Akin Featured on Tablet Studios Podcast Exploring Pursuit of Justice for Holocaust Survivors

(Washington, D.C.) – On the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Akin chairperson Kim Koopersmith, senior advisor and former Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and partner Rafi Prober are featured in a documentary podcast entitled “Covering Their Tracks,” hosted by Tablet Studios. The podcast tells the story behind Akin’s pro bono work on behalf of hundreds of Holocaust survivors and their family members in their pursuit of justice against SNCF, the French railway company that transported 76,000 Jews and thousands of others toward German death camps during World War II. This massive pro bono effort, spanning over a decade and including over 50 lawyers and advisors from various offices and practice groups, involved litigation efforts, as well as significant federal and state advocacy engagement.  This included the introduction of the groundbreaking Holocaust Rail Justice Act, legislation that would have paved the way for Holocaust victims and their families to seek reparations in U.S. courts against SNCF.

Following extensive negotiations with the U.S. State Department and the French government, Akin’s pro bono efforts culminated in an historic U.S./French agreement in 2014, establishing a $60+ million compensation fund for hundreds of Holocaust survivors and their family members. Read more here.

The five-part podcast series tells the story of Akin client Leo Bretholz, who at the age of 21 escaped from a moving SNCF train bound for Auschwitz in 1942. Leo would later testify in multiple Congressional hearings and state level hearings as well. Listen to the five-part mini-series “Covering Their Tracks” on Tablet, here.

“This pro bono effort was the honor and privilege of my career, and I am incredibly proud of the tireless work Akin lawyers and advisors undertook across the firm to help these survivors and their family members achieve some measure of justice,” said Rafi Prober, who spearheaded Akin’s representation of the survivors and their families. “The team’s legal and lobbying prowess culminated in a bilateral accord between the U.S. and French governments, establishing the compensation fund. This not only provided reparations to the survivors and their families but also provided a long awaited, sincere statement of contrition.”

About Akin’s Pro Bono Practice

Akin’s global pro bono practice maximizes access to justice, community development, and the rule of law. We represent refugees, tenants, veterans, domestic violence survivors, and nonprofits worldwide. Our lawyers engage through individual representation, litigation, counseling, and transactional work. On average, Akin’s personnel each devote more than 100 hours per year to pro bono clients, with at least 70% of lawyers providing at least 20 hours. We use innovative technology to serve vulnerable populations and have received prestigious awards for our impactful collaborations and creative solutions. Learn more here.

Akin is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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