Amica Center Honors Zuckerman Spaeder with “Defenders of Due Process Award”

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is proud to receive the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights’ “Defenders of Due Process Award.” The award recognizes firms that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to “strategic litigation for immigrant children and adults facing detention and deportation.”

Zuckerman Spaeder was recognized for its instrumental role in a case aimed at restoring the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP), which ensures legal representation for immigrants deemed mentally incompetent to represent themselves in immigration court. Although the case is ongoing, it reached a significant milestone on July 21, when a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the government to reinstate the NQRP.

“We are honored to stand alongside the Amica Center in the fight to ensure due process for all immigrants, especially those with serious mental health challenges,” commented Zuckerman Spaeder partner Ivano Ventresca. “This recognition is a reminder of the power of advocacy and our responsibility as lawyers to protect the most vulnerable.”

Zuckerman Spaeder has a long-standing relationship with the Amica Center (formerly known as CAIR Coalition) and remains deeply committed to pro bono efforts to protect immigrants and other vulnerable populations. Attorneys across the firm also dedicate significant time and expertise to issues relating to civil rights, compassionate release and criminal justice, child welfare, employment discrimination, health care, and ethics counseling for non-profit organizations.

The Amica Center will present the award at its annual Fall Fundraiser on October 8, 2025, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.

In addition to Mr. Ventresca, the Zuckerman Spaeder team includes Monica F. Sharma. The case is American Gateways v. U.S. Department of Justice.