Please join the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network and the Colorado Bar Association for our annual Immigration Law CLE training!

CLE Credits:

General Credits - 7.00

EDI Credits - 1.00

The need for legal representation in immigration proceedings is greater than ever. Build your skills for defending and advancing the rights of non-citizens during this day-long training offered both in-person and virtually. This training is designed for attorneys new to immigration law, but will also include practice updates relevant to experienced RMIAN volunteers and immigration law practitioners.

In the morning, we will focus on zealous immigration advocacy and practice before the immigration courts, asylum, and working with survivors of trauma. The afternoon sessions will include a variety of topics, including advocating for release from immigration detention as well as advocacy and protections available for children and survivors of crime. We will conclude with a mock immigration court hearing.

This training is only $75 for attorneys who agree to take a pro bono case through RMIAN.

If you are interested in taking on a pro bono case, RMIAN will:

• Screen potential pro bono cases

• Provide professional liability insurance to pro bono attorneys

• Provide mentoring by experienced immigration practitioners

• Provide legal resources, samples, and templates

• Coordinate interpretation and translation services, as capacity allows

The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network invites you to attend PLANTING ROOTS, our 18th Annual Immigrant Liberty Awards!

FEATURING LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BY LAS DAHLIAS, DINNER AND AWARDS CEREMONY

RMIAN’s Immigrant Liberty Awards ceremony and benefit is a highly anticipated evening where the immigrant community, legal professionals, service providers, community leaders, lawmakers, and others engaged in work with individuals immigrating to the U.S. come together to network, highlight achievements and gain inspiration while supporting RMIAN’s work to ensure justice for immigrants.

Take a pro bono case from RMIAN in the coming year – Attend for ONLY $75

The need for legal representation in immigration proceedings is greater than ever. Build your skills for defending and advancing the rights of non-citizens in the current legal environment.

In the morning, we will focus on zealous immigration advocacy and practice before the immigration courts, asylum, and working with survivors of trauma. The afternoon sessions will include a variety of topics, including advocating for release from immigration detention as well as advocacy and protections available for children and survivors of crime. We will conclude with a mock immigration court hearing.

Your distinguished faculty witness and navigate the impact of current realities of immigration policy on a daily basis. They will help you acquire and polish your immigration law skills, and ensure your knowledge is current.

The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) is a nonprofit organization that provides free immigration legal services to children and to individuals in immigration detention. RMIAN provides daily know-your-rights presentations, individual intakes, pro se assistance, and legal representation for those detained at the federal immigration detention facility in Aurora. RMIAN’s Children’s Program represents children and families who have survived abandonment, abuse, persecution, or other violence, and provides technical assistance and community education throughout the state on children’s immigration law issues. Unable to meet the overwhelming need for legal services, RMIAN refers both detention and children’s cases to its network of pro bono attorneys. RMIAN screens pro bono cases, writes referral memorandums, and provides professional liability insurance and a mentor attorney for each pro bono attorney.

Home studies will be available approximately 2-3 weeks following the live program.

For your own safety, the safety of others, and in an effort to provide everyone with the most rewarding in-person meeting and event experiences possible, we request that you attend a CBA, DBA, or CLE meeting or event only if you have been fully vaccinated. Mask wearing is up to personal preference and comfort level. Please be cognizant and understanding of others’ preferences and courteous to all attendees.

Depending on CDC and/or state or local health guidelines, a rise in COVID-19 cases, or other circumstances that may threaten the well-being of our attendees, CBA-CLE reserves the right to convert to a fully virtual event.

If disability accommodations or special assistance are needed, please contact us at clereception@cobar.org. Requests must be made at least two weeks prior to the scheduled program.

The program will be submitted for CLE accreditation in Colorado. If you need to seek accreditation in another state, please review the process and requirements for that individual state. CBA-CLE staff can provide a Uniform Certificate of Attendance, and it is the attendee’s responsibility to complete the accreditation outside of Colorado.

Faculty:

Emily Brock, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Christina Brown, The Law Office of Christina Brown

Courtney Butler, Elkind Alterman Harston PC

Edain Butterfield, Hernandez & Associates, P.C.

Alicia Conrad, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Conor Gleason, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Kathleen Glynn, Grob and Eirich LLC

Aaron Hall, Joseph & Hall, PC

Laura Lichter, Lichter Immigration

Laura Lunn, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Hans Meyer, Law Office of Hans Meyer

Shaleen Morales, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Kacie Mulhern, Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center

Anjali Nanda, AQMN Law

Jenn Nelson, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Jenny Regier, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Sabrina Sameshima, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Cindy Schlosser, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Emily Smith, Emily L Smith, Esq.

Alyssa Telander, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Are you interested in attending the upcoming orientation and training for prospective volunteer translators & interpreters! Fill out the RSVP form below and learn more about RMIAN’s work, your role as a volunteer, and how to register.

The training will be held live on Thursday, February 17, 2022, from 5-6 pm MST. Zoom information will be sent out upon registration.

This year, the administration change, COVID-19, a dedicated docket for family unity at the Denver Immigration Court, and precedential immigration decisions have created new opportunities and unique challenges for individuals in immigration proceedings. The need for legal representation is greater than ever. Join RMIAN’s team of dedicated and passionate pro bono attorneys in advocating for and providing free immigration legal services to Colorado immigrant adults held in immigration detention, children, and survivors of crime.

