LAW907
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IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS CLINIC
Course Title
IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS CLINIC
Course Number
907
Min
2
Course Types
Field Placement (FP), Experiential Learning, Letter Grading, Cln/Ext Clsrm (CEC), [INTERNAL MBP] (MBP)
Credit Type
CLINICS/EXTERNSHIPS
Description
Satisfies Experiential Learning requirement.
The clinic is divided between a classroom or seminar component focusing on skills and case strategy and analysis discussions, and the representational component (also referred to as the fieldwork component) where students engage in the actual work of representing clients. Admission to the Clinic requires the prior approval of the instructor. (Knowledge of a foreign language is not a prerequisite for the clinic but may be considered as a factor since many of the clients will not speak English.) Apply through the online Common Clinic Application. The first paragraph, below, describes the fieldwork placement opportunities in the clinic. The second paragraph, below, describes an innovative opportunity within this clinic for an in-house clinic experience for a subset of interested clinic students in the Fall 2025 semester.
Traditional fieldwork placement clinic: This course affords students an opportunity to work directly with clients facing immigration problems. The immigration issues range from defending clients facing removal by the DHS, those seeking political asylum in the U.S. and others who wish to become U.S. citizens. Students will work primarily at placements outside of the law school for an average of 16 hours per week. Most of the client representation will be through work with local immigrant rights projects involved in law reform or litigation. Students' primary supervisor will be at the placement and Professor Boswell will also be involved. The primary focus in this clinic will be client interviewing and counseling, case planning and legal writing. Students who enroll in the clinic may in some situations be involved in adversarial hearings before immigration judges.
Fall 2025 in-house track: This Fall the Immigrants' Rights Clinic will experiment with a new project that adds to the existing clinic. The project will involve students in work on motions to suppress and motions to terminate in Immigration Court. The basis for these motions will be violations of the 4th and 5th Amendments and statutory law. In addition to working on these in-house cases, students will take part in ancillary projects, including drafting template suppression motions for other practitioners to use, preparing and presenting "Know Your Rights" seminars, and filing public records requests related to immigration enforcement. This project will be supervised by Professors Abel and Boswell. Students should be prepared to engage in fact gathering, witness examination, brief writing, and related advocacy in Immigration Court. Since this is a new project, we cannot guarantee students that all of these lawyering skills will be employed in a given semester. Students interested in participating in this new clinic project should separately indicate a preference on their applications to the Immigrants' Rights Clinic, including a brief statement of their interest and an up-to-date date resume.
Requisites: Immigration Law (LAW*400) - Recommended to be taken either prior to or at the same time as this course but is not required. Immigrants' Rights Clinic Fieldwork (LAW*908) - Must be taken at the same time as this course.
For the in-house track, only, successful completion or concurrent enrollment in Criminal Procedure (LAW*328).
The clinic is divided between a classroom or seminar component focusing on skills and case strategy and analysis discussions, and the representational component (also referred to as the fieldwork component) where students engage in the actual work of representing clients. Admission to the Clinic requires the prior approval of the instructor. (Knowledge of a foreign language is not a prerequisite for the clinic but may be considered as a factor since many of the clients will not speak English.) Apply through the online Common Clinic Application. The first paragraph, below, describes the fieldwork placement opportunities in the clinic. The second paragraph, below, describes an innovative opportunity within this clinic for an in-house clinic experience for a subset of interested clinic students in the Fall 2025 semester.
Traditional fieldwork placement clinic: This course affords students an opportunity to work directly with clients facing immigration problems. The immigration issues range from defending clients facing removal by the DHS, those seeking political asylum in the U.S. and others who wish to become U.S. citizens. Students will work primarily at placements outside of the law school for an average of 16 hours per week. Most of the client representation will be through work with local immigrant rights projects involved in law reform or litigation. Students' primary supervisor will be at the placement and Professor Boswell will also be involved. The primary focus in this clinic will be client interviewing and counseling, case planning and legal writing. Students who enroll in the clinic may in some situations be involved in adversarial hearings before immigration judges.
Fall 2025 in-house track: This Fall the Immigrants' Rights Clinic will experiment with a new project that adds to the existing clinic. The project will involve students in work on motions to suppress and motions to terminate in Immigration Court. The basis for these motions will be violations of the 4th and 5th Amendments and statutory law. In addition to working on these in-house cases, students will take part in ancillary projects, including drafting template suppression motions for other practitioners to use, preparing and presenting "Know Your Rights" seminars, and filing public records requests related to immigration enforcement. This project will be supervised by Professors Abel and Boswell. Students should be prepared to engage in fact gathering, witness examination, brief writing, and related advocacy in Immigration Court. Since this is a new project, we cannot guarantee students that all of these lawyering skills will be employed in a given semester. Students interested in participating in this new clinic project should separately indicate a preference on their applications to the Immigrants' Rights Clinic, including a brief statement of their interest and an up-to-date date resume.
Requisites: Immigration Law (LAW*400) - Recommended to be taken either prior to or at the same time as this course but is not required. Immigrants' Rights Clinic Fieldwork (LAW*908) - Must be taken at the same time as this course.
For the in-house track, only, successful completion or concurrent enrollment in Criminal Procedure (LAW*328).