AILA New England Chapter

AILA NE Holiday Party at Omni Parker
2024-12-13 17:30 - 22:00 (America/New_York)
Back by popular demand, we are holding our holiday party at Omni Parker on Friday, 12/13. Please register for the party by Thursday 12/5. No walk-ins will be accepted.
When: Friday December 13 at 5:30-10 pm

5:30 – 6:30 pm Cocktail Hour
6:30 – 10:00 pm Dinner, Music (see below), Dancing (with DJ), Photo Booth!
Featuring: Slow Boat Home, band led by AILA NE member Stephen Born!

Where: Omni Parker Boston, 60 School Street
Tickets: First-come, first-served, up to 200 attendees

AILA NE members working at non-profits: $20
AILA NE members (not at non-profits): $50
AILA NE members’ Plus One guest: $80 (up to 30 slots, first-come, first-served, to be available next week. Only 1 guest per AILA NE member)
Do you know an attorney who wants to attend and is not a member? Encourage them to become a member!

Lodging: We have a courtesy 20-room block for the night of 12/12 and 12/13, at $159 per night. Use this link to reserve a room at the discounted rate before 11/26, when the room block expires.

PAIR Project Asylum Office Hours (New Members Division)
2024-12-11 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-09 12:00 - 13:00
The PAIR Project is delighted to offer New Members Division members monthly open asylum “office hours” hosted by PAIR’s Asylum Program staff – an open Zoom line that members can drop in on to ask questions, discuss their cases, and hear from others.

You can drop in any time during the hour – no need to sign up or pre-schedule
Office hours will be 12:00-1:00pm on the second Wednesday of each month
Join at https://zoom.us/j/95442321927, Meeting ID: 954 4232 1927

DEI Committee - 4th Book Review Meeting
2024-12-05 18:00 - 19:00
Please join the DEI committee for its fourth book club meeting as we delve into the first four chapters of White by Law by Ian Haney López.

This critical work explores how legal definitions of race and whiteness have shaped American legal and social structures.
For this session, we will focus on: The foundational concepts introduced in the first chapters and ultimately understand the relationship between race and the law, including key questions and themes raised by López’s analysis.
Please come prepared to discuss your insights and questions about these chapters. If you have any points you’d like to explore or specific questions, feel free to share them beforehand when you register.

Register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. We will have to suspend the book club if we do not have up to 5 participants registered to attend, so please sign up if you are interested.

AILA NE Connected: Navigating the Trump 2.0 Storm (Open Forum)
2024-12-04 12:00 - 13:00
AILA NE Connected: Navigating the Trump 2.0 Storm
As we all digest the post-election results, we are feeling uncertain, stressed, perhaps even angry, and probably a whole range of other emotions—that is why connectedness and solidarity is more important than ever. Join us at AILA NE Connected: Navigating the Trump 2.0 Storm, a supportive space for AILA NE attorneys to connect, commiserate, and strategize. Held twice monthly – 1st Wednesday of the month at 12 pm (join here) and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 5 pm (join here), this forum is designed to empower and sustain you as you face unprecedented changes and challenges, both professionally and personally.
Whether you’re grappling with:

New or intensifying travel restrictions,
Managing DACA clients under shifting policies,
Responding to mass deportation efforts,
Supporting business clients navigating new standards for common work visa, DOL wage rules or other restrictions,
Or just feeling the weight of this turbulent environment,

AILA NE Connected is here for you. The AILA NE Wellness Committee and the Executive Committee will provide a space to discuss legal strategies, share advice, and simply vent about the stresses we all feel. Many of our members work in solo practices or work remotely—so they often don’t feel connected. This forum is designed to provide a safe and supportive space twice a month so you can feel connected to your AILA colleagues. Together, we can problem-solve, find creative solutions, and remind each other that we’re not alone in this fight.
No need to register in advance—and you don’t have to stay for the full hour, or come every session—drop in whenever you are able. Just bring yourself and whatever is on your mind. We will stand together as advocates , allies, colleagues and friends. We will get through this together!

