Immigrants' Rights Clinic: Clinical Methods

Catalog description

The Immigrants' Rights Clinic offers students the opportunity to represent immigrants before the San Francisco Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Asylum Office, federal district courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Students in the clinic are responsible for all aspects of litigation, including interviewing clients and witnesses, investigating facts, conducting legal research, writing motions and briefs, and developing case strategies. Students argue motions and conduct mini-trials trials in which they perform direct examination of clients and witnesses and any cross-examination of government witnesses. The Clinic represents asylum seekers, immigrant survivors of domestic violence and other forms of violence, individuals with past criminal convictions, and undocumented individuals with longstanding ties to the United States. All clinic students also have an opportunity to work in collaboration with local and national immigrants' rights groups on impact litigation and/or other advocacy projects designed to address federal government immigration enforcement practices at the national and local levels, including impact litigation to challenge prolonged immigration detention, local and state advocacy to limit enforcement activity by police, the creation of model pleadings and know your rights materials for immigrant detainees, and advocacy with the federal agencies that regulate immigration. No prior substantive experience or background in immigration or immigrants' rights work is necessary. Special Instructions: General Structure of Clinical Courses - - The Law School's clinical courses are offered on a full-time basis for 12 units. This allows students to immerse themselves in the professional experience without the need to balance clinical projects with other classes, exams and papers. Students enrolled in a clinic are not permitted to…