This year’s annual training, a longstanding partnership between CBA-CLE and RMIAN, co-sponsored by the Colorado Bar Association Immigration Law Section, will take place virtually, on Friday, October 29, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and will count towards CLE accreditation in Colorado. This training is offered at a discounted rate of $75 for attorneys who sign up for a RMIAN pro bono case within the next year! For more information and to register, click the link below.

Faculty

Mark Barr, Lichter Immigration

Emily Brock, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Courtney Butler, Elkind Alterman Harston PC

Jennifer Casey, Kolko & Casey, P.C.

Alicia Conrad, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Colleen Cowgill, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Conor Gleason, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Mekela Goehring, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Lisa Green, Lisa Green & Associates PC

Ashley Harrington, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Tilman Jacobs, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Laura Lichter, Lichter Immigration

Tierney Maris, Lisa Green & Associates

Hans Meyer, Law Office of Hans Meyer

Georgina Olazcon Mozo, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Jenny Regier, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Sabrina Sameshima, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Cindy Schlosser, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Caleb Stewart, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Alyssa Telander, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

Agenda

9:00 – 9:10 am

Welcome, Introductions, and Overview

Presented by Colleen Cowgill, Esq., Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, Children’s Program, Program Co-Chair, Mekela Goehring, Esq., Executive Director, and Alyssa Telander, Esq., Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, Detention Program, Program Co-Chair, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

9:10 – 10:30 am

Setting the Landscape: The ABCs of Zealous Immigration Court Advocacy

- Introduction to immigration proceedings

- Overview of ways to win immigration status for your client

- Entering appearance, entering pleadings, MCH v. ICH

- Preparing your clients and witnesses, building a record

- Appellate review (brief overview)

Presented by Tilman Jacobs, Esq., Staff Attorney, Detention Program, and Laura Lichter, Esq., Lichter Immigration

10:35 – 11:25 am

Asylum Law 101

- Overview of asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture

- Preparing evidence for an asylum merits hearing (country conditions, witnesses, experts, timing)

- Special considerations - impact of recent Attorney General decisions

Presented by Lisa Green, Esq., and Tierney Tobin Maris, Esq., Green & Maris

11:25 – 11:35 am

Stretch Break

11:35 – 12:30 pm

Working with Survivors of Trauma and Incorporating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) into Client Practices

- Working with survivors of trauma and individuals in detention

- Cross cultural communication and working with interpreters

- Language matters

Presented by Alicia Conrad, Esq., Staff Attorney, Children’s Program, Georgina Olazcon Mozo, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney, Children’s Program, and Cindy Schlosser, MSW, Social Worker, Detention Program

Submitted for 1 EDI Credit

12:30 – 1:00 pm

Lunch Break

1:00 – 1:15 pm

Overview of RMIAN’s Pro Bono Program and Introduction to Afternoon Tracks

Presented by Colleen Cowgill, Esq., Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, Children’s Program, and Alyssa Telander, Esq., Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, Detention Program, Program Co-Chairs

1:15 – 2:05 pm

Breakout Sessions

TRACK A

How Do I Get Out? Fighting Your Case for Freedom

- Overview of options for release from immigration detention while fighting an immigration case

- Presenting a bond matter before the immigration court

- Nuts and bolts of requesting parole from DHS

- Detention conditions and COVID-19: Current developments in Fraihat v. ICE

Presented by Mark Barr, Esq., Lichter Immigration, Conor Gleason, Esq., Staff Attorney, Detention Program, and Jenny Regier, Esq., Equal Justice Works Fellow sponsored by Pfizer Inc., Detention Program

TRACK B

Advocacy with USCIS for Children and Survivors of Crime (SIJS, U, T, VAWA, DACA)

- SIJS

- U Visas for immigrant crime survivors

- T Visas for survivors of human trafficking

- Protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

- DACA

Presented by Ashley Harrington, Esq., Managing Attorney, Children’s Program, and Caleb Stewart, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney, Anti-Human Trafficking Project

2:10 - 3:00 pm

Prosecutorial Discretion and Current Practices in Immigration Court

- Updates on current practices in immigration courts, changes to appearances, scheduling orders

- Overview of prosecutorial discretion, tips and tricks, strategies for different case types (SIJS, U-Visa, VAWA etc.)

Presented by Emily Brock, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney, Children’s Program, and Sabrina Sameshima, Esq., Staff Attorney, Children’s Program

3:00 – 3:10 pm

Break

3:10 – 4:10 pm

Model Immigration Hearing

Observe a team of experienced immigration attorneys conduct a master calendar hearing and portions of a merits hearing for an individual applying for asylum, followed by a Q&A session about immigration court practice, and an evaluation of what worked well and what could have been improved during the hearings.

Presented by Courtney Butler, Esq., Elkind Alterman Harston PC, Jennifer Casey, Esq., Kolko & Casey, P.C., and Hans Meyer, Esq., The Meyer Law Office, PC

4:10 pm

Adjourn

4:10 – 5:00 pm

Optional: Ask an Attorney

An opportunity to discuss current case questions and topics

Faculty Members and RMAIN Staff