The law firm Proskauer Rose LLP works with the List Project to handle the cases of Iraqis who are still "stranded" within Iraq. Because these Iraqis are not technically considered "refugees", and consequently do not have access to UNHCR, different strategies for resettlement must be pursued. Proskauer Rose pursues a similar model of engagement and counsel for in-country Iraqis as is practiced by Holland & Knight for out-of-country Iraqis.
Proskauer Rose has succeeded in getting a number of U.S.-affiliated Iraqis out of Baghdad and into safety, through a variety of avenues. Nearly 50 attorneys have already signed on to the initiative.
Background on
Proskauer Rose LLP:
Proskauer has a long-standing and strong commitment
to pro bono activities, with a major emphasis on
providing legal services to the disadvantaged and the
poor. That commitment is manifested in the structure of
the Firm's procedures for handling pro bono matters, as
well as in the scope and diversity of the pro bono
docket. The Firm has recently revamped its pro bono
program, with its newly formed firmwide Pro Bono
Initiative Committee now in place to oversee the
program.
The Firm maintains ongoing referral relationships with many organizations, including: The Legal Aid Society; New York Legal Assistance Group; Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts; Lawyers Alliance for New York; Volunteers of Legal Services; New York Lawyers for the Public Interest; Health Law Associates; the ACLU of Massachusetts; the District of Columbia Bar Association; the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence; Human Rights Watch; and the California Women's Law Center. Subject to conflict procedures and Firm policies, individual attorneys also have the discretion to engage in pro bono activities of their own choice.
Proskauer's extensive pro bono docket includes large matters as well as small, individual clients and not-for-profit organizations, and litigated matters as well as transactional. We offer personal planning assistance to people who need wills; we offer labor and tax advice to community groups; and we offer immigration as well as political asylum representation for those in need.
Eric Blinderman, Esq.
Mr. Blinderman heads up Proskauer Rose's team of
attorneys assisting The List Project. Eric Blinderman is
International Litigation Counsel for Proskauer Rose LLP. In
that capacity Eric handles a variety of matters including,
but not limited to, Foreign Corrupt Practice Act matters and
extradition disputes. He handles matters before the
International Criminal Court and other ad-hoc tribunals,
complex international commercial arbitrations subject to a
variety of arbitral rules, and represents sovereign states
before the International Court of Justice and other
international bodies.
Eric served from March of 2004 until December of 2006 in Iraq, first as an Associate General Counsel of the Coalition Provisional Authority and later as Chief Legal Counsel and Associate Deputy to the Regime Crimes Liaison's Office.
During his time in Iraq, Eric advised senior members of the United States, Coalition, and Iraqi governments on matters of public international law, commercial law reform, and international criminal law. He worked principally with the Iraqi High Tribunal as it tried members of the former regime (including Saddam Hussein) for atrocities committed against the Iraqi people. In May of 2007, the Department of Justice presented Eric a Special Commendation Award for his service in Iraq.
Eric has authored multiple articles on international law. He is frequently called upon to lecture about his experiences at law schools and to comment on international affairs in various media outlets including the N.Y. Times, L.A. Times, Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Newsweek, the NY Law Journal, the ABA Journal, PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, and Fox News.
In addition, he served as law clerk to a United States Federal Judge and worked at the United Nations Development Program, the Preparatory Commission for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, and the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy. He is also the founder and owner of the critically acclaimed restaurant Mas (farmhouse) which is located in New York City.
Eric received his J.D., cum laude from Cornell Law School and was awarded a M.St. in international law from the University of Oxford, with distinction.