Texas Law Pro Se Asylum Clinic

Students will help asylum seekers prepare petitions for asylum, using information provided by applicants in written packets and during personal interviews. Asylum is available to immigrants who have fled their home countries because of persecution and/or torture due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

Organization

Mithoff Pro Bono Program

The Pro Se Asylum Clinic is an internal project of the Mithoff Pro Bono Program, hosted in partnership with Casa Marianella. Casa Marianella provides shelter, food, and full supportive services to homeless immigrants in Austin, as well as immigration legal services for residents and former residents.

Project Details

Project Start Date

Friday & Saturday, October 8-9

Approximate hours of work requested
9-11 hours, including training; Project dates: Friday, October 8, 1:30pm-2:30pm (work session) AND Saturday, October 9, 10am-2pm (applicant meetings); students will finalize draft asylum applications and revise based on attorney feedback in the week following the clinic, with final petitions completed by Friday, October 15
Training
Wednesday, October 6, 6:30pm-8pm (Zoom link via Canvas)
Skills used
Client interviewing; document preparation/review
Project location
The work session and the applicant meetings will take place at the law school; Casa Marianella requests that all participants wear masks at the applicant meeting
Number of student volunteers requested
20
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
Required skills
Previous immigration law experience helpful; foreign language skills (Lingala, French, Spanish, Haitian Creole) are preferred but not required; students who do not speak the same language as the applicant they are working with will have access to a translation service
To Apply
Submit an application online at https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1MkCPx2zxVuh6oS; applications will be considered on a rolling basis as they are received