The Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law invites legal service providers, pro bono attorneys, and CBOs to its 2008 series of free one-hour webinars.
Trainings will address issues of importance to legal services programs and pro bono attorneys who interface with immigrants, including the rights of immigrants who are survivors of domestic violence, children, crime victims, and human trafficking. We are also offering sessions on litigation for legal services practitioners.

There is NO FEE to participate in these one-hour Friday trainings. Both legal services attorneys and paralegals and pro bono attorneys are invited to join the webinars. Please feel free to forward this invitation to other IOLTA and EAF funded programs that might be interested in participating in the webinars. Instructions on how to participate will be circulated prior to the webinars.

Trainings will be conducted by Peter Schey, Executive Director, Carlos Holguín, General Counsel, and Angela Viramontes, EAF Staff Attorney, of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Peter, Carlos and Angela have nearly 70 years of legal services experience between them and have won numerous cases for indigent clients, including Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982) (state-wide class of undocumented children denied access to public elementary education because of their immigration status); Reno v. Catholic Social Services, 509 U.S. 43 (1993) (national class of persons unlawfully denied legalization under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986); Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292 (1993) (national class action on behalf of children denied release on bail pending the outcome of deportation proceedings); and League of United Latin American Citizens v. Wilson, 131 F.3d 1297 (9th Cir. 1997) (state-wide class action challenging constitutionality of state proposition denying health care, social services and education to suspected undocumented immigrants).

You may join the webinars without registering beforehand, but since the number of participants may be limited, if possible please let us know that you plan to join a training by emailing our EAF Staff Attorney Angela Viramontes at aviramontes@centerforhumanrights.org with your contact information and the webinars you intend to join.
Please mark these Friday trainings on your calendar and join us for those covering subjects that may be helpful to your practice or that you find interesting.

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Webinar 1: November 7, 2008, Noon-1 PM PST — Immigration law for the legal services practitioner.
Introduction to structure and principal concepts of immigration law. Identifying who can legalize their status; immigrants and nonimmigrants; vulnerable classes; admissibility; removal (deportation), and naturalization.

Webinar 2: November 14, 2008, Noon-1 PM PST — Rights of Immigrant Youth
Advocating on behalf of immigrant youth: Legalizing abused, abandoned, and neglected minors; who qualifies for Special Immigrant Juvenile classification and adjustment of status; rights of detained immigrant and refugee children; recent developments and litigation.

Webinar 3: November 28, 2008, Noon-1 PM PST — Rights of crime victims
Advocating on behalf of immigrant victims of violent crimes: Legalizing immigrant survivors of violent crimes; applying for U visas, work permits and adjustment of status; recent developments and litigation.

Webinar 4: December 12, 2008 Noon-1 PM PST — Rights of trafficking victims and survivors of domestic violence
Advocating on behalf of immigrant survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking: Legalizing immigrant survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking; who qualifies for T visas and benefits under the Violence Against Women Act; how to apply for T visas, VAWA benefits, work permits, and adjustment of status; recent developments and litigation.

Webinar 5: December 19, 2008 Noon-1 PM PST — Litigation on behalf of Legal Services clients
Litigation for the front-line legal services practitioner: What kinds of cases should be litigated; what are the benefits of litigation; how to develop a record; litigation management; marshalling resources.

If you have any questions, please contact EAF Staff Attorney Angela Viramontes at aviramontes@centerforhumanrights.org