Giving Tuesday: Listen to Kamala – Roll Up Your Sleeves and Pitch in!
2024-12-03 12:00 - 13:00
On Nov. 6, Kamala said “You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world . . . This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.” So let’s get going! Join colleagues for a virtual roundtable on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3) from noon to 1 to see which volunteer opportunity is right for you. We know everyone can’t do everything, but if each of us took on one (more) pro bono case, or volunteered at one more clinic, what an amazing impact that would have. Join at this link!
You will be joined by:
– Daniel Carpenter, to discuss AILA’s Military Assistance Program
– Katie Lambing, to discuss The Rian Immigrant Center’s Immigration Clinics
– Justin Fyten, to discuss direct representation opportunities with Kids in Need of Defense
– Sarah Allar, to discuss direct representation opportunities with the PAIR Project
– Jessica Chicco, to discuss clinic opportunities with the MIRA Coalition
You will hear from each represented organization about:
– What volunteer options are available and most needed?
– What is the typical time commitment (both in overall time spent and how long the case/project takes)?
– What if any mentorship or resources are available?
– Is prior experience in a specific area needed?
– What exactly is the next step for someone who wants to get started?
But wait, there’s more! Everyone who attends will be entered into a raffle and a randomly selected winner will get to select the non-profit of your choice for a $100 donation in your name (covered by AILA New England). And everyone who commits to a volunteer or pro bono opportunity by the conclusion of the brownbag will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card for a wellness-related purpose.
If you have questions, just come😊. If you have suggestions or can’t make it and have questions, please email Robin Nice at PastChairAILANE@gmail.com.

November Chapter Meeting
2024-11-21 04:00 - 18:30
Thurs 11/21 5-6:30 pm and dinner after!
Join us for our Chapter Meeting (Hybrid) on Thursday November 21chapter meeting. The topic is on Wellness as we face major disruptions in immigration under a second Trump administration. We will focus on practical strategies to manage stress, life, and work while maintaining productivity. Dr. Sarah Reiff-Hekking, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized speaker, specifically working with lawyers, on keeping profitable activity while balancing life.
Register here for the meeting and for dinner.

When: Thursday 11/21 at 5-6:30 pm (5:00 – 5:30 Chapter Business Meeting; 5:30 – 6:30 Main Meeting)
Where: In-person at WR Immigration, 175 Federal Street, Suite 1025 across the street from South Station in Boston. You must register here to be added to the building security. Please bring a photo ID to present on the first floor.
Virtual option: Register here for Zoom link.
Dinner after the meeting: RSVP to attend a dinner partially subsidized by AILA NE. The restaurant will be walkable distance to South Station. More details to come.

KIND Office Hour (Virtual)
2024-11-20 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-16 12:00 - 13:00
KIND Office Hours
Please join KIND Boston for a virtual hour at 12 pm EST to discuss issues on your cases surrounding representation of unaccompanied children, potential community referrals, and volunteer opportunities for those interested.

This is a recurring event on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 12 pm.
A member of KIND Boston’s Staff will be available for this hour each month for brainstorming and discussion.
Join at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89432923086, Meeting ID: 894 3292 3086

NEW! Weekly Virtual Roundtable
2024-11-19 17:00 - 18:00
Our Chapter will hold a weekly roundtable – with no set agenda items – to provide a smaller forum for members to get together and raise questions, workshop issues, or just commiserate about the practice challenges we are facing.

We will have at least 2 seasoned attorneys present to facilitate and help answer questions: 1 employment practitioner and 1 humanitarian/removal practitioner.
Register for a Zoom link here.
We will offer staggered time slots each week – the schedule is being finalized now and we will announce it soon.

Immigration Legislation Across New England (State Legislative Relations Panel)
2024-11-18 12:00 - 13:00
The AILA New England Chapter draws on members from across the region. Each New England state is rich with their own history, has different populations, and each state has varying local immigration needs. While federal law will dictate and govern our immigration system, many states have embraced their immigration populations with laws easing access to driver’s license or expanding healthcare access. Please join colleagues from across New England in an open forum discussion on local immigration issues in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. We will discuss advocacy resources, pending bills, and dissect the current political climate post-election.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tduysqzkjGtRNvzff4c8EFTKDUagqHw5B

AILA New England Annual Conference
2024-11-08 08:00 - 20:00
Registration is now open for our Annual Chapter Conference, which will take place Friday 11/8/2024 immediately after the presidential elections.
Hear from experts about the impact to immigration based on the results of the election!
Early Bird Rates are available until 9/15!

