Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions Project with State Bar of Texas, Standing Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters

Students will help research and prepare a resource guide that will be distributed by the State Bar of Texas’s Standing Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters to county-based public defense systems across Texas. The guide will address the scope of foreign-born individuals’ right to advice about the immigration consequences of criminal convictions under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S Constitution, profile Texas counties that have adopted programs to meet this obligation, and highlight national best practices for providing immigration advice to individuals accused of criminal offenses.

Organization

State Bar of Texas, Standing Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters

The State Bar of Texas created the Standing Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters to study the system of defense of indigent persons in criminal law matters in Texas, collect data and other information relevant to their defense, and to develop recommendations for action by the State Bar of Texas, the Texas legislature and all other entities that are or should be involved in the provision of quality representation to indigent persons involved in criminal matters.

Project Details

Project Start Date

February 2019

Approximate hours of work requested
20-30 hours total over the course of the semester
Training
Training and supervision will be provided on an ongoing basis by Prof. Andrea Marsh, who is the chair of the subcommittee responsible for developing the resource guide
Skills used
Legal research/writing
Project location
Students will work with Prof. Andrea Marsh at the law school and may conduct additional resource at a location of their choice
Number of student volunteers requested
2
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
Required skills
Strong research and writing skills required; students with an interest in the intersection of public defense and immigration law are encouraged to apply
To Apply
Submit email stating interest to Sarah Sedgwick at ssedgwick@law.utexas.edu by noon on Wednesday, February 6