39 have worked together as it has grown and increased widely the awareness of concussion risks. Attorneys Joe DiCioccio, Brian Dunphy, Quincy Ewell, Geri Haight, Anthony Hubbard, Cynthia Larose, Kate Stewart, and Steve Weiner and Paralegal Manager Anne Leland have provided the Sports Legacy Institute with guidance and advice on a range of health law, corporate, contract, and intellectual property issues. SpringBlossom Capital SpringBlossomCapitalisasocialinvestmentfundthatplansto make loans and arrange business partnerships to strengthen andscalethebusinessesoflow-incomewomenentrepreneurs in developing countries who have historically been unable to access markets or obtain capital. Julia Siripurapu, Katy Ward, Project Analyst Amarynth Sichel, and Legal Assistant Kevin Johnson assisted the organization with its incorporation as a Massachusetts nonprofit and helped the founder adopt its bylaws and other initial corporate documents. Mintz Levin will continue to assist the organization in drafting its 501(c)(3) application and advise the founder on forming the organization’s board of directors. Tahirih Justice Center The Tahirih Justice Center is a nonprofit organization that works to protect immigrant women and girls from gender- based violence through legal services, advocacy, and public education programs. In 2008,Tahirih referred“Amy,”a survivor of domestic violence, to attorney Farrah Short for assistance with the client’s U-Visa application. While Amy’s application for a U-Visa was approved in 2009, Farrah continued to work with Amy to obtain derivative status visas for her two children, who remained in El Salvador. In 2011, the children’s U-Visas were approved and the family was reunited. Also in 2011, Andy Nathanson, Helen Guyton, and Ella Shenhav, with the assistance of Projects Analysts Anagha Prasad, Amarynth Sichel, and Colton Heward-Mills, Librarians Self Help Africa Self Help Africa works with rural communities in nine African countries to help them improve their farms and their livelihoods. Self Help Africa is currently expanding its US presence, particularly in the Boston area. Mintz Levin attorneys Ben Hincks, Quincy Ewell, and Anthony Hubbard helped the organization incorporate in Massachusetts and obtained approval for the organization to raise funds as a nonprofit from the Massachusetts Attorney General. Sex Trafficking: Sarah’s Case For most college seniors, the tough job market is the greatest challenge associated with graduating.“Sarah,”a college senior in her early twenties, had the additional challenge of moving forward after being a victim of sex trafficking. Forced into a life of prostitution when she was only 17 years old, Sarah was trafficked throughout the country by a group of pimps, who brutalized and beat her, preventing her from leaving. Eventually, she escaped from her tormentors and cooperated with their prosecution, but then she lived with the fear of retaliation. Her criminal record from this period also has posed an obstacle to her success. Attorney Alec Zadek, who specialized in prosecuting sex offenders for failure to register while working for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office through Mintz Levin’s Fellowship Program, has been assisting Sarah to withdraw her prior pleas and obtain a new trial on the charges levied against her while she was the victim of this prostitution ring. With a new trial, Alec will work to get the prior charges dismissed so that Sarah’s past will not be an impediment to her bright future. Sports Legacy Institute The Sports Legacy Institute is dedicated to advancing the study, treatment, and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups, including members of the military. Through its efforts, the institute aims to keep athletes safe and promote awareness of the risks of concussions. Mintz Levin and the Sports Legacy Institute Additional Pro Bono Highlights from 2011