Our fabulous speakers will share legal updates, agency developments, litigation news, and tips on incorporating wellness and new technologies into our practices.
Please see the conference website (https://www.ailaneconference.org/conference/) for the detailed schedule and to register.
Our committees have been hard at work securing sponsorships from exhibitors who will keep registration costs down and cover many complimentary offerings which all take place at the Hynes Convention Center

Pre-conference reception – Thursday November 7 at 6-9 pm (at Hynes)
Plenary morning sessions followed by concurrent removal/humanitarian and employment tracks in the afternoon
Catered lunch on premises
Opportunity to sign up for a complimentary chair massage
Post-conference reception – Friday November 8 at 6 pm, immediately following the conference (at Hynes)
THIS JUST IN: For Conference Registrants, AILA NE is providing complimentary law practice management strategy sessions (virtual) on Tuesday 11/12 with Practice Management Counsel Charity Anastasio.

Sign up here.
These free, confidential, personalized half-hour sessions on Zoom will be on Tuesday, November 12. Make a plan to actualize what you learned at the conference or take the time to go deep on any ethics or practice topic on your mind. Save your slot so you have time set aside to put what you learned into action. Questions? Contact Charity at canastasio@aila.org.

Please note this year’s conference will be in-person only; there is no hybrid option and the sessions will not be recorded.
The Early Bird rate expires Sept. 15, so register now!

AILA NE Pre-Conference Reception
2024-11-07 18:00 - 21:00

Litigation Against Sponsors: Enforcing Form I-864, Affidavit of Support
2024-10-25 12:00 - 13:00
Almost every immigration lawyer has seen the Affidavit of Support, but are you aware of how widely this contract has been enforced in court? While the government rarely pursues reimbursement, sponsored immigrants have a private right of action against sponsors. This has lead to successful state and federal litigation across the country. Greg McLawsen (Sound Immigration) is an attorney based in Seattle who focuses on representing plaintiffs in these lawsuits. This talk will address:

What are a sponsor’s duties under the I-864?
Nuts and bolts of enforcement: who gets sued, where and how?
Federal vs. state court.
What defenses are available?
Practice implications for firms handling family-sponsored immigration.
Written materials available here (6 articles).

Register here:
https://aila-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIlde2ppz4oGN0V_C4sqrS3bdLAH4wlhqOY
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Open Forum: SIJS-Related Issues and Concerns in MA Probate and Family Courts
2024-10-22 12:00 - 13:00
SIJS-Related Issues and Concerns in MA Probate and Family Courts (2nd Session of AILA NE Open Forum Series)
The Probate and Family Court Committee is holding an Open Forum session on October 22 (Tuesday) at noon to gather insights on any issues or concerns SIJS practitioners frequently encounter in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts.
· This Open Forum session will help the Committee better understand the current landscape and identify the most common challenges our members face in representing immigrant youths in MA PFCs.
· Please register here.
· Before you attend this event, we ask that you fill out this brief survey by October 18. Due to time constraints, we would like to prioritize the issues most frequently experienced by our members.

Speed Networking Event (New Members Division)
2024-10-18 18:00 - 19:30
Please join AILA New England New Members Division on Friday October 18th, 2024 at 6 pm at WR Immigration’s offices at 175 Federal Street, Suite 1025 in Boston (near South Station).

There will be a speed networking component and then a mingle session afterwards with food and beverage provided by AILA NE.
For new attorneys, this event will allow them to network with and learn from veteran attorneys.
For experienced attorneys, will be a great opportunity to inspire new attorneys, expand your network, and help AILA NE strengthen its membership! All members welcome.
The first ten registrants will get a $10 gift card to Dunkin, so please register quickly! Registration link is here.

AILA NE: Get the Most Out of Your Membership!
2024-10-18 12:00 - 13:00
Are you maximizing your AILA membership? Join us over your lunch break to meet with the AILA NE Executive Committee and learn about all the ways the ExCom and liaisons can help you and practice.

We’ll talk about what we do on ExCom, upcoming plans, and the many resources available to AILA NE members
Explore how you can help make us an even stronger, more amazing Chapter!
Register here!

October Chapter Meeting (Virtual, 12 noon)
2024-10-17 12:00 - 13:30
Join us for a virtual meeting on October 17 at 12 noon EST! We are experimenting with this noon time meeting for October.

