American Immigration Lawyers Association
DC Chapter 2013 Fall Conference
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
University of Maryland Shady Grove Conference Center
(Rockville, MD)
"Hollywood v. The Real World:
Practical Solutions for Complex Issues"
Track 1: Morning: 9:00-10:30 am
“CHASING FREEDOM” - ADVANCED ASYLUM
A. Strategies on wining affirmative and defensive asylum applications
1. Best evidence to prove each eligibility requirement
2. Use of expert witnesses for country conditions
3. Psychological evaluations – use of forensic psychologists; client’s psychologists; how to obtain pro bono psychological services/evaluations
4. One year deadline issues – how to document cases seeking a waiver of the deadline
5. Headquarters review: what to do to avoid long delays; discuss current processing times generally.
6. How to insulate your client from possible TRIG grounds
7. Access to asylum officer notes/obtaining full record of client through FOIA
B. Trends in asylum cases
1. Current statistics (nationality, gender, age)
2. Children’s claims/gangs; UAM procedures, etc.
3. LGBT/DOMA issues: Will DOMA affect asylum decisions; any marriage must be valid in place where occurred; options for people with partners out of status.
4. Asylum clock settlement
5. Fourth Circuit decision: trends in published and unpublished decisions; types of claimants seeking PFRs.
C. Preserving the Record for Appeal
1. How to preserve the record: objections; ensure that hearing is recorded, etc.
2. Must raise issue in order to preserve review at BIA
- What happens if you do not preserve the record; are there any ways to cure/revive an issue
SPEAKERS: The Honorable Andre M. Davis (US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit), Anna Gallagher (moderator, Maggio Kattar), Lindsay Harris (Georgetown Univ. Law Center) and Vanessa Allyn (Human Rights First)
Track 2: Morning: 9:00-10:30 am
DUDE, WHERE’S MY VISA? – PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HANDLING COMPLEX NONIMMIGRANT VISA ISSUES AT U.S. CONSULATES
A. Current issues and trends at the consulates
B. General consulate issues
C. H1B issues
D. H1B1 / E3 issues
E. L1 issues
F. E1/E2 issues
G. F-1 issues
H. B1 issues
SPEAKERS: Stephen Pattison (Maggio Kattar); Lesa Lawrence (Wasserman Mancini & Chang); Roberta Freedman (moderator, Clark Hill), Chloe Dybdahl (Attorney Advisor, Visa Office, US Dept. of State, invited)
Track 1: Morning: 10:30 am-12:00 pm
"HOME ALONE” - WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND IN THE HOME COUNTRY OR ALONE IN THE U.S.?
A. How to deal with children who were left out:
1. During consular processing
2. I-751
B. When a child is alone in the U.S., when is adoption an option for these children?
1. Overview of Hague country vs. non-Hague country adoption
2. Non-Hague country adoption and immigration benefits
3. Validity of second parent adoptions, LGBT parents, and DOMA
4. Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
SPEAKERS: Meg Hobbins (Maggio Kattar); Tifany E. Markee (Milner & Markee, San Diego, CA); Jennifer Fairfax (Jennifer Fairfax, LLC); Van Doan (moderator, Law Offices of Van T. Doan, LLC)
Track 2: Morning: 10:30 am-12:00 pm
I. “HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS” - PERM
A. Run-down of the PERM process from a procedural standpoint
B. Particular PERM problem issues such as alternate requirements
C. Prevailing wage issues
D. Audit issues and recent BALCA cases
E. Business necessity
F. Acceptable response to US worker applicants
G. How do PERM drafted requirements translate into successful I-140 filings for EB2/EB3 purposes?
SPEAKERS: Sheela Murthy (moderator, Murthy Law Firm); Parastoo Zahedi (Law Office of Parastoo Zahedi); Mary Ryan (Taylor & Ryan); Bill Carlson (US Dept. of Labor); and Miriam Morse (USCIS Office of Chief Counsel – invited not yet confirmed).
