10th Annual Immigrants Among Us

The program will cover the following topics:
• The speakers will consider how lawyers from a different national origin and culture are selected or not selected by clients because of client assumptions on how well we know the U.S. legal system and can or cannot complete the job;
• How immigrant lawyers use their own personal immigration story to support an understanding of immigrant clients’ needs – not only for immigration law matters but also in other legal matters like business ownership, employment law, or family law/domestic relations;
• How immigrant lawyers are perceived by judges and colleagues in the profession and how bias can creep into attitudes of competence towards immigrant attorneys because of English spoken with accents;
• How there are positives and negatives associated with clients from the same national origin select immigrant attorneys because of a shared cultural/ethnic heritage;
• How immigrant attorneys are able to use their life experience and language skills to differentiate themselves from native-born attorneys for business development;
• How immigrant attorneys interact with clients of various nationalities and the logistics and complications of translators and interpreters in client relationships, and how those issues impact the administration of justice;
• How immigrant attorneys deal with gender considerations, that is, male clients who are uncertain and/or uncomfortable with representation by women; and female clients who may face cultural barriers and ethnic traditions in speaking freely with men, including a male attorney.  In the immigration law context this might include pursuing claims about gender violence.
In addition to the above, the panel will consider the impact of their immigrant status and history as it relates to the Supreme Court’s Race Bias and Gender Fairness Task Force Reports, including as noted above how speaking with an accent might be viewed prejudicially in connection with the administration of justice.

It is noted that immigrant attorneys are also often representing clients in underserved areas as well as people of diverse backgrounds and cultures where client attitudes towards the justice system may be based on other contexts.

This CLE is approved for credit through May 23, 2026.