New York, July 16, 2020— Proskauer, a leading international law firm, represented 15 educational institutions from around the country, led by New York University, in filing an amicus brief on their behalf, in support of Harvard’s and MIT’s motion for a preliminary injunction against the Department of Homeland Security’s July 6th directive regarding the rules related to student visas for international students.
Proskauer’s brief emphasized the unprecedented effect of the July 6 Directive on educational policy and teaching methods, as it effectively dictated how schools must teach their students regardless of whether doing so was necessary, feasible, or safe. The brief also highlighted the special and unconsidered effect the July 6 Directive would have upon immunocompromised international students--who would have been required either to attend class in-person or to travel internationally during an ongoing pandemic--and DHS’s failure to consider the effect of its policy on the training not only of the next class of front-line physicians, but upon ongoing research and development of viral detection and antibody tests, along with vaccines and therapies, specifically for COVID-19.
On July 14th, the Court held a hearing on Harvard and MIT’s motion for preliminary injunction—and revealed DHS had decided to rescind and not enforce the July 6 Directive, and to return to their previous March 2020 Guidance as applicable policy. This was a major victory for Harvard and MIT, for our clients, for educational institutions around the country, and for international students from around the world seeking to study at institutions within the United States.
Proskauer served as legal counsel to the educational institutions on a pro bono basis. The Proskauer team included partners Joe O’Keefe, Paul Salvatore (Labor), Bill Silverman (Pro Bono), special pro bono counsel Erin Meyer and associates Will Dalsen, Om Alladi, and Hena Vora (Litigation).
At Proskauer, "for good" means giving of ourselves and making a positive impact on the lives of those less fortunate. For over 140 years, we've had an unwavering commitment to our communities. Our pro bono work breaks boundaries. From high-impact litigation and complex transactions for nonprofit organizations to matters for low-income individuals seeking equal access to justice - we are committed to driving businesses as well as society, forward. We believe in the core principles of our mission: for success, for progress, for good.