David Solberg received the Pro Bono Publico Award from Casa Cornelia Law Center at its 18th Annual La Mancha Awards. Solberg was among a select group of volunteer attorneys chosen from a pool of over 250, who were recognized for their commitment to providing pro bono services to victims of human and civil rights violations.
In 2024, Solberg represented two clients from Afghanistan in connection with their claims for asylum. This included the preparation and filing of asylum applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as well as addressing supplemental requests for information and the interview process. One of the clients was granted asylum in the spring of 2024, and Solberg has since assisted him with his application for permanent residence status. The client is also seeking reunification with his wife and four children who currently remain in Afghanistan. The second asylum application, which Solberg filed on behalf of the client, his wife and their eight children, was filed in January 2025 and remains pending. Solberg, along with his Sheppard Mullin colleagues and the Casa Cornelia attorneys who assisted him on the matter, are eagerly awaiting further updates from USCIS.
Sheppard Mullin has provided pro bono legal services to Casa Cornelia for more than 20 years and has assisted hundreds of pro bono clients from around the world in various asylum and immigration matters including deportation proceedings and administrative proceedings before immigration judges. In 2000, the firm represented a young Mexican immigrant in a precedent-setting case before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Each year, Casa Cornelia Law Center honors the commitment of outstanding volunteer attorneys, law firms, interpreters, translators, law clerks and community members whose dedication advances its mission. In 2023, Business Trial Partner Elizabeth Balfour received the organization's Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award.