4 Grossman Young & Hammond LLC Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America

August 24, 2023 -- Grossman Young & Hammond LLC is pleased to announce that 4 lawyers have been included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America.

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.

"The unparalleled methodology of Best Lawyers ensures the value and esteem of our legal rankings through both our traditional awards and our expanded 'Ones to Watch' accolades," said Best Lawyers CEO Phillip Greer. "Clients trust Best Lawyers as a credible and reliable way to identify the most elite lawyers, and it is with great pride that we continue to provide this valued service in the country."

Lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America are divided by geographic region and practice areas. Candidates can only be considered for one recognition at a time, either "Ones to Watch" or traditional Best Lawyers awards. "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" is not a seed list to "The Best Lawyers" and all hopeful candidates must be nominated, vetted by their peers and undergo an authentication process before they are recognized by Best Lawyers. Lawyers are not required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers is considered a singular distinction.

Grossman Young & Hammond LLC would like to congratulate the following lawyers recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America:

• Sofia Hassander - Immigration Law
• Yeon Me Kim - Immigration Law
• Patrick Taurel - Immigration Law
• Nikki Whetstone - Immigration Law

Denise C. Hammond Named 2024 Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" in the Washington, D.C. Area.

August 24, 2023 -- Grossman Young & Hammond LLC attorney Denise C. Hammond was recently recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2024 "Lawyer of the Year" for Immigration Law.

Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the "Lawyer of the Year," making this a significant and coveted accolade. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments.

Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity.

For more than four decades, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Lawyers are not required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers is considered a singular distinction.

5 Grossman Young & Hammond LLC Lawyers Recognized as Best Lawyers^® Award Recipients

August 24, 2023 -- Grossman Young & Hammond LLC is pleased to announce that 5 lawyers have been included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

"For more than 40 years, the rigorous methodology of Best Lawyers has ensured the integrity and esteem of our legal recognitions," said Best Lawyers CEO Phillip Greer. "It is with great pleasure that we continue to provide potential clients with the pinnacle measurement of credibility through our Best Lawyers awards as they search for counsel."

Best Lawyers has earned the respect of the profession, the media and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in more than 75 countries.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

Grossman Young & Hammond LLC would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to 2024 The Best Lawyers in America list:

• Sandra Grossman - Immigration Law
• Denise C. Hammond - Immigration Law
• Meg Hobbins - Immigration Law
• Adriana Ruiz Robinson - Immigration Law
• Becki L. Young - Immigration Law

About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and located in the same geographic region. Our awards and recognitions are based purely on the feedback we receive from these top lawyers. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo a thorough verification process to make sure they are currently still in private practice. Only then can these top lawyers be recognized by Best Lawyers.

GYH Recognized in Chambers 2023

Chambers & Partners, the world’s premier legal ranking system, has again recognized Grossman Young & Hammond for its outstanding work in the field of immigration law. The firm as whole, as well as its partners, received their highest ever rankings in both the U.S. and Global Guides. Chambers surveyed the firm’s clients and colleagues for commentary on the strengths and skills of the firm and its attorneys. Here’s what they had to say about our partners:

“Becki Young acts on the full gamut of business immigration issues and often represents clients in the hospitality sector, for whom she remains a go-to name.”

“Becki is thorough, thoughtful and customer service driven.”

“Becki is simply the best.”

“Sandra Grossman is recognized for her skilled handling of immigration matters relating to issues of asylum and deportation. A significant part of her practice involves representing clients before INTERPOL.”

“Sandra is approachable and service-oriented, and her knowledge of immigration law is top-notch. She is the go-to immigration lawyer, and is sensitive matters with significant international law implications.”

“She is a leader in Interpol defense.”

“Meg Hobbins is a rising star in the immigration field, particularly noted for her expertise in matters relating to INTERPOL Red Notices.”

“She is a true expert in US immigration law, regulations, and strategy, while also being very responsive and efficient.”