When: Thursday October 17 at 12 -1:30 pm EST

12 – 12:30 pm Business Meeting
12:30 – 1:30 Featured Topic below

How: Virtually. Register here.
Topic: How to Prepare USCIS Filings with Potential Litigation in Mind
We need to be prepared in advance of the outcome of the presidential elections. Our AILA NE experts panelists will discuss how members can prepare USCIS filings in such a way to set it up for success in case it needs to be litigated down the line.
Experts Gregory Romanovsky, Jesse Bless, and Stephanie Marzouk will discuss best practices, strategies, and considerations when preparing cases with the possibility of litigation.

Temporary Protected Status: Overview and Practical Tips (CBO/Pro Bono Committee Brown Bag)
2024-10-10 12:00 - 13:00
Temporary Protected Status: Overview and Practical Tips
This brown bag will provide an overview of TPS, discuss the type of information necessary to complete the application, and review some of the trickier substantive questions that appear on the form. We hope you leave this brown bag confident about providing TPS assistance — both for your daily practice and for volunteering in the community!

Moderator:

Katie Lambing, Rian Immigrant Center & AILA New England CBO/Pro Bono Committee Member

Panelists:

Marianne Staniunas, Ropes and Gray & AILA New England CBO/Pro Bono Committee Member
Sara Horatius, Central West Justice Center
Stephanie Marzouk, Marzouk Law

AILA NE CBO/Pro Bono Committee is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Temporary Protected Status: Overview and Practical Tips
Time: Oct 10, 2024 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83763615694?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 837 6361 5694
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Congressional Breakfast (Virtual Event)
2024-10-08 08:30 - 10:30
Every year, we have the privilege of hosting the Congressional Breakfast, an important event that offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with our Congressional representatives and their staff. We are opening up invitations to all members of the New England chapter. We believe in the power of diverse voices and are keen on offering this opportunity for more members to connect, discuss, and make an impact. Register here to join us virtually.
Date: Tuesday October 8
Time: 8:30am – 10:30am
Virtual Event. Register here by Friday October 4 EOD.

Hike to Alton Bay, NH (AILA NE Social Event)
2024-10-05 11:00 - 13:00
Join your fellow NE colleagues – make new friends and reconnect with existing friends in nature and enjoy the NE foliage! We are embarking on a beautiful hike to a 360-degree view of the Lakes Region! The trailhead is about a 2-hour drive from Boston. The hike is around 3.6 miles and it is rated “moderate” in difficulty by alltrails.com. Register here.

AILA NE Brown Bag on CBP Land Border Practice
2024-10-04 11:00 - 12:00
Join a brown bag session to hear about recent trends and strategies at the northern border! Our esteemed CBP land border experts will lead this brown bag:

Leslie Holman, AILA NE CBP Committee Chair and former AILA President
Adeline Boulanger, current AILA NE CBP Committee member
Special Guest David Wilks from AILA Upstate New York Chapter and AILA Elected Director on the Board of Governors

Register here

AILA NE DEI Committee Book Club
2024-09-25 18:00 - 19:00
Please join the DEI committee for its first book club meeting as we delve into the first two chapters of White by Law by Ian Haney López.

This critical work explores how legal definitions of race and whiteness have shaped American legal and social systems.
For this session, we will focus on: The foundational concepts introduced in the first two chapters. How these early chapters set the stage for understanding the relationship between race and the law, including key questions and themes raised by López’s analysis.
Please come prepared to discuss your insights and questions about these chapters. If you have any particular points you’d like to explore or specific questions, feel free to share them beforehand to aila.newengland.dei@gmail.com.

L-1 Visas: Blanket Applications and USCIS Petitions (brown bag)
2024-09-25 12:00 - 13:00
L-1 processes can be difficult to navigate, whether filing at an embassy/consulate office or with USCIS. Speakers Molly O’Shea (Clark Lau LLC) and Troy Wilson (WR Immigration) will discuss strategies on planning and filing L Visa Applications and/or USCIS petitions.

How will a change in administration impact the process?
How to set and manage client expectations if filing with USCIS?
What are common issues that may arise (e.g. new office Ls, qualifying employment, etc.)?
What are recent trends in adjudications?
Register here!

Walk/Jog on the Charles (AILA NE Wellbeing Event)
2024-09-23 17:30 - 19:00
Have you thought about starting a walking or jogging routine? Please join the AILA Well-Being committee on Monday 9/23 at 5:30 pm in front of the Community Boating Inc. at 21 David G Mugar Way in Boston (on the Charles River) for an initiation to creating good habits and forming new friendships and solidifying existing relationships.

