Representing Asylum Seekers Training: Basic

  • 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Eastern Time (US & Canada)
  • By: Whitman-Walker Health - Legal Services Program, Capital Area Immigrant Rights (CAIR) Coalition, Catholic Charities - Immigration Program
  • D.C. Bar Conference Center
Topics:
  • Human Rights
  • Immigration

Asylum is available to people fleeing persecution in their home countries due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. This training session is intended to prepare pro bono attorneys to represent indigent clients in asylum cases at the affirmative stage.

Topics include U.S. asylum law, working with victims of trauma, preparing the I-589 application form, documenting asylum cases, bars to asylum, and other legal issues. Practice before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Asylum Office will also be discussed. The faculty will include experienced immigration practitioners as well as staff from the Arlington USCIS Asylum Office (invited) for a mock affirmative asylum interview.

This training is appropriate for attorneys, paralegals, and law students. Attendees must agree to accept a case for pro bono representation from a sponsoring organization within a year of attendance, and therefore must be admitted to practice in some U.S. jurisdiction and have their own malpractice insurance. Attorneys working for the government should check with their ethics committee regarding conflicts before registering