September 3: Testimony Preparation Before the Immigration Court

Please join the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies for this MCLE webinar. The interactive webinar will focus on preparing individuals seeking asylum for merits hearings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Advocates whose clients have been referred to the immigration court by the asylum office will find this webinar especially useful. It will address various considerations to take into account in the preparation process, using role plays and case scenarios to examine challenges and discuss best practices for immigration court testimony preparation. 

Attendees are highly encouraged to submit questions on the registration form. 

Please register by Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 1:00 pm PDT.

Title:
Testimony Preparation Before the Immigration Court

Date + Time:

September 3, 2025
10:00 AM in Pacific Time
Webinar - Register Now Please register by Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 1:00 pm PDT. !

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:

• Gabriel Arellano, Associate Director, Training & Technical Assistance; 
• Omar de la Cruz, Staff Attorney; and 
• Christine Lin, Director, Training & Technical Assistance

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

March 21: Country Conditions Research and Evidentiary Submissions in Affirmative Asylum Proceedings

This webinar will provide an overview of why country conditions evidence is important to support asylum claims. CGRS-California staff will discuss how to conduct country conditions research, including sources and databases to consider, and how to organize evidentiary submissions for the asylum office. 

This webinar is suitable for both non-lawyers and lawyers interested in learning about effective methods and strategies for compiling country conditions evidence. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions on the registration form.

Title:
Country Conditions Research and Evidentiary Submissions in Affirmative Asylum Proceedings

Date + Time:

Thursday, March 21, 2024

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific Time
Register here by Wednesday, March 20, 2024, end of day.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:

• Neela Chakravartula, Managing Attorney
• Laura Malfavn lvarez, CGRS Legal Program Associate

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

More Information And Registration

May 25: Overview to Affirmative Asylum Claims

Please join the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) for a virtual MCLE webinar on affirmative asylum basics. CGRS attorneys will provide an overview on substantive asylum law and procedure. They will offer guidance on filing the Form I-589, Application for Asylum and supplemental evidence both by mail and electronically; how to effectively represent clients in a trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive manner and prepare them for an asylum interview before an Asylum Officer; and how to navigate an asylum interview and decision. Attendees are encouraged to submit any initial questions on the registration form.

Title:
Overview to Affirmative Asylum Claims

Date + Time:

Thursday, May 25, 2023

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PDT
Webinar - Register Now!

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:

• Arwa Zakir Kakavand, CGRS Senior Staff Attorney
• Christine Natoli, Clinical Adjunct Professor, Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, UC Law SF

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

April 5: Fraud, Frivolousness, and Adverse Credibility in Asylum Claims: Strategies for Advocates

Please join the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) for a virtual MCLE webinar on issues and best practices relating to asylum fraud. CGRS staff attorneys will provide an overview of the legal framework governing frivolousness and credibility and discuss related ethical considerations. They will offer practical tips on preparing your client and case to avoid fraud allegations as well as strategies for anticipating, identifying, and addressing implications of fraud or adverse credibility before the IJ and USCIS. Attendees are encouraged to submit any initial questions on the registration form. Please submit all questions by Wednesday, March 29, 2023.

Title:
Fraud, Frivolousness, and Adverse Credibility in Asylum Claims: Strategies for Advocates

Date + Time:

Wednesday, April 5, 2023
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Webinar - Register Now!

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:
Anne Peterson, CGRS Senior Staff Attorney, and Arwa Zakir Kakavand, CGRS Senior Staff Attorney

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

September 21: Breaking Down the Record in a Ninth Circuit Petition for Review

Please join the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) for a webinar discussing the administrative record in petitions for review before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. CGRS staff attorneys will walk through the common components of the administrative record, identify key documents for fact-based arguments, and offer practical tips for the initial stages of briefing. This one-hour training is geared towards attorneys who are new to immigration work in the appellate courts, including those providing pro bono representation. No prior appellate immigration experience is necessary.

Title:
Breaking Down the Record in a Ninth Circuit Petition for Review

Date + Time:

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

10:30 am-11:30 am Pacific 

Register here by September 20, 2022: https://uchastings.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nBq1FEAlRBC47JeOArtG3Q

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:
Annie Daher, CGRS Senior Staff Attorney and Anne Dutton, CGRS Staff Attorney

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

July 13: Using Universal Expert Declarations in Immigration Court

Please join the Center for Gender Refugee Studies (CGRS) for a webinar discussing filing universal expert declarations in immigration court as evidence in asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture (CAT) claims. During this one-hour training we will familiarize advocates with universal expert declarations and their uses. We will also provide an overview of the evidentiary framework and provide litigation strategies and arguments advocates can use to push back against common admission and weight challenges to universal expert declarations in immigration court. 

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in the registration form.

Title:
Using Universal Expert Declarations in Immigration Court

Date + Time:

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Pacific Time
RSVP here by Monday, July 11, 2022: https://uchastings.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zNTwm6FuSt2Y2QLDVfVdeQ

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:
Anne Peterson, Senior Staff Attorney and Julie Bourdoiseau, Staff Attorney

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE, 
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

August 31: What to Do When You Get a Decision from the Ninth Circuit

Please join the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) for a webinar addressing what to do after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issues a decision in a petition for review challenging the denial of asylum, withholding of removal, or claims under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). During this one-hour training we will discuss what options are available in the event of a grant or a denial of the petition for review, relevant timelines for post-decision processes, and how to prepare clients for this stage in the process.
Register by Tuesday, August 30, 2022.

