Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

The BIA Pro Bono Appeals Project matches vulnerable immigrants with pro bono counsel to defend their cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).  One of the nation's most successful pro bono initiatives, the BIA Project partners with attorneys and law school clinics to provide pro bono legal representation to indigent immigrants. Through a network of committed volunteers, trainers, and mentors, the BIA Project facilitates access to justice, a critical component to safeguarding the rights of vulnerable asylum-seekers and long time lawful permanent residents.  Since the Project’s inception in 2001, it has secured representation for more than 550 individuals. The Project's cases regularly result in significant decisions, including favorable, published BIA decisions, as well as Federal and Supreme Court decisions. In a published study, the Department of Justice found that immigrants who had been provided representation through the Project were up to four times more likely to win a favorable decision before the BIA.  For more information, contact CLINIC staff attorney Lauren Graham Sullivan at lsullivan@cliniclegal.org.

Qualifications to Volunteer: Background in immigration law or appellate legal work. Active bar membership. Also,  law school clinics may participate.

Lauren Graham Sullivan, Esq.
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
415 Michigan Avenue, NE, Suite 200
Washington DC 20017
Phone: (202) 756-5537
Fax: (202) 635-2649
www.cliniclegal.org

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from Volunteers

• Resources: Overview and Tips for Practice before the BIA (Featuring Chairman David Neal and Vice Chairman Charles Adkins-Blanch), Webinar and Powerpoints

• To learn more about the Project and BIA, visit the EOIR Website