CLE: Strengthening the Champaign-Urbana Immigrant Advocacy Community: Collaborative Immigration Law and Social Work Workshop
Presented by:
Lauren R. Aronson, University of Illinois College of Law
Clinical Professor of Law
Immigration Law Clinic Director
Dr. Flora Cohen, University of Illinois School of Social Work
Assistant Professor
October 4-5, 2024
College of Law Building
This workshop is an interdisciplinary collaboration designed to build the capacity of social work and legal professionals and students to serve the immigrant community in Illinois. Through building the capacity of professionals, we aim to expand access to justice and healing for the ever-growing immigrant community. The program consists of three sessions for which we will offer MCLE credit* and CEUs.
With thanks to the UIUC School of Social Work Social Innovation Fund, the entire program is offered free of charge, with lunch provided Friday and Saturday, plus a light breakfast Saturday morning.
*This course has been approved for 8.0 hours of Illinois MCLE Credit -- 6.5 Hours of General Credit, 1.00 Professional Responsibility (Ethics) Credit, and .50 Professional Responsibility (Mental Health) Credit.
REGISTER TO ATTEND
Session 1: Ethics in Navigating Interpreter and Immigrant Dynamics
October 4, 2024, 12:00pm-3:00pm
This session will present participants with specific instruction on the practice of working with interpreters. The general credit is attributed to this basic instruction on the logistics and best practices of working with an interpreter, as well as supervised simulations and feedback sessions. Working with interpreters can present distinct ethical challenges relating to confidentiality, bias, etc. The ethics credit is attributed to explanation of these ethical challenges and instruction on how to overcome them.
This session will also feature a panel consisting of professional interpreters and an academic deeply involved in developing a community interpretation project.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the ethical challenges inherent in working with interpreters in legal contexts, including issues of confidentiality, impartiality, and bias.
- Develop strategies for navigating ethical dilemmas when working with interpreters, including identifying and addressing potential conflicts of interest, maintaining confidentiality, and promoting cultural competence.
- Apply best practices for effective communication and collaboration with interpreters, including techniques for clarifying instructions, managing expectations, and resolving misunderstandings in a culturally sensitive manner.
Lunch will be provided.
Session 2: Legal Complexities of Working with Trauma-affected Immigrants
October 5, 2024, 9:00am-12:00pm
This session will instruct participants in how to recognize trauma in their clients/prospective clients, as well as in how to effectively interview such clients in light of their experience of trauma. Additionally, this session will provide a primer on black letter immigration law, introducing or refreshing lawyers as to the forms of legal relief available to immigrant victims of trauma or crimes. Strategies to manage vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout will also be discussed.
- Recognize the signs of trauma in immigrant clients and prospective clients, including understanding how trauma may manifest in their behavior, communication, and demeanor.
- Develop effective interviewing techniques tailored to trauma-affected individuals, including creating a safe and supportive environment, utilizing trauma-informed questioning strategies, and practicing active listening to elicit relevant information while minimizing retraumatization.
- Gain a foundational understanding of key legal relief options available to immigrant victims of trauma or crimes, including asylum, U and T Nonimmigrant Status, and other forms of humanitarian relief, to better advocate for their client’s legal rights and needs.
- Raise awareness of secondary or vicarious trauma and offer strategies for managing compassion fatigue and burnout in our own practices.
A light breakfast will be provided.
Session 3: Expert Witnesses and Working with Experts
October 5, 2024, 1:00pm-4:00pm
This final session will bring the social workers and lawyers together in clear collaboration. It will educate both groups of professionals on the art of written and oral expert witness testimony in the immigration law context – explaining the goals of such testimony and the hindrances to successful testimony to avoid. It will also provide advice and explanations from both a social worker and a lawyer regarding the practical complexities of working together in order to provide the best representation to the clients.
This session will also feature a presentation/panel that will include (hopefully) a retired immigration judge and experts on providing expert testimony.
- Understand the role and importance of expert witness oral and written testimony in immigration law cases, including the goals of such testimony and the potential obstacles that may impede its effectiveness, while also demystifying the seemingly high-stress experience of testifying in court before a judge.
- Develop skills in preparing and presenting written and oral expert witness testimony in immigration proceedings, including techniques for conveying complex information clearly and persuasively to judges, juries, or adjudicators.
- Explore strategies for effective collaboration between social workers and lawyers in immigration cases, including clear communication, delineation of roles and responsibilities, and leveraging each profession’s expertise to provide comprehensive representation and support to clients.
Lunch will be provided.