GYH Rankings:

USA – District of Columbia

• Firmwide: Band-2
• Becki Young: Band-2
• Sandra Grossman: Band-3
• Denise Hammond: Senior Statespeople
• Meg Hobbins: Up and Coming

USA – Nationwide

• Firmwide: Band-4
• Becki Young: Band-3
• Sandra Grossman: Band-3
• Denise Hammond: Senior Statespeople

Global

• Firmwide: Band-4
• Becki Young: Band-3
• Sandra Grossman: Band-3

INTERPOL Vindicates Mr. Gillmore Hoefdraad, Suriname’s Former Minister of Finance, Rescinding Suriname’s Illegitimate Red Notice Request

Mr. Gillmore Hoefdraad, former Minister of Finance (2015-2020) and president of the Central Bank of Suriname (2010-2015), has been the target of illegitimate, politically motivated charges since his party lost national elections in 2020. Mr. Hoefdraad left a career with the International Monetary Fund, assisting distressed economies around the world, to serve his home country. The government of Suriname wrongly criminalized good faith policy decisions made by Mr. Hoefdraad and the prior administration during a financial crisis that deepened with the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on charges that were previously rejected by Suriname’s National Assembly, Mr. Hoefdraad was convicted in absentia, in a case lacking fundamental due process protections. In a decisive recognition of Suriname’s illegitimate prosecution of Mr. Hoefdraad, INTERPOL has rescinded the Red Notice requested by Suriname that sought his detention and extradition.

On April 14, 2022, INTERPOL issued a detailed, 11-page decision confirming that Suriname’s prosecution of Mr. Hoefdraad is politically motivated and in violation of INTERPOL’s Constitution. INTERPOL’s decision vindicates Mr. Hoefdraad as a victim of political persecution, whose human rights have been repeatedly violated by Suriname’s government. This decision confirms that Suriname has no evidence of self-enrichment, yet still proceeded with nonsensical embezzlement charges arguing that the State alone benefited from Mr. Hoefdraad’s actions as finance minister. INTERPOL found the charges against Mr. Hoefdraad seriously concerning and lacking in the clarity required by its Constitution and rules.

Partner Meg Hobbins represents Mr. Hoefdraad before INTERPOL and has also assisted with his claims before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In response to INTERPOL’s decision, Ms. Hobbins states: “Mr. Hoefdraad has suffered immeasurable personal and professional harm stemming from Suriname’s politically motivated charges. We wholeheartedly welcome this decision from INTERPOL, which carefully weighed the extensive evidence in this matter and came down decisively in Mr. Hoefdraad’s favor.”

Grossman Young & Hammond defends individuals who are targeted by persecutory Red Notices and seek justice before the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files and international human rights bodies. GYH supports efforts to stop INTERPOL abuse worldwide.

Please contact Meg Hobbins at mhobbins@grossmanyoung.com with press inquiries related to this matter.

AILA Honors Sandra Grossman with Award for Excellence in Advancing the Practice of Immigration Law

Grossman Young & Hammond proudly announces that Partner Sandra Grossman, is to receive the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) 2022 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law. AILA is the national association of more than 15,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. AILA’s Annual Awards are the highest recognition of achievement and contributions in the national immigration law community.

“I am absolutely honored to accept this award. I am grateful to AILA for its support and continuing commitment to immigrant rights...” says Grossman.

She continues, “This award is immensely meaningful to me. Over a decade ago I began to understand the issue of INTERPOL abuse within the immigration law space when I witnessed many of my Venezuelan clients suffering the effect of persecutory red notices. All too often, U.S. enforcement agencies and immigration courts treat red notices as conclusive evidence of criminality, which they are not. This practice must stop. I remain committed to educating the bar about the issue of persecutory red notices and hope this award will help draw further attention to this issue.”

“Personally, this recognition is also deeply meaningful. I am an immigrant to the U.S. myself and my parents were political refugees from the Pinochet dictatorship. It was only through hard work and perseverance that they overcame significant cultural, linguistic, social, and economic challenges. The story of my parents and so many other clients show that immigrants are the future, a driving force to drive propel us forward. The more we can do to incorporate and support immigrants the stronger a nation we will become.”

The 2022 AILA Annual Awards will be presented during the immigration bar’s most anticipated event of the year: the 2022 AILA Annual Conference, to be held on June 16^th in New York City.

Last year, the Firm’s other Co-Managing Partner, Becki Young, was acknowledged by AILA with the 2021 President’s Commendation for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

A full list of 2022 AILA Awards recipients is here.

Congratulations to Sandra!

PDF of Announcement

Chambers Global Recognizes Grossman Young & Hammond

Chambers & Partners recognized Grossman Young & Hammond's Business Immigration practice and leadership in the release of its 2022 Chambers Global guide. While Chambers USA has ranked Grossman Young & Hammond and its partners for years, this was the first time Sandra Grossman and the Business Immigration Practice have been included in Chambers Global. This is the second year Becki Young was ranked in the Global guide.

Chambers identifies the best law firms globally, whether they are multi-national or boutique. This prestigious guide is based on in-depth research ranks the top lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions across the world.