News > ILCM In The News
Spring Staff Updates
Posted on Mar 10 2020
ILCM was excited to welcome new staff attorney Tracy Kallassy in February. Previously at the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry, Tracy helped immigrants recuperate hundreds of thousands of dollars in back wages and educated them on workplace safety, as well as on protections for pregnant employees. She also worked with the Mexican Consulate, provided pro bono legal representation, and was a three-term board member of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association. Tracy was recently appointed to serve as an at-large board member of the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs. Tracy is looking forward to representing immigrants in removal proceedings through ILCM’s Community Defense Project.
ILCM also says goodbye to our pro bono director, Anne Applebaum. Anne joined ILCM in 2010 as an AmeriCorps Vista development and program evaluation coordinator. The next year, Anne became the AmeriCorps Vista pro bono coordinator, and in 2012 moved into the director role.
“My first exposure with immigration law was as a volunteer doing pro bono work as an associate at Dorsey & Whitney LLP,,” Anne recalls. “I was excited to become the pro bono director at ILCM and get others involved with immigration law as well.”
Since then, Anne has been involved with over 3,500 matters through her own docket and ILCM’s pro bono attorneys. She developed several programs, including but not limited to, citizenship, DACA renewals, community defense, and crime victim relief.
As she leaves ILCM, Anne’s message is one of gratitude: “Thank you to all ILCM staff and volunteers. Being a part of the ILCM Pro Bono team for the past nine years has truly been an honor. During my time at ILCM, each day I have found inspiration in the courage and insights of clients, the dedication and kindness of volunteers, and the passion and leadership of colleagues. Seeing the unconditional commitment that volunteers have to ILCM clients has been a ray of hope and source of true comfort for me, and so many others, particularly during these times when immigrant and refugee communities are facing so many injustices. Thank you for that and for your service. I hope that I have the opportunity to cross paths with all of you in the future.”
During the transition following her departure, mentorship and support for our pro bono casework will continue as normal with the leadership of our executive director, our senior staff attorney, and our pro bono coordinator. Our pro bono team is excited to continue working with incredible volunteers and community partners as our pro bono work expands for the needs of our clients.
“We will miss Anne,” said ILCM executive director Veena Iyer. “Anne grew our pro bono program into the robust program it is today. We are thankful to have had her leadership and wish her the best as she embarks on the next stage in her career.”
On February 3, Anne transitioned in to her new role as the housing and economic justice policy program manager at Violence Free Minnesota (formerly known as the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women).