Title:
What to Do When You Get a Decision from the Ninth Circuit

Date + Time:

Wednesday, August 31, 2022
10:30 am - 11:30 am PDT ET
Webinar - Register by Tuesday, August 30, 2022!

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:
Neela Chakravartula, CGRS Managing Attorney and Anne Dutton, CGRS Staff Attorney

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

May 24: Current Issues in Afghan Asylum Claims

Please join CGRS for a webinar discussing current issues in Afghan asylum claims. The webinar will briefly review common claim formulations before turning to an in-depth review of issues that may arise in some cases, including application of the material support bar, persecutor of others bar, one-year bar, and more. CGRS attorneys will also discuss factors to consider when deciding whether or not to pursue asylum. 

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions on the registration form.

Title:
Current Issues in Afghan Asylum Claims

Date + Time:

Tuesday, May 24, 2022
10:30 am- 12:00 pm PT
Register here by May 20, 2022 

By:

Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:
Sayoni Maitra, Senior Staff Attorney Anne Dutton, Staff Attorney

Credit:
1.5 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

April 21: The Asylum Processing Rule & Southern Border Legal Updates

Please join the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) for a webinar discussing the joint rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office for Immigration Review on the Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and Convention Against Torture Protection Claims by Asylum Officers. CGRS will provide an overview of the rule as well as any relevant legal and policy updates impacting asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions on the registration form.

Title:
The Asylum Processing Rule & Southern Border Legal Updates

Date + Time:

Thursday, April 21, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Webinar - Register Now!

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies

Presenters:
resenter(s): Blaine Bookey, CGRS Legal Director Kate Jastram, CGRS Director of Policy Advocacy Anne Peterson, CGRS Senior Staff Attorney

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

More Information And Registration

March 17: Post-A-B- III Trends and Strategies on Appeal

Last summer, Attorney General Garland vacated his predecessors’ decisions in Matter of A-B-, removing at least some obstacles in the path of domestic violence survivors applying for asylum. Nevertheless, many challenges still remain, particularly for cases litigated under the previous standards that are now pending before the Board of Immigration Appeals or federal courts of appeals.

This webinar will provide a brief overview of the trends following vacatur across adjudication levels and focus on potential strategies for cases on appeal. It will also cover the status of forthcoming regulations on substantive asylum standards and discuss efforts to monitor cases raising these issues nationwide. 

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions on the registration form. 

Attendees must affirm that they do not work for the US government (with the exception of federal public defenders), and will not use the information presented in this webinar for purposes other than to protect the rights of immigrants.

Title:
Post-A-B- III Trends and Strategies on Appeal

Date + Time:

March 17, 2022, 1:00-2:00pm PST
Register by March 15, 2022.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Presenters:
Presenters: Blaine Bookey, Legal Director Anne Dutton, Staff Attorney

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE
You may be able to self-apply in other states.

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience.

More Information And Registration

December 15: Developing Skills in Appellate Oral Advocacy

Please join the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies for a webinar on developing skills in appellate oral advocacy. CGRS's Director of Litigation Jamie Crook will moderate a discussion amongst three experienced appellate practitioners who will share tips on preparation and best practices for presenting oral arguments in the federal courts of appeals.
This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience. 

Title:
Developing Skills in Appellate Oral Advocacy
Date and Time:

December 15, 2021

10:00am PST/1:00pm EST 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Pacific Time
Webinar - Register Now!

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Presenters:

• Katrina Eiland, ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project Managing Attorney 
• Brian Goodman, Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary, Office of Governor Newsom 
• Devi Rao, Macarthur Justice Center Supreme Court and Appellate Counsel

Credit:
1 General CA MCLE

You may be able to self-apply in other states.
More Information And Registration

December 2: Litigation Strategies for Asylum Claims Post-vacatur of Matter of A-B-, Matter of A-C-A-A-, and Matter of L-E-A- II

Center For Gender & Refugee Studies attorneys will provide an overview of the Attorney General's vacatur of his predecessors' decisions in Matter of A-B-, 27 I. & N. Dec. 316 (A.G. 2018) and Matter of A-B-, 28 I. & N. Dec. 199 (A.G. 2021), Matter of A-C-A-A-, 28 I. & N. Dec. 84 (A.G. 2020), and Matter of L-E-A-, 27 I. & N. Dec. 581 (A.G. 2019), and provide guidance on legal and practical strategies for advocates litigating fear-of-return claims at the Asylum Office, immigration courts, and on appeal to the BIA and Ninth Circuit. 

The webinar will cover the current state of the law post-vacatur, including the impact on precedent decisions from the courts of appeals and offer strategy considerations for advocates representing clients with domestic violence, gang violence, or family-based asylum claims tailored to the level of proceeding, including claims that are no longer pending where a final order has been issued.
This webinar is geared towards a legal advocate audience. 

Title:
Litigation Strategies for Asylum Claims Post-vacatur of Matter of A-B-, Matter of A-C-A-A-, and Matter of L-E-A- II
Date and Time:

December 2, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Pacific Time
Webinar - Register Now!

By:
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Presenters:

• Anne Dutton, Staff Attorney
• Anne Peterson, Senior Staff Attorney

MCLE Credit:
1.5 General CA

More Information And Registration