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externship
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP
In January of 2004, Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP became our second long-standing corporate partner to establish a litigation externship at
inMotion. Since then, six talented Sidley associates have taken a brief sabbatical from their familiar areas of corporate practice and usual
responsibilities at their firm to dive headlong into the arenas of family and matrimonial law. Working full-time at inMotion’s Manhattan office on a fourmonth
rotating basis, they have taken on 72 of our most urgent and complex cases over the past 20 months—an impressive and challenging caseload.
In turn, these young litigators have gained invaluable court room experience, appearing regularly to advocate on behalf of some of the City’s most
vulnerable families. Here are two of the many successful outcomes Sidley externs have won for inMotion clients:
Elena* was abandoned by her husband nine years ago, after 20 years of
marriage. He left her alone to raise their four children—one of whom has
severe developmental disabilities. Throughout their nine-year separation,
Elena’s husband grudgingly paid as little child support as he could get away
with. Elena somehow managed to hold down a job, raise her children and
give her handicapped daughter the special care she needs. Wanting to move
forward with her life and sever any legal ties to
her husband, Elena turned to inMotion in April
2004 for assistance with a divorce.
Sidley externs Faith Jenkins, Martin Jackson and
Matthew Ferguson represented Elena over the
course of 17 months in what developed into a
hotly contested divorce action. Early in the case,
Martin learned that Elena’s husband had retired
early on a comfortable pension that had been
earned throughout the years of their long
marriage. Legally, Elena was entitled to half of
this pension, which would become an increasingly
important source of income for her and her
disabled daughter once the children turn 21, or
move out on their own, and child support
payments cease. Against fierce opposition from the husband—who resorted
to physical and verbal intimidation when his legal options had run out—
Matt secured Elena’s rightful share of the pension as well as the child
support to which she was entitled.
Within weeks of settling the divorce, Elena’s husband filed a petition for
a downward modification of child support. Matt saw to it that this unfair
request was not honored by the courts. With unfaltering legal
representation from the Sidley externs, Elena now has the financial security
she needs to care for her children and to provide long-term care for her
disabled daughter.
Matthew Ferguson welcomes Kevin Brennan, our newest extern, to
inMotion’s offices. Kevin, a sixth year associate at Sidley Austin
Brown & Wood, prepares to take over Matt’s demanding caseload.
The first time Inez* tried to obtain an order of protection against the
father of her unborn child, he threatened to kill her. In fear for her life, Inez
withdrew her petition. For a brief while after her son was born, her batterer
kept his distance, but it was not long before he turned up at her door
demanding to see their child and renewed his violent threats. Desperate to
protect her little boy, Inez turned to inMotion for help. Sidley extern Faith
Jenkins quickly secured a permanent order of
protection for Inez and her son.
After being laid off from her job, Inez again
turned to inMotion—for help obtaining child
support from her abuser. Martin Jackson took
over Inez’s case from Faith and was successful in
securing the child support to which Inez was
entitled. Shortly after the support order was
granted, her batterer petitioned for custody of
their son. His motivations became transparent
when he offered to allow Inez to maintain custody
if she would withdraw her permanent order of
protection. Inez was mortified. In her eyes, she
was being asked to choose between what she most
feared and what she most loved.
Bravely, and with complete faith in Martin, Inez chose to keep the order
of protection in place and fight for the custody of her son. With the
benefit of strong legal representation, Inez was not coerced into
choosing between her personal safety and the custody of her son. The
moment the judge signed the order, Inez began to weep, scarcely able
to believe that her terrible ordeal had finally come to an end—she
had fought for her child without compromising her own safety—and she
had won.
*All client names have been changed to protect their identities.
OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS
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We are already benefiting from the contacts, energy, experience and viewpoints of our seven newest board members. Elisabeth Biondi, the visuals editor of
The New Yorker, strengthens the ties between inMotion and the vibrant art world of our city. Edward M. De Sear, McKee Nelson LLP partner, is a leading
supporter of our pro bono program. Together, he and Elisabeth will co-chair the photo auction committee for our 2006 Benefit. Barbara Cipolla, a
managing partner of Mediaedge:cia, brings us tremendous marketing and business development expertise. Patricia G. Hammes continues the long line of
partners at Shearman & Sterling LLP who have ensured valuable contributions from the firm and its lawyers to inMotion. Brad Eric Scheler, a Fried Frank
Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP partner, has already tapped significant resources for inMotion as honorary co-chair of our Benefit last March. Kelly Hoey,
manager of professional development at White & Case LLP, is another Benefit veteran, having served on the benefit committee for the past two years. And
Robert T. Simmelkjaer, II, vice president, special assistant to the president of ESPN, links inMotion to the exciting worlds of major sports and the media.
How fortunate we are!