We will split into two groups: one group will take a 30-minute walk on the esplanade, and the other group will do a light initiation to jogging.
Please bring your walking/running shoes and dress comfortably. During the walk/job, we will discuss tips on how to create and build up healthy routines by starting with very small changes.
Reward yourself afterwards! For anyone interested in grabbing beer/food after the walk/jog, we will head over to Night Shift Brewery on the Esplanade.
Register here.

WaterFire Providence (AILA NE Social Event)
2024-09-21 17:30 - 20:00
Join your AILA NE colleagues in Providence to view the beautiful WaterFire!
WaterFire evenings consist of 86 burning braziers; some float just above the surface of the rivers that flow through Waterplace Park (the Woonasquatucket River) and the middle of downtown Providence (Credit: Wikipedia)
The show starts at sunset at 6:45 pm. Onshore programming and vendors open at 5:30. Register here.

September Chapter Meeting: National Visa Center & Political Engagement (Virtual event)
2024-09-19 17:00 - 20:00
Our September Chapter Meeting will be held a virtual event (no in-person option):
5:00 – 5:45 pm Moderated Panel Discussion: National Visa Center (virtual)
5:45 – 6:00 pm Chapter Business Meeting
6:00 – 7:00 pm Political Engagement Briefing & Phone Banking (hybrid)
7:00 – 8:00 pm Happy Hour courtesy of AILA NE
Register for the meeting here for part or all of the meeting. The Zoom registration link is embedded in the RSVP form.
1. National Visa Center: We are fortunate to have Allison Reedy from the National Visa Center. She will present virtually, with Mahsa Khanbabai moderating. The NVC will accept pre-submitted questions from AILA NE members at our upcoming meeting. Please share your questions and concerns related to NVC processing so that we can get the most out of the meeting. Feel free to share trends you see related to document collection, processing times, or questions you have always wanted addressed.

We will cover topics including communicating w/ the NVC, transparency related to IV processing times, CSPA, and digitization efforts.
Please submit your questions and report recent trends here by Friday, September 6.

2. Political Engagement Ahead of Presidential Elections: The second half of the meeting will be a political engagement event to mobilize our NE Chapter Members to reach independent and undecided voters in New Hampshire to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. It will be a phone-banking or text-banking event.
As you know, the results of the Presidential election will hinge on a narrow margin in the swing states. This event will allow AILA New England members to engage and make an impact in NH. Please show up and help elect Harris!
And if that’s not enough incentive: The AILA Ohio Chapter did this last week and it was a success – let’s get even more commitments from NH voters!

Motions Practice Before EOIR (NILA webinar)
2024-09-19 14:00 - 15:30
This webinar will address various substantive and procedural motions filed with the immigration courts and Board of Immigration Appeals in removal proceedings.

The panel will provide an overview of: motions to reopen and reconsider; motions to remand; motions to stay removal; and motions to rescind in absentia removal orders. Additionally, we will discuss the differences between statutory and regulatory motions to reopen/reconsider; untimely motions (including how to frame an argument that the statutory deadline should be equitably tolled); post-departure motions (including considerations for individuals abroad); and motions to reopen/reconsider orders that have been reinstated.

Finally, the panel will address procedural motions such as motions to extend time, to expedite adjudication, and supplementing previously filed motions.

CLE Credit: Approved for 1.5 hours Texas CLE credit. Texas is an approved jurisdiction for several state bars.
To register for this webinar, click HERE or visit https://immigrationlitigation.org/nila-webinars/

Wellbeing Roundtable (Election Anxiety Series)
2024-09-18 13:00 - 14:00
Feeling Emotionally Overwhelmed by Politics, Life or Whatever? You Have More Control Than You May Realize
Our emotional responses to external events can sometimes feel beyond our control, but new research in the neuroscience of emotions shows that you have more agency than you think.

Join Ken Mayeaux, a member of the AILA National Well-Being Committee, for an insightful discussion inspired by Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett’s “How Emotions are Made.” He will explore how Dr. Feldman Barrett’s theory of constructed emotions reveals the power of personal agency over your emotional life, and strategies to combat feelings of hopelessness.
This roundtable, part of our Election Anxiety Series coordinated by AILA National’s Wellbeing Committee, will offer a fresh perspective on managing difficult emotions in challenging times.
Register here.
