*Registration will open on June 2, 2008. Faculty listing and hotel information will be available in late spring 2008. We strongly urge you not to purchase plane or hotel reservations until you receive written confirmation that your application has been approved.

About the Litigation Institute
Strengthen Your Litigation Skills in This Hands-On, Educational Format
Now more than ever immigration lawyers need to be equipped to litigate issues on behalf of their clients. This Institute will enable both neophytes and experienced practitioners to acquire new skills, to practice their technique, and to become confident and knowledgeable about litigation in immigration court and in the federal courts.

This is not a "talking-heads" program but a hands-on, practical training institute. As a participant, you will:

Work with experienced faculty and colleagues in very small groups
Learn the rules of the road by "doing" not just by hearing
Participate in four mock hearings
Be videotaped and critiqued by experienced practitioners and peers
Build a network of colleagues, friends, and mentors
Discuss your actual cases and issues for potential litigation
Each participant will be assigned to a small group of no more than six members.

Enrollment in this institute is limited to the first 60 individuals who receive confirmation that their application has been approved. We strongly urge you not to purchase plane or hotel reservations until you receive written confirmation that your application has been approved.
Segments include: administrative (IJ) hearings; habeas corpus petitions; mandamus actions; and petitions for review.
Different faculty will work with each group for different segments, so participants will be working with a variety of faculty throughout the program.
All attendees will receive their materials approximately 3 weeks before the Institute. Several hours of preparation prior to the weekend will be required for participation at the Institute. Specifically, at the Institute, you will be acting as the lawyer in several mock hearings based on a set of mock materials that we will send you ahead of time. You will be conducting a direct examination of your "client." You also will be presenting several oral arguments. You will be videotaped for viewing on your own time. The faculty will evaluate your presentations.
Note: If you will not be able to prepare ahead of time, please do not apply for the Institute.

Tentative Agenda
Friday
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm Registration; light meal (provided)
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Introductions
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Federal Court Nuts & Bolts
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm First Small Group Session: Witness Examination Exercise

Saturday
8:00 am - 8:15 am Breakfast; networking
8:15 am - 8:45 am Q & A with the Experts
9:00 am - 11:00 am Second Small Group Session: Immigration Court, Habeas, or Mandamus
11:15 am - 1:15 pm Third Small Group Session: Immigration Court, Habeas, or Mandamusv 1:15 pm - 2:45 pm Lunch; litigation strategy discussionv 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Fourth Small Group Session: Immigration Court, Habeas, or Mandamus

Sunday
8:30 am - 9:00 am Breakfast; Litigation Strategy Discussion
9:15 am - 11:15 am Fifth Small Group Session: Petition for Review
11:15 am - 12:00 pm Q & A with the Experts and Evaluations

Reviews from Previous Institute Attendees

Here are just a few of the comments we have received from Litigation Institute participants since we launched the program in 2003.

"This was the best AILA related workshop I have attended. I have been a member since '96 and this was the best."
"The Institute exceeded my expectations. I learned so much and am leaving feeling like I CAN do this."
"This program is a lifetime experience. It gives courage and confidence to lawyers to take challenging cases to a higher level."
"Superb faculty! Great work on the materials, relevant cases, questions for preparation! This was a very big production and you pulled it off flawlessly."
"It was challenging and I got a lot of bang for the buck. I learned so much in just a short weekend. You did a great job!"
"I have overcome my unease at the thought of doing a federal court case and also taking criminal immigration cases. This really takes the fear out of it."
"I wish I could have had a week of this training."'