Summer I 2023
Professor(s):
Teresa Messer (OTHER FACULTY)
Credits: 4
Course Areas: Practice Skills - Clinics and Externships
Time: ARRANGED Location:
Course Outline: Case Round:
Premised on the medical model, case rounds help students strategize about their cases with the help of the professors and also fellow students during class. For case rounds this semester, please be ready to discuss the cases assigned to you. You will be asked to present the status of your cases. You should provide a bit of the background of the case. You may be asked to discuss what arguments or research you think will be required to win your case. We will discuss the theory of the case; be ready to be asked about the details of the file. Please “learn your file” so you will be able to answer questions posed by the supervising attorney and/or fellow students.
Preparation:
Please be sure to read the materials relevant to the topics for each class. These materials are located on the Y drive under course materials. Read those carefully. We will call upon students who should be prepared and ready to discuss the materials and/or cases. If you wish to read more about any particular topic or prepare more for any specific case, read the appropriate section in Kurzban's Immigration Law Source-book (16th ed.) This resource has chapters and further information relating to all topics covering immigration law.
Practical Skills:
Training After case rounds are completed in a given class, if time allows, we will have presentations on certain practical topics, for example: how to properly assist a client with an affidavit, confidentiality issues, interviewing skills, ethical issues in immigration practice, etc.
Outreaches:
All students (both Clinic I and II) are required to do 2 outreaches this semester. There are plenty of opportunities to do outreaches. Professor Sorgwe will keep a record of all the outreaches done by students.
Course Syllabus: Syllabus
Course Notes: Quota=3
Grades:
Your grade will be determined based on your performance on the cases assigned to you, as evidenced by your documents, your ability to work with your fellow students, meetings with supervising attorneys, as well as your Student Logs, which are in your student folder in the SharePoint, class participation, and journals. For more information on grades, please see your Student Manual discussed during orientation. The SharePoint has all your materials under Course Materials.
Assessments and Outcomes:
Through this course, students will be able to: (1) demonstrate understanding immigration laws and procedures; (2) represent real clients and engage in legal analysis and reasoning to solve real immigration issues under the direct supervision of licensed attorneys/professors; (3) develop written and oral communication related to Immigration Law; (4) reflect on the concept of ethical practice and professionalism in the lawyer’s role in representing immigrants with their legal issues; and finally (5) recognize the direction in which the law in this area is developing and be cognizant of various possibilities for reform.
NOTE:
There is a 48-hour rule concerning sending out any work to be filed with the court or any administrative agency. This should not be construed to mean that you should ignore deadlines imposed by your supervising attorneys in the event they would like drafts or other worked turned in earlier than 48 hours. All work must be turned in to your professor for their review by the deadlines set by the professor and no work product should be sent outside the Clinic, e.g. client letters, USCIS, immigration court and BIA filings without the approval and signature of the professor. If a professor does not have enough time to review your work before it is mailed out and you miss the 48 hour deadline this will greatly adversely affect your grade.
The Student Logs and your work in your case file, all in SharePoint, will be reviewed in order to determine your grade, along with your journal and class participation.
Journals:
Please see the Student Manual for details regarding the contents of a journal. Please email your journal to all professors at the beginning of designated classes.
My Case:
Please see the Immigration Clinic Student Handbook in the SharePoint. Remember to keep all your time in My Case. You will be required to print out all your time for each case, and show the time sheets to your supervising professors at the time of the mid-semester review meeting and also at the time of your final meeting (end of semester) with your supervising professors. Also you are required to create a “new case” with your name in which you will save all your non-billable time.
Class Attendance:
Class attendance is mandatory unless otherwise excused with the written permission.
Meetings with your Supervising Attorneys: Please see the Student Manual and Handbook. You must check in with your supervising attorneys on a weekly basis on each active case you have. An “active” case is defined as a case where there is currently some project with a due date or an on-going project: for example, a brief, research memo, court filing, etc. The meetings do not have to be lengthy but you must keep each supervising attorney advised and updated on the progress on your cases on a weekly basis. Remember, you must commit to a minimum of 10 hours (not including 2 hours for class) in which you will be physically present in the clinic space. Your block schedule is your commitment and will enable us to find you when you are in the clinic.
Prerequisites: Yes - Completion of immigration Practice Clinic I. Good academic standing.
First Day Assignments:
Final Exam Schedule:
This course will have:
Exam:
Paper:
Satisfies Senior Upper Level Writing Requirement: No
Experiential Course Type: clinic
Bar Course: No
DistanceEd ABA: No
Pass-Fail Student Election: Unavailable (Instructor Preference)
Course Materials
No book required for this course