Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic – 7042

Fall 2016
* Multi-semester course
Benjamin Casper Sanchez ’97
Julia Decker

The Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic is part of the Center for New Americans and will teach second and third year students to effectively represent clients in federal impact immigration litigation. The clinic lasts a full academic year. Cases may include appellate litigation before the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, U.S. Supreme Court, and Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as litigation before U.S. District Courts and immigration courts. Cases may deal with asylum and related issues, as well as the intersection of immigration and criminal law. Students will also learn about the substance and process of immigration policy making, at both the legislative and administrative levels, and may engage in immigration policy outreach and advocacy projects that advance the Center for New Americans' priorities for systemic change in immigration law.

Through classroom instruction and case supervision, and working in case teams, students will learn substantive immigration law, administrative and federal rules of procedure, and a broad range of skills important to the effective representation of clients in federal immigration litigation, including: client contact and communication, case management, legal writing and drafting, oral advocacy, courtroom skills, legal ethics, communications and negotiations with opposing counsel, case analysis / vehicle selection, and case strategy / coordination with co-counsel, allies, amici, and media. Interested students can reach Professor Benjamin Casper in Room 96L or by email at caspe010@umn.edu.  Teaching Fellow Julia Decker can be reached at Room 96B or by email at dibar003@umn.edu.