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Two Poydras Street , New Orleans, LA 70130
AILA’s Fundamentals of Immigration Law Conference is designed for attorneys who are new or those who are seeking a
refresher to the complex area of immigration law. This unique conference features two distinct components:
Pre-recorded Training Sessions: Prior to the conference, participants will be given access to several downloadable, pre-
recorded 2014 Annual Conference sessions covering the basics of substantive immigration law#. We encourage you to register early
to ensure you have adequate time to listen to each Annual Conference panel before the live sessions. Listening to these sessions in
advance of the conference is a key learning component of the overall conference and will help set the foundation for the
information provided during the live sessions in October. The recordings are included in the registration fee and will be added to
your AILA Agora Digital Library after September 22. The sessions are listed below:
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Overview of Government Immigration Agencies
Immigration 101: Key General Concepts & Terms
Alphabet Soup—NIV Basics Part 1: A to K
Alphabet Soup—NIV Basics Part 2: L to U
Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Petitions
Basics of the I-130 and Adjustment of Status
Basic Issues in Naturalization Status
Getting Through the Fire Swamp: Pitfalls in Immigrant Visa Consular Processing
Criminal Basics for the Immigration Practitioner
Deal or No Deal: Ethical Issues in Immigration Practice
Asylum 101
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Please note, CLE credit is not being administered and is not available for the pre-recorded training sessions included with this conference.
Live Sessions: On October 16-17, 2014, we will present two days of in-person live conference sessions at the Hilton New
Orleans Riverside. Sessions are led by immigration law experts who will show you how to prepare visa application and petition
packages, and will offer tips based on years of experience, including how to identify and analyze “red flags.” You will also
learn proven strategies for working with the many government agencies and regulatory bodies that oversee, interpret, and enforce
immigration law, regulations, and policy. Each session includes Q&A at the end of the presentation to give you an
opportunity to ask questions.
Conference Materials: Each attendee will receive the eBook, AILA’s Immigration Forms Toolbox, included in the
registration fee, and the faculty will use annotated forms from this book in their presentations (where appropriate).
(dl) = Discussion Leader
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014
7:30 am–5:45 pm
REGISTRATION AND EXHIBITS
Day Coordinator:
Samantha Hechtman, Metairie, LA
8:00 am–8:10 am
WELCOME AND REMARKS
Ellen Freeman, Conference Program Chair, AILA Board of Governors, Pittsburgh,
PA
8:10 am–9:10 am
INTRODUCTION TO NONIMMIGRANT VISAS (NIVS)
 Nonimmigrant Intent: What It Is and How to Show It
 Tourists and Business Visitors: B Visa and Visa Waiver
 Student Visas: F, M, J
 Other Visa Options: TN, H-1B1, H-3, E-1/E-2/E-3, O, P
 Strategies for Choosing
 Nonimmigrant Visa Application Process
 Q&A
Faculty:
Andrew W. Shackelford (dl), Phoenix, AZ
Theresa Corcoran, Chicago, IL
Klari B. Tedrow, Birmingham, AL
Elizabeth A. Thompson, Minneapolis, MN
9:10 am–10:20 am
NONIMMIGRANT VISA WORKSHOP WITH THE EXPERTS—H-1BS
 Strategies Involving the Job Description
 OES Wage Survey and Secondary Sources
 Credential Evaluations
 Drafting Form ETA-9035/Labor Condition Application (LCA)
 Public Access File and Recordkeeping
 Neufeld Memo/Off-Site Employment
 Site Visits
 Drafting Form I-129
 Preparing Supporting Documentation and Petition for Filing
 Current Trends and Common Pitfalls of H-1Bs
 Q&A
Faculty:
Ellen Freeman, Conference Program Chair, AILA Board of Governors, Pittsburgh,
PA
Theresa Corcoran, Chicago, IL
Klari B. Tedrow, Birmingham, AL
10:20 am–10:35 am
NETWORKING BREAK
10:35 am−11:50 am
NONIMMIGRANT VISA WORKSHOP WITH THE EXPERTS—
L-1 VISA
 L-1A vs. L-1B
 Individual vs. Blanket Petition
