In February 2022 Russia's invasion of Ukraine created a refugee crisis not seen in Europe since World War II. White & Case responded to the fast-moving humanitarian crisis with multiple approaches to help Ukrainians plunged into war.
 
In the hours and days after the war started, people in our offices close to the conflict and as far away as Los Angeles and Tokyo quickly responded to the crisis. Twenty-five people from our Warsaw office opened their homes to refugees fleeing from Ukraine, quickly followed by colleagues in Brussels, London and Prague. Teams across Europe mobilized to collect much-needed medical supplies to send, or even in some cases deliver themselves, to the Ukrainian border. Volunteers supported local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) by staffing emergency hotlines and sorting donated items for refugees. The Firm donated US$1 million to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and matched employee contributions to support relief efforts.

As the war progressed, the needs of Ukrainian refugees shifted. We joined the Legal Solidarity Fund, a legal profession initiative set up by leading Polish lawyers to provide fellowships to Ukrainian legal scholars who are refugees in Poland. In addition, our Brussels, Frankfurt and Prague offices hired Ukrainian lawyers who fled the country, and in Frankfurt, we employed a Ukrainian law student via Safe Harbors 4 UA Students, a program designed to help Ukraine's displaced law students.

Associate Aleksandra Stepniewicz works alongside Ukrainian translator Jan Swiecicki to provide assistance to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Warsaw, Poland.

In addition to practical humanitarian assistance, we provided pro bono legal support to help make a positive difference in long-term outcomes for people displaced by war. For instance, we expanded our existing work with European Lawyers in Lesvos to participate in its new project in Poland, with lawyers from our Warsaw office providing legal assistance to refugees from Ukraine on a range of legal issues in five locations across the city, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' information center.  We also assisted Ukrainians currently living in the United States in applying for Temporary Protected Status. And in London we collaborated with Asylum Aid and other law firms to advise Ukrainians in the United Kingdom on how to extend their visas or apply for asylum, and seconded our lawyers to work with refugees in Warsaw in partnership with Safe Passage International.

"In February our on-the-ground response to the plight of Ukrainians dealt with refugees' immediate needs. Over time, we have been able to offer our services as lawyers to help address the many issues facing refugees as they start to rebuild their lives," says Aleksandra Oziemska, partner in our Warsaw office. "When someone needs our help, we have a moral obligation to step up and to use our position to improve the lives of suffering people."

Photo by Brendan Hoffman © Bespoke Reps
A gymnasium at a school in Novoyavorivsk, Ukraine, converted into a shelter for displaced Ukrainians during the Russian invasion.

Photo by © Magda Cienciala
White & Case associate Aleksandra Stepniewicz works alongside Ukrainian translator Jan Swiecicki to provide assistance to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Warsaw, Poland.