “it will be a streamlined source of information on what to expect and how to plan for one’s future given the current climate in the field of immigration.” It will help “people navigate the system and develop the best strategy to prepare for check-ins,” said Danny.

Legal Aid staff appreciates the work Danny and Adham have done. “Having Danny and Adham as volunteers has been a huge help. They’ve been able to jump in and assist with a number of projects and cases, including helping clients file DACA renewals, filing applications for Employment Authorization Documents, and working with clients who have final orders of removals and are subject to orders of supervision prepare for their reporting to the Department of Homeland Security,” said Leena Khandwala, an attorney with the Immigration Law Unit.

Both Danny and Adham view the opportunity to volunteer as a rewarding experience. Danny has enjoyed volunteering because “the work is fascinating and has a direct positive impact on the lives of individuals and families,” and Adham has found a sense of purpose in helping others.

The Legal Aid Society appreciates the contributions of all of our volunteers in expanding our capacity to assist our clients and fulfill our goal of ensuring strong legal representation for low-income New Yorkers.

 

Danny Essadiq 

(Adham Elsayed not pictured)


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