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Frequently Asked Questions about Pro Bono Work
for the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project

1. Must I be admitted to the D.C. Bar to represent political asylum applicants?
2. Do I have to be a member of the bar in order to represent an asylum seeker?
3. Are there volunteer opportunities for non-attorneys?
4. What is the time commitment in order to represent an asylum seeker?
5. What type of assistance is provided to first time representatives?


Must I be admitted to the D.C. Bar to represent political asylum applicants?
No. An attorney must be a member in good standing of a bar, but not necessarily the D.C. Bar. Similarly, the attorney can be a member of any bar when appearing in the immigration courts located in Arlington, VA or Baltimore, MD. Please note that many of the community organizations who refer pro bono cases are not unable to provide mal practice insurance to volunteer attorneys.

Do I have to be a member of the bar in order to represent an asylum seeker?
The regulations allow applicants to be represented by law students or law graduates without bar membership. They must file a statement that they are under the supervision of a licensed attorney, they must not receive either direct or indirect remuneration from the applicant and there must be official approval. (See 8 CFR 292).

Are there volunteer opportunities for non-attorneys?
Paralegals often assist attorneys with researching country conditions during the preparation of asylum cases. Individuals with language skills, especially French, Farsi, Amharic, or Arabic, can help interview potential asylum seekers or assist during interviews.

What is the time commitment in order to represent an asylum seeker?
Many of the Project's asylum cases are affirmative cases. The applicant is submitting an asylum application to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. First-time attorneys estimate that they spend 80 to 250 hours on the case. There is no INS deadline for the submission of the application other than the regulatory one-year filing deadline, although applicants are anxious to file their cases.

Defensive cases (in Immigration Court) and appellate cases (before the Board of Immigration Appeals) do have required court appearances and deadlines for submission of the appeal. The time commitment is variable

What type of assistance is available to first-time representatives?
The Project staff is available to serve as a mentor and answer questions about law and procedure. The D.C. Bar Pro Program distributes a comprehensive asylum training manual to attendees of the annual Asylum Training co-sponsored with the Project and other organizations. A CD-Rom from the training is also available for a small fee and a pro bono commitment.
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