Who are CLINIC subscribers?
Subscribers are non-Catholic nonprofits with a mission to serve low-income immigrants by providing, or seeking to provide, legal immigration services. Subscribers cannot be individuals unassociated with a nonprofit. CLINIC’s subscribers represent the vibrant diversity of local groups defending immigrants and facilitating their integration. Our affiliates include local nonprofits providing a variety of social services or immigration services only, faith-based organizations and congregations, libraries, refugee service organizations, domestic violence survivor assistance programs, labor unions, and more.
A subscriber candidate must have a state-certified nonprofit status and 501(c)3 IRS tax designation. Subscribers should have a demonstrated mission to serve low-income and other vulnerable immigrants. Organizations seeking subscriber status must be providing direct legal services to low-income immigrants or actively planning to establish such services. Subscribers are expected to be, or become, attorney-driven, Department of Justice recognized, or pursue recognition with at least one accredited staff person in order to practice immigration law legally.
How to Become a Subscriber
Step 1: Fill out the Subscriber Inquiry form. CLINIC Director of Capacity Building, Jeff Chenoweth will review your information to see if you are eligible to join.
Step 2: Receive, complete, and return the full application sent by CLINIC which includes the Subscriber Registration and Renewal Form; Subscriber Agreement; Core Standards for Charitable Immigration Programs; mission statement, and IRS 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status letter.
Step 3: CLINIC asks the local Catholic bishop and Catholic-based immigration program director for input before approving your organization’s request to become a CLINIC subscriber.
Step 4: Once accepted, you receive an invoice for annual dues and make payment. Upon receiving payment, CLINIC issues an acceptance notice and activates benefits and services.
Subscription Dues
CLINIC subscription dues are $1,500. Subscribers pay a reduced fee of $750 if the application is approved between July through December. All renewals are invoiced at $1,500. Subscription dues are invoiced at the beginning of the year when the annual renewal process begins.
For more information about subscriptions, contact Jeff Chenoweth at jchenoweth@cliniclegal.org.
CLINIC's Exclusive Agreement with LawLogix
Pricing discounts, training and certification programs for CLINIC affiliates (members and subscribers) using EDGEtm, the leader in immigrant forms and case management software. CLINIC is a proud user of LawLogix’s case management system and more than one-hundred of CLINIC’s network use it effectively.
Subscription Benefits
As a subscriber, designated nonprofit staff receive the following benefits:
Legal Training and Mentoring
- Consult with an experienced immigration attorney who has expertise in areas of practice common to nonprofit client’s needs. This benefit often helps nonprofit immigration programs without an attorney in its application for Department of Justice recognition.
- Access to CLINIC’s unparalleled resources designed for nonprofit immigration legal representatives and their professional development needs including a wide array of legal immigration toolkits, papers, training manuals, program management tools, and other resources to further enhance your practice and better serve your clients;
- Free access to periodic webinars on unique issues in immigration law and recent changes;
- Discount registration fees for CLINIC’s highly sought in-person, webinars and e- trainings spanning a wide variety of legal and program management topics;
- Discount registration fees to CLINIC’s Annual Convening attended by hundreds of professionals representing the diversity of the U.S.’s immigration population who are nonprofit immigration legal representatives, attorneys in private practice, community advocates, religious workers, labor union staff, refugee resettlement caseworkers and more, gathered for inspirational messages, technical training on immigration law and keen insights into better program management practices;
- Subscription to CLINIC’s monthly e-newsletter, Catholic Legal Immigration News, relaying insightful legal analysis to immigration changes along with compelling stories from CLINIC’s growing and diverse network of affiliates and staff;
- Access to archived newsletters and legal practice updates through a secured web portal making the practice of immigration law less burdensome.
Advocacy Support
- Receive prompt and thoughtfully researched advocacy updates, including USCIS updates and CLINIC’s notes from stakeholder calls with federal authorities; a newsletter dedicated to advocacy issues; guidance on advocacy strategies; model resolutions for local legislative actions; talking points for local and national advocacy efforts, as CLINIC staff time permits; Op-Eds on urgent immigration topics; and media preparation strategies for local news stories, as CLINIC staff time permits.
Organizational Capacity Building
- New affiliate Program Review Call with a CLINIC Field Support Coordinator assigned to advise your program’s leadership and direct service staff on best to access CLINIC’s services and acquire authorization to practice immigration law without an attorney, if necessary;
- Consultation and technical assistance on starting, sustaining and growing an immigration legal program to meet un-met needs of low-income immigrants in your community;
- Consultation and technical assistance to become an authorized legal immigration service provider through Department of Justice’s agency recognition and staff accreditation – learn from the most experienced nonprofit professionals dedicated to assisting non-attorneys acquire authorization to practice immigration law;
- Consultation and technical assistance on renewing agency recognition and non-attorney staff accreditation status, partial and full, under DOJ regulations;
- Access to a subscriber-restricted section of CLINIC's website where special resources are stored;
- Consultations with experts on immigrant and community integration initiatives that can make your community more welcoming to newcomers and bond local residents in the process;
- Free registration for program management webinars on best practices and new initiatives;
- Access to CLINIC affiliate program and service data detailed in the Annual Affiliate Survey – provided the affiliate participated in the survey;
- Self-assessment tool designed for program directors who wish to determine which best practices are in full implementation, in-progress or not yet engaged;
- Postings and access to CLINIC's web-based Job Board to advertise and search for the best applicants in the country; and
- Access to discount pricing for use of LawLogix’s EDGE immigration case management system (see below).