Sep. 6-7: Refresh Your Practice: Holistic and Trauma-Informed Representation of Immigrant Survivors

ASISTA Virtual CLE Conference

Refresh Your Practice: Holistic and Trauma-Informed Representation of Immigrant Survivors

Wed., September 6 – Thur., September 7, 2023: 12-5:00 pm ET

REGISTER NOW

This 2-day virtual conference is intended for new and intermediate attorneys, DOJ Accredited Representatives, paralegals, and other legal advocates who have some experience working with survivor cases, but are seeking a refresher on the fundamentals or have questions about the latest legal requirements for immigrant survivor remedies, navigating barriers to relief, and intersections with other forms of humanitarian relief.

Participants will review how to identify survivor-based immigration remedies, conduct trauma-informed representation, assess a client’s facts to determine eligibility and identify red flags, and consider the intersections of immigrant survivor relief with other humanitarian relief applications in light of recent developments and policy changes. Throughout the conference, participants will have the opportunity to practice these skills through hands-on activities.

Speakers include national experts from ASISTA, Mariposa Legal, and National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Session Information:  All sessions have a 1 hour break between sessions, for a total of 8 hours.

Day ONE: Wed., September 6th (12 – 5pm ET)

Session 1: Know Your Options!: An Overview of Immigration Protections for Survivors, 12:00-2:00pm ET (2.0 hrs.)

Immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking and other crimes face myriad barriers accessing safety and justice. To combat these barriers, the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) created special paths to secure immigration status. In this interactive session, participants will examine these protections and how they have evolved, taking an in-depth look at their current requirements.

Speakers:  Kelly Head, Staff Attorney, ASISTA; Cristina Velez, Legal & Policy Director, ASISTA

Session 2: Know Your Facts!: Determining Eligibility and Identifying Red Flags, 3:00-5:00pm ET (2.0 hrs.)

In this interactive session, participants will review bars and grounds of inadmissibility applicable to survivor-based immigration relief. Utilizing knowledge from Session 1, participants will assess hypothetical clients’ facts to determine eligibility for survivor-based immigration benefits, along with whether any waivers could apply and how to seek them.

Speakers:  Rebecca Eissenova, Senior Staff Attorney, ASISTA; Lia Ocasio, Staff Attorney, ASISTA

Day TWO: Wed., September 7th (12 – 5pm ET)

Session 3: Engaging Trauma-Informed Techniques from Client Intakes to Case Preparation and Beyond, 12:00-2:00pm ET (2.0 hrs.)

Applying the knowledge learned on the first day of the conference along with trauma-informed advocacy methods, participants will explore best practices for working with clients who have experienced trauma, and reflect on the ways in which secondary or vicarious trauma can impact effective advocacy. Participants will be provided with a set of facts and materials to collaboratively work through for this session.

Speakers:  Cristina Velez, Legal & Policy Director, ASISTA; Rebecca Eissenova, Senior Staff Attorney, ASISTA; Megan Hope, LMSW, (Mariposa Legal)

Session 4: Strategic Considerations: Navigating the Intersection of Survivor-Based Applications and Other Immigration Relief, 3:00-5:00pm ET (2.0 hrs.)

In this session, we survey and discuss the other types of immigration relief that may intersect with survivor-based immigration applications, when multiple family members seek different forms of humanitarian relief, such as SIJS, asylum, or benefits under programs such as Central American Minors parole and Deferred Action for noncitizens involved in labor disputes. Participants will examine a hypothetical fact pattern to explore the intersections and identify areas of potential conflict that may arise when multiple forms of relief are sought

Speakers:  Lia Ocasio, Staff Attorney, ASISTA; Rebecca Scholtz, Senior Staff Attorney, (NIPNLG)

Prices for full training (4 sessions = 8 CLE credit hrs.)

• $300 Legal Staff/Advocates/Non-Profit 
• $400 ASISTA Member Private Attorney
• $550 Non-member  

Note: Early bird pricing ends on August 10th. Prices for training will increase $25 on Friday, August 11th and $25 on Friday, September 2nd. Registration will close the day before the training on Tuesday September 5th, 2023 at 5pm ET.  Processing fees apply for online payments.

CLE: 8 hrs of Texas MCLE credits will be applied for this conference. Certificates of attendance will be available upon request and completion of training  (Note: Sessions have a 1hr break in between).

Questions: Contact Maria Lazzarino at manager@asistahelp.org with any questions.

Not an ASISTA Member, JOIN NOW 

    www.asistahelp.org

    ASISTA mailing address: PO Box 12, Suffield, CT, 06078