Kate Lenahan’s diverse law practice focuses on immigration and LGBT law.  She is dedicated to ensuring that gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender immigrants receive quality legal representation and guidance through the complexity of United States immigration laws.  Kate has significant experience with helping LGBT individuals who were persecuted abroad petition for asylum in the United States, and has been working with many LGBT bi-national couples on obtaining permanent residence following the recent Supreme Court decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”).  Since the DOMA decision, Kate has successfully filed numerous immigration petitions on behalf of same-sex couples that were previously unable to obtain immigration benefits due to that discriminatory law. 

Kate began her legal career as a legal fellow at Immigration Equality, an organization dedicated to advocating and assisting LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants in immigration proceedings.  Kate won asylum for several LGBT clients who she represented at Immigration Equality, and has continued her pro bono work for LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants while at Milbank and at Brophy & Lenahan.  Also, now that the Supreme Court has stricken down DOMA, Kate is representing many LGBT couples to obtain permanent residence in the United States. 

Kate also has experience with litigation involving individuals and businesses, particularly commercial litigation and labor and employment law, and bankruptcy law.  Prior to founding Brophy & Lenahan P.C., Kate was an associate at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York, NY, which is included in Vault’s list of the top 50 law firms in the United States.  While at Milbank, Kate was a member of the financial restructuring department, where she worked on many high-profile bankruptcy matters.  Most significantly, Kate was part of the Milbank team working to recover funds for the creditors of Lehman Brothers, which went into bankruptcy during the financial crisis in late 2008.   Kate also devoted considerable time to pro bono work, which she mostly dedicated to representing LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants. 

Kate is a cum laude graduate of Brooklyn Law School, where she focused on coursework relating to civil litigation and immigration, and finished in the top eight percent of her graduating class.  At Brooklyn Law School, Kate was a Notes & Comments Editor for the Journal for Law and Policy.  Kate also participated in a two-semester criminal practice clinic at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, where she developed important motion practice skills and became familiar with the courtroom atmosphere.  Kate was awarded with Dean’s List distinction as well as the Dean’s Recognition Scholarship for academic achievement. 

Prior to attending Brooklyn Law School, Kate graduated from Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, with a major in political science and a minor in Spanish.  Kate spent her junior year in Madrid, Spain, at Centro Universitario de Estudios Hispánicos, where she studied Spanish language, history and culture, and became a proficient Spanish speaker. 

In addition to her legal work, Kate has served as the President of the Board of Directors of Courage Medicine Health Center, a non-profit organization in Philadelphia that is working toward becoming a medical home for Philadelphians afflicted with mental illness.

Kate is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”), where she is a member of the GLBT interest group. 

Kate is originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  In her spare time, Kate is an avid wine enthusiast who enjoys attending classes and tastings, as well as beginning an amateur wine collection.  Kate is also working toward obtaining her professional wine certification.