Jayne is Pro Bono Counsel to Reed Smith, where she leads the firm's Human Rights Team, which comprises more than 100 lawyers firm-wide.
Jayne has represented torture survivors and asylum seekers from throughout the world, and she has extensive experience working with traumatized children who have suffered violence, displacement, and family separation. Over the past 19 years, she has successfully handled and supervised dozens of asylum cases, and many of these have helped move the law forward in the area of gender-based violence.
Jayne’s human rights work extends far beyond the United States, and over the past decade, she has developed human rights projects in two of the most challenging regions in the world: Haiti and the Middle East.
Qualifications
Récompenses et distinctions
- The American Lawyer Global Legal Award, Pro Bono (2018)
- Heartland Alliance-National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) Human Rights Practitioner Award (2017)
- The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) Eclipse Award (2017)
- City & State CSR Responsible 100 Honoree (2017)
- The American Lawyer Global Citizenship Award – Grand Prize (2016)
- Financial Times Top Ten Most Innovative Lawyers in North America (2016)
- PILnet European Pro Bono Award for Exemplary Partnership in the Public Interest (2016)
- National Law Journal Pro Bono Hot List (2015)
- Financial Times Most Innovative Law Firm in North America ‘Social Responsibility - Projects’ (2014)
- The Recorder Pro Bono Achievers (2012)
- UC Berkeley School of Law Award for Excellence in Student Mentoring (2011)
- National Law Journal Pro Bono Award (2011)
- National Law Journal Pro Bono Award (2010)
- Daniel Levy Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Immigration Law (2009)
- ABA Section of Litigation, John Minor Wisdom Award for Pro Bono and Community Service (2008)
- Included in the 2008 edition of Who's Who in America
- Named as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in America by National Law Journal (2007)
- Named California Lawyer Attorney of the Year by California Lawyer Magazine (2005)
- Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Father Moriarity Award (2005)
- Reed Smith Sean Halpin Award (2005)
Interviews & Commentary
Recent Media
- 17 April 2018 “At forum, women urged to bring 'authentic selves' to leadership roles,” Inside NoVA
- 7 March 2018 “We Need #HerToo, For the Women Left Behind, Reed Smith Lawyer Says,” The National Law Journal
- 20 June 2017 “VIDEO-No exit: Jordan’s most vulnerable refugees,” Thomson Reuters Foundation
- 20 June 2017 “FEATURE-Tortured and traumatised: Lawyer gives hope to Jordan's most war-scarred refugees,” Thomson Reuters Foundation
- 13 February 2017 “Trump Order Victims are Being Tracked by This Law Firm,” Bloomberg Law
- 3 February 2017 “Trump’s Travel Ban Is Keeping Sick Kids From Medical Care, So Canada Is Stepping In,” Buzzfeed
- 2 February 2017 "This 6-YO Syrian Boy With Cancer Needs Urgent Treatment But Trump's Muslim Ban Won't Allow It”, India Times
- 1 February 2017 “For Syrian Girl in Need of Medical Care, Trump’s Travel Ban Adds to a Nomadic Tragedy,” New York Times
- 1 February 2017 “Six-year-old Syrian boy with cancer may not receive essential US treatment due to Donald Trump 'Muslim ban',” Independent
- 31 January 2017 “Children and Refugees Who Planned Medical Care in the U.S. Stuck After Trump Executive Order,” ABC News
- 30 January 2017 “Ban sparks panic among refugees awaiting urgent medical care in U.S.,” Reuters
- 30 January 2017, “Syrian boy with cancer may not receive treatment in US,” Daily Mail
- 29 January 2017 “Syrian Baby Among Reed Smith Clients Left in Limbo After Trump Order,” The American Lawyer
- 29 January 2017 “Syrian Boy with Cancer in Limbo After Trump Executive Order,” NBC News
- 29 January 2017 “Witness: Trump's decision shuts down a Syrian child’s cancer treatment,” (Article in Arabic) Al Jazeera
- 16 January 2017 “Lawyer helps refugees find asylum, hope,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
- 5 December 2016 “Top 10 innovative lawyers in North America,” Financial Times
- 14 October 2016 “The American Lawyers Helping Syrian Refugees,” The Wall Street Journal
- 27 September 2016 “Reed Smith Wins Global Legal Award for Citizenship,” The American Lawyer
- 5 August 2016 “Syrian Girl Born Without an Eye Undergoes Surgery in Barcelona,” New York Times
- 21 June 2016 “In ‘Baby Sham’ Case, Reed Smith weighs risks for a refugee family,” The American Lawyer
- 17 June 2016 “Syrian Baby Born With Deformities Gets Spanish O.K. to Come for Surgery,” New York Times
- 15 June 2016 “Red Tape on Spanish Visa Leaves Syrian Girl’s Surgery in Limbo,” New York Times
Prior Media
- 5 January 2015 The National Law Journal honored Jayne and the firm in its annual Pro Bono Hot List, for which the project was profiled in “Mobile Clinic in Haiti Delivers Hope,”
- 4 December 2014 “Financial Times Awards Reed Smith Top Honor for Social Responsibility Project”—FT awarded Reed Smith its top honor in North America for “Innovation in a Social Responsibility Project” for its work in Haiti. The firm received the highest score of all firms that were shortlisted for the honor, and is one of only four that received the “Standout” distinction in the category, News Releases
- 1 July 2014 “Relocation for Haitian Rape Survivors; Haitian rape survivors begin new lives in Canada and the US, Resettlement programs offer an escape from violence and time to heal,” a syndicated article profiling one of Jayne’s clients