Track 1 and 2: Lunch: 12:00-12:30 pm
Track 1 and 2: Ethics for Immigration Attorneys: 12:30-1:30 pm
“STAYING ALIVE” - ETHICS FOR IMMIGRATION PRACTITIONERS
A. Best Practices in Immigration Court
B. Best Practices before USCIS and in Business Immigration
C. Immigration Practice Management Tips from the Pros
D. Questions and Answers
SPEAKERS:Jonathan Greene (moderator, Greene Law Firm, LLC), Reid Trautz (Director, AILA Practice and Professionalism Center), John Vandenberg (Hogan & Vandenberg, LLC, Philadelphia, PA); The Honorable John F. Gossart, Jr. (Immigration Judge, DOJ EOIR).
Track 1: Afternoon: 1:45-3:15 pm
“GRUDGE MATCH” – RESPONDING TO RFE’S, NOID’S, AND DENIALS EFFECTIVELY
A. Summary of RFE, NOID, and denial basics
B. Common reasons for adverse actions
C. Framing an effective response: addressing the current adjudicator’s issues while thinking down the road
D. Examples of masterfully overcoming problems with I-130’s, I-485’s, I-751’s, I-360/VAWA, and N-400’s.
SPEAKERS: Lory D. Rosenberg (IDEAS Consultation and Coaching LLC), Todd Pilcher (Dzubow & Pilcher, PLLC), Ofelia L. Calderon (Calderon, Racine, & Derwin, PLC), Sandra Grossman (moderator, Grossman Law LLC)
Track 2: Afternoon: 1:45-3:15 pm
“DIE HARD” - NOIDS, NOIRS and RFE RESPONSES IN EMPLOYMENT BASED CASES
A. H-1B Issues
1. Specialty Occupation
2. Right to Control
3. Status Issues – Focus on F1 status problems raised at H-1B petition stage.
B. L Category Issues
1. Specialized Knowledge
2. Qualifying Corporate Relationship
3. Executive or Managerial Role
4. 3 year / 1 year
C. I-140 Issues
1. Ability to Pay
2. Educational Equivalency
D. I-485 Issues
1. Maintaining NIV Status
2. Unauthorized Work (LCA issues, 245k, etc)
SPEAKERS: Howard Gordon (moderator, Fragomen Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy); Monique Van Stiphout (Maggio Kattar), Anna Stepanova (Murthy Law Firm); Tina Sharma (Law Offices of Tina Sharma), Sonal Verma (Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy);
Track 1: Afternoon: 3:30-5:00 pm
“CRIME AND PUNISHMENT” – DETERMINING IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
A. Introduction to the categorical approach
1. Categorical approach v. modified categorial approach
2. Application to generic crimes
3. Federal Sentencing Guidelines (Guidelines); Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA); context of decisions using the categorical and modified categorical approaches in these type of cases and relevance to removal proceedings
4. Example of how issues arise
B. Application of Categorical and Modified Categorical Approaches
1. Summary of recent Supreme Court and Fourth Circuit case law
2. How to analyze elements of a crime for application of modified/categorical approach to crimes of violence and theft (in all 3 jurisdictions – DC, MD and VA)
3. Application to crimes involving child abuse
C. Other important considerations for applying categorical approach
1. Burden of proof issues
2. Bond Hearings
SPEAKERS: Ivan Yacub (Yacub Law Offices, LLC); Rachel Ullman (The Law Office of Rachel S. Ullman, PC); Laura Kelsey Rhodes (moderator, Laura Kelsey Rhodes, LLC)
Track 2: Afternoon: 3:30-5:00 pm
“LET IT RIDE” - APPEALS AND FEDERAL LITIGATION
A. Trends and Best Practices from the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO)
B. Issues before the AAO
1. Why File an Appeal
2. Specialty occupation
3. Right to control – L1 and H1B
4. Multinational Executive and Manager
5. I-140 Ability to pay
6. Labor Certification-related issues
C. Issues in Litigation
1. Why Pursue Litigation
2. Exhaustion
3. Standing
4. Substantive Issues
SPEAKERS: David Gluckman (moderator, McCandlish Holton); Thomas Ragland (Benach Ragland LLP); Adam Rosen (Murthy Law Firm); William "Ken" Renwick) Branch Section Chief (AAO).
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