(dl) = Discussion Leader
 Strategies for Demonstrating L-1B Specialized Knowledge
 New Office L Petitions
 Drafting Forms I-129, L Supplement, and I-129S
 Preparing Supporting Documentation and Petition for Filing
 Current Trends and Common Pitfalls in L-1 Petitions and Visas
 Q&A
Faculty:
Elizabeth L.A. Garvish (dl), AILA Board of Governors, Atlanta, GA
Andrew W. Shackelford, Phoenix, AZ
Elizabeth A. Thompson, Minneapolis, MN
11:50 am–1:00 pm
LUNCH (INCLUDED WITH REGISTRATION)
12:00 pm–1:00 pm
LUNCH SESSION: ETHICAL ISSUES IN AN IMMIGRATION PRACTICE
 But I Bought a Copy of Kurzban’s! Competency to Handle the Matter
 Phone Calls, E-mail, and Pro Bono Workshops—Conduct That
Establishes Attorney-Client Relationships as well as Cultural and
Language Considerations
 Marriage and Work—Dual Representation
 Completing the Case—Withdrawing the Notice of Representation
 My Client Did What? Disclosure of Adverse Information to the
Tribunal
 Q&A
Faculty:
Gerard M. Chapman (dl), Greensboro, NC
Regina Jefferies, Phoenix, AZ
1:00 pm−2:30 pm
EMPLOYMENT-BASED IMMIGRANT VISAS—PART I
(OVERVIEW OF PREFERENCE CATEGORIES AND ALTERNATIVES TO
LABOR CERTIFICATION)
 EB-1: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability
 EB-1: Outstanding Researchers and Professors
 EB-1: Multinational Managers and Executives
 EB-2: Advanced Degree Professionals and Individuals with Exceptional
Ability
 EB-2: National Interest Waivers
 EB-3: Professionals, Skilled Workers, and Other Workers
 EB-4: Religious Workers
 EB-5: Immigrant Investors
 Schedule A
 Drafting Form I-140
 Documenting Ability to Pay
 Q&A
Faculty:
Elizabeth L.A. Garvish (dl), AILA Board of Governors, Atlanta, GA
Alexander A. Dgebuadze, Encino, CA
David A. M. Ware, Metairie, LA
(dl) = Discussion Leader
2:30 pm−3:30 pm
EMPLOYMENT-BASED IMMIGRANT VISAS—PART II
(ALIEN LABOR CERTIFICATION APPLICATION)
 Labor Certification Under PERM: Overview and Purpose
 EB-2 vs. EB-3: Advanced Degree Holders, Professionals, Skilled
Workers, Other Workers
 Prevailing Wage/Ability to Pay
 Drafting the Job Description, Business Necessity
 Recruitment
 Filing the Labor Certification
 U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Audits
 Attorney’s Role in the Labor Certification Process
 Q&A
Faculty:
Ellen Freeman, Conference Program Chair, AILA Board of Governors, Pittsburgh,
PA
Janora L. Hawkins, Atlanta, GA
Frieda A. Garcia, San Francisco, CA
3:30 pm–3:45 pm
NETWORKING BREAK
3:45 pm–4:45 pm
FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRANT VISAS
 Overview of Family-Based Preferences
 Basis for Petitions: Fiancé(e), Marriage and Divorce, Conditional Status
 Post-Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Same-Sex Spouse Cases
 Visas for Children, Step-Children, and Adopted Children
 Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)
 Financially Approvable: Form I-864 and Public Charge Issues
 Q&A
Faculty:
Annaluisa Padilla (dl), AILA 2nd Vice President, La Habra, CA
Marco Balducci, New Orleans, LA
Jonathan Willmoth, Kansas City, MO
4:45 pm−5:45 pm
FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRANT VISAS WORKSHOP WITH THE EXPERTS
 Drafting I-130 Petition Package
 Drafting I-129F Petition Package
 Preparing the Client for Interview
 Q&A
Faculty:
Annaluisa Padilla (dl), AILA 2nd Vice President, La Habra, CA
Marco Balducci, New Orleans, LA
Jonathan Willmoth, Kansas City, MO
7:00 pm
TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS
Part educational event, part networking, the Taste of New Orleans is an opportunity to
get together with other new practitioners and AILA mentors for a delicious and
informative evening at a great local restaurant. Space is limited. For more information or to
sign up, please e-mail ( [email protected] ).
(dl) = Discussion Leader
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
8:00 am–5:30 pm
REGISTRATION AND EXHIBITS
Day Coordinator:
Jenny Doyle, Raleigh, NC
8:00 am−8:30 am
AN INTRODUCTION TO AILALINK AND LEGAL RESEARCH
Whether you need to look up a specific section of the INA or conduct in-depth research,
this session will show you how and why AILALink should be your go-to resource.
