Lakshmi Challa, managing partner and owner of the Challa Law Offices, was named the 2011-2012 recipient of the John C. Kenny Pro Bono Award from the Richmond Bar Association during its monthly luncheon meeting Jan. 19 at the Omni Hotel here.
The award is presented annually to an individual or law firm that demonstrates a dedication to furthering the delivery of pro bono legal services to the poor and underserved in the Richmond Metro area.
In 2009, working with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, Challa established the Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence Project, which provided pro bono legal assistance to undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic or sexual violence in obtaining legal status in the United States without reliance on their abusers.
Challa also recruited the University of Richmond School of Law as a partner in the project, using law students to assist on a pro bono basis. Since the clinic’s inception two years ago, Challa and those attorneys she recruited have helped over 50 women remain in the United States, work legally, and provide for their families and their children.
Challa has also aided Commonwealth Catholic Charities, an organization offering support services to residents of Virginia. Challa offered her support specifically with respect to unaccompanied minors brought into the United States. In addition, the Indian American is a member of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Poverty Law Center and has done pro bono work for the Red Cross.
Challa has a bachelor’s degree in English from Andhra University and is a law graduate from the University of Richmond’s T.C Williams School of Law. She is originally from Kakinada, East Godavari district. Her law practice, which she started in Richmond in 2001, has three more offices in Virginia Beach, North Carolina and India.
Her law firm has been appointed by the office of the Virginia Attorney General as Special Counsel on immigration matters, she was invited to serve on Senator Stolle’s Illegal Immigration Task Force, and was selected as one of Inside Business journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” business professionals in the Richmond area.