Vinson & Elkins Partner Stephen Medlock to Be Honored with Immigration Impact Award for Defending the Right to Access the US Asylum Process

The award—formerly known as the American Heritage Award—recognizes the talents, contributions, and accomplishments of immigrants and their advocates. The award will be presented during a celebration that highlights notable immigrants, national heroes, and unsung heroes like immigration lawyers.

“This year we are excited to celebrate Stephen Medlock for investing legal resources and litigation expertise in Al Otro Lado v. Mayorkas to defend the rights of asylum seekers at the border since 2018. He has been an exceptional partner in overturning U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s policy of turning away asylum seekers at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border,” said Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the American Immigration Council. “In September of 2021, a district judge in California found that the government had violated asylum seekers’ rights. When the government decided to appeal that decision, Stephen Medlock answered the call to defend the right to access the U.S. asylum process and did not hesitate to continue fighting the case to ensure that people fleeing persecution have a chance to bring their claims for asylum in the United States.”

Medlock is an experienced antitrust litigator of Fortune 500 companies. He helps clients navigate through complex multidistrict class actions and successfully defends clients in grand jury investigations. His experience in antitrust matters include corporate counseling, internal investigations, civil non-merger and criminal cartel investigations, and litigation. Medlock has secured victories for clients in major antitrust class actions and B2B antitrust cases alleging monopolization and attempted monopolization at critical stages, including winning dismissal prior to discovery and prevailing at summary judgment.

“Working on the Al Otro Lado litigation has been, and is, one of the best experiences of my legal career.  The litigation team from top to bottom are outstanding and compassionate trial lawyers. Al Otro Lado is an amazing client.  And the results that we’ve been able to achieve have made a difference for thousands of immigrants who were doing nothing more than trying to follow the rules for seeking asylum at ports of entry,” said Medlock.

In addition to his significant pro bono practice, Medlock currently serves as a vice chair on the Exemptions and Immunities Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Antitrust Law. He is also the co-editor of the third edition of ABA’s Noerr-Pennington Handbook. Behind the scenes, Medlock is a trusted antitrust advisor and advocate in antitrust compliance matters, with a particular focus on clients in the food, beverage, consumer packaged goods, automotive, and high technology industries.

Medlock is a graduate of Georgetown University and American University Washington College of Law.

In years past, the American Immigration Council has recognized the achievements of other outstanding immigrants and their advocates, including Carlos Santana, General Colin Powell, Sonia Nazario, Edwidge Danticat, Gerda Weissmann Klein, the law firm Arnold & Porter, and others.