Completing the Application to Start or Renew Department of Justice Recognition and Accreditation

Advanced Workshop/Training:

Authorized Non-Attorney Practice of Immigration Law

Presented by

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) 

May 9. 2018

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location:

Dolores Street Community Services

938 Valencia Street

San Francisco, CA  94110

This one-day training/workshop is of an advanced nature for agencies who want to complete their application for Department of Justice (DOJ) (formerly Board of Immigration Appeals) Recognition and Accreditation in order to start and sustain a nonprofit immigration legal services program.  Under new regulations all groups who hold these privileges will have to file to renew them.  The training will offer guidance on how best to do so and how to take this opportunity to expand the number of recognized offices for your organization.  Participating agencies will have worked with CLINIC in the month preceding this to begin perfecting an approvable application.

Participants complete an application for either DOJ initial or renewal recognition and accreditation for one or, preferably, many staff and volunteers to receive accreditation.

Participants will also learn:

• what Department of Justice Recognition and Accreditation (DOJ R&A) will permit your agency to do to help strengthen your community,
• what you need to do to prepare to apply or renew (including training, experience, and centralized supervision and funding if you have more than one location providing services),
• what are character and fitness requirements for DOJ accreditation,
• what the different accreditation levels (partial and full accreditation) permit non-attorneys to do in terms of immigration law practice, and how to prepare for each,
• how to prepare an immigration legal services budget for DOJ R&A,
• how to prepare or improve your immigration legal services mission statement,
• the role of immigration legal services fees to sustain and grow your program, 
• case intake and management strategies,
• how to avoid the unauthorized practice of law,
• how to document your status as DOJ R&A agencies, and
• how to comply with the new record keeping requirements to retain DOJ R&A.

The training/workshop is highly interactive. It requires substantial preparation working with CLINIC in advance.  Participants will leave with a completed application for DOJ R&A.  The training will be presented by Luis Guerra, Strategic Capacity Officer and Jack Holmgren, Strategic Capacity Advisor.

Registration: Intended only for grantees and sub-grantees of the California Department of Social Services One California.  Please indicate whether your organization is a grantee or a sub-grantee.  If your organization is a sub-grantee please specify which grantee organization you work with.  This training is expected to fill up quickly.  Early registration is recommended.

The registration deadline is May 7, 2018 or sooner if registration is full. For registration information, contact Jack Holmgren at jholmgren@cliniclegal.org