- 22 January 2014 “What Lawyers and Law Firms Can Do,” an editorial Jayne wrote on the Reed Smith Haiti project for the Connecticut Law Tribune
- 9 April 2013 “Reed Smith, Robert Rubin take on 'Justice for Johny',” Daily Journal
- 4 April 2013 “Assault victim in UN case hires international legal team,” Associated Press
- 14 September 2012 “Pro Bono Achievers,” Reed Smith was chosen by Am Law affiliate The Recorder as one of the ten leading Northern California pro bono practices, and Fleming was interviewed for an accompanying online video segment about her work in Haiti, The Recorder
- September 2011 Haiti’s Other Epidemic – Violence Against Women and Girls, a documentary featuring Jayne Fleming by Dan Alder about “the epidemic of rape in post-quake Haiti and an American lawyer’s attempt to help women caught up in the violence”
- 29 April 2011 “Reed Smith Pro Bono Counsel Wins Berkeley Law’s Kathi Pugh Award for Excellence in Student Mentoring,” News Releases
- January 2011 Rape in the camps: Sexual Violence in Haiti after the Quake, a news piece from The Thomson Reuters Foundation for which Fleming was interviewed
- January 2011 Crimes Against Women In Haiti Staggering, Panel Finds, a New York 1 TV report on the Thomson Reuters Foundation panel that Jayne Fleming helped organize in New York City on the state of Haiti, one year following the earthquake
- 3 January 2011 “Pro Bono Awards: When Disaster Struck, The Lawyers Rushed In,” National Law Journal
- 22 December 2010 Haiti camps no safe havens for women, a report that Fleming contributed to from The Pulitzer Center on Haiti’s rape crisis
- 15 August 2010 “Haitians Hope for Humanitarian Parole,” a video documentary featuring Fleming on the Reed Smith Humanitarian Parole Project, New American Media
- 10 August 2010 “ABA Unanimously Passes Resolution from Reed Smith Human Rights Team Leader Jayne Fleming - Bar demands action over severe lack of food, shelter, medical care and security for Haiti's women and children,” News Releases
- 12 July 2010 “Witnesses for Haiti,” The Huffington Post
- 25 May 2010 “Reed Smith Pro Bono Counsel Leads Delegation of Human Rights Attorneys and Doctors Back to Haiti - Firm Launches Humanitarian Parole Resource Site: www.haitilegalmedical.com” News Releases
- 17 March 2010 “Girls as young as two facing rape in tent cities as UN security patrols fail to protect women after Haiti earthquake,” Daily Mall
- 12 February 2010 “Girl who fled Honduran gangs is granted asylum,” San Francisco Chronicle
- 4 January 2010 National Law Journal’s 2010 Pro Bono Awards: “Asylum cases keep her on the cutting edge”
- June 2009 “Fighting for Freedom,” Women Legal
- 7 May 2009 Reed Smith Human Rights Team Leader wins 2009 Daniel Levy Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Immigration Law,” News Releases
- 21 April 2008 "Reed Smith Attorneys Take on Kids Asylum Cases,” Recorder
- 21 April 2008 “ABA Honors Reed Smith Lawyer,” San Francisco Daily Journal
- 25 January 2008 “Reed Smith Appoints Oakland Lawyer as National Pro Bono Counsel, East Bay Business Times
- 24 January 2008 “Seven Years Later and Lawyer and Client Both Win: Attorney Develops Her Practice and Helps Political Protestor Get Political Asylum," San Francisco Daily Journal
- 17 December 2008 Victim Gains Political Asylum: Congolese Women Had Earlier Been Denied by a U.S. Judge,” Los Angeles Times
- 1 September 2006 Safe Haven, Reed Smith’s Jayne Fleming Wins Clients’ Freedom, East Bay Business Times
- 22 August 2006 RC Asylum Seeker Gets Second Chance, CBS Radio
- 21 August 2006 Congolese Woman Gets New Chance at Asylum, NPR Radio
- 21 August 2006 Contesting the Bar to Asylum: The Justice Department asks for Review of a Congolese Woman’s Case, Los Angeles Times
- 25 February 2006 "U.S. Case Against Asylum-Seeker Meets Skeptical 9th Circuit Panel, San Francisco Daily Journal
- 3 February 2006 "Immigration Court Review Ordered: Attorney General Questions Quality of Work, Lack of Respect," ABA Journal eReport
- February 2006 “The Asylum Wars [The Gender Gap]," The American Lawyer
- 31 January 2006 “Judge’s Rulings on Asylum Seekers Earns Rebukes,” San Francisco Daily Journal
- 30 January 2006 “Immigration Judges Come Under Fire: Critics Say System Oversight is Weak," The National Law Journal
- Winter 2005-2006 “Voices for Justice,” Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the SF Bay Area
- 16 December 2005 “The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, And Illegal Immigration Control Act: Another Step Backwards For Human Rights,” The Recorder
- October 2005 “Asylum Logjam: Streamlined Immigration Cases Are Flooding Federal Appeals Courts," ABA Journal
- 22 September 2005 “U.S. Tightens Asylum Rules,” San Jose Mercury News
- 15 July 2005 “Gang-rape victim granted asylum after long court battle, Appeals court says attack on woman in Guatemala was political persecution,” San Francisco Chronicle
- 6 July 2005 “Spurred by 9th Circuit, Immigration Judge Reverses Self,” San Francisco Daily Journal
- “Opening Old Wounds: A New US Law Could Send Immigrant Torture Victims Back to Their Tormentors,” East Bay Express,
- March 2005 “California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award - Pro Bono,” California Lawyer
- 7 February 2005 “Trouble Makers Gather for Lunch, Speeches, Awards,” Daily Journal Extra
- Annual Report 2005, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Hastings College of the Law
- October 2004 “U.S. Court Rules Rape is Grounds for Asylum,” INCASA Impressions
- 15 April 2004 “Ninth Leans to Asylum for Rape Victim,” The Recorder