8:30 am−9:30 am
ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS
 Adjustment of Status: Who Can Adjust, Who Must Adjust, Who Can’t
Adjust, and Who Should Not Adjust: Eligibility Issues
 Three– and Ten-Year Bar, Permanent Bar
 Concurrent Filings
 Travel While Adjustment Is Pending: Myths and Realities
 Maintaining NIV Status While Waiting for Adjustment of Status
 Travel While Adjustment Is Pending: Advance Parole, Nonimmigrant
Visa Considerations
 Portability in Employment-Based Cases
 Preparing Form I-485 Application Package
 Q&A
Faculty:
Cynthia A. Aziz (dl), Charlotte, NC
Sarah K. Peterson Stensrud, AILA Board of Governors, Minneapolis, MN
Bushra A. Malik, Bloomfield Hills, MI
9:30 am–10:30 am
CONSULAR PROCESSING—WORKSHOP WITH THE EXPERTS
 Handling a Consular Processing Case
 Know Your Consulate, Know Your Case
 Preparing Documents
 Drafting Affidavits of Support Forms I-864/I-864A
 Drafting Form DS-260
 Q&A
Faculty:
Cynthia A. Aziz (dl), Charlotte, NC
Sarah K. Peterson Stensrud, AILA Board of Governors, Minneapolis, MN
Bushra A. Malik, Bloomfield Hills, MI
10:30 am–10:45 am
NETWORKING BREAK
10:45 am–12:00 pm
THE ROAD TO NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP
 Deciding Whether to Apply for Naturalization: Evaluating Timing and
Client’s Skeletons
 Eligibility Criteria: Statutory vs. Discretionary
 Review of Form N-400
 Interview and Examination Preparation
 Post-denial Options
(dl) = Discussion Leader
 Overview of Derivative Citizenship
 Q&A
Faculty:
Elise A. Fialkowski (dl), Philadelphia, PA
Michelle L. Lazerow, Rockville, MD
Linda Rose, Nashville, TN
12:00 pm–1:15 pm
LUNCH (INCLUDED WITH REGISTRATION)
12:15 pm–1:15 pm
LUNCH SESSION: PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
 Nuts and Bolts of Starting and Running Your Own Practice
 Marketing Yourself
 Going from Consultation to Contract
 Dealing with Needy Clients and Spotting Red Flags
 Hiring and Managing Staff
 Q&A
Faculty:
Ruby L. Powers (dl), Houston, TX
Carl Falstrom, New Orleans, LA
1:15 pm−2:15 pm
GROUNDS OF INADMISSIBILITY, EXCEPTIONS, AND WAIVERS
 Grounds of Inadmissibility
– Immigration Violations
– Fraud and Misrepresentation
– Criminal
– Security
– Health
 When Grounds of Inadmissibility Arise: Actions that Trigger
Inadmissibility
 Waivers and Exceptions Under INA §212
– Statutory and Precedent Case Law for the Various Waivers, and the
Hardship Standards for Certain Waivers
– Procedures and Jurisdiction: Filing Concurrently with Another
Application, Filing with the Court, and Filing Separately
 Review of Form I-601 and I-601A
 Q&A
Faculty:
Ruby L. Powers (dl), Houston, TX
Cheryl David, New York, NY
Kathleen C. Gasparian, Metairie, LA
2:15 pm–3:15 pm
REMOVAL AND RELIEF BEFORE THE IMMIGRATION COURT
 Grounds of Removal
 Interaction Between Grounds of Removal and Inadmissibility
 Notices to Appear (NTAs) and Immigration Court Hearings
 Shifting Burdens of Proof
 Relief from Removal
– Prosecutorial Discretion
(dl) = Discussion Leader
–
Deferred Action and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA)
– Adjustment of Status
– Cancellation of Removal
– Waivers for Criminal and/or Other Violations
 Appeals and Judicial Review
 Motions to Reopen/Reconsider
 Post-conviction Relief for Criminal Charges
 Q&A
Faculty:
Joseph S. Porta (dl), Los Angeles, CA
Michele Buschart, Kansas City, MO
Helen Parsonage, Winston-Salem, NC
3:15 pm–3:30 pm
NETWORKING BREAK
3:30 pm–4:30pm
ASYLUM AND RELATED CLAIMS OF RELIEF
 Affirmative Asylum
 Defensive Asylum
 Withholding of Removal
 Relief Under the U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT)
 Documenting the Claim
 Q&A
Faculty:
Hiroko Kusuda (dl), New Orleans, LA
Geoffrey A. Hoffman, Houston, TX
Tammy Lin, San Diego, CA
4:30 pm–5:30 pm
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
 U & T Visas
 Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs)
 Q&A
Faculty:
Cynthia Lucas (dl), Los Angeles, CA
Dalia Castillo-Granados, Houston, TX
Hiroko Kusuda, New Orleans, LA
5:30 pm
CONFERENCE CONCLUDES
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Ellen Freeman, Conference Program Chair, AILA Board of Governors, Pittsburgh, PA
C. Lynn Calder, Raleigh, NC
Elizabeth L.A. Garvish, AILA Board of Governors, Atlanta, GA
Cynthia Lucas, Los Angeles, CA
Ruby L. Powers, Houston, TX
(dl) = Discussion Leader
John M. Area IV, AILA Education Associate, Washington, DC
(dl) = Discussion Leader