Immigrants’ Rights Clinic students, Christina Yang, ’14 and Tiffany Yang, ’15 represented their client in immigration court last week. They share background on the case and perspective on their work below.

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On Thursday, October 31, 2013, we had the privilege of representing our client at immigration court in San Francisco.  She was placed in removal proceedings following a misdemeanor offense, and the earliest possible resolution for our client would be scheduled as far away as 2016. She was at risk of losing avenues for relief unless we fought against this delayed docket. In the weeks prior, we strategized, outlined, and mooted as many scenarios as we could to prepare. All of this work culminated in a twenty-minute hearing, in which we successfully advocated for our client and her interests.

Looking back, it is hard to believe we met our client for the first time only four weeks ago.  Although it was exciting, as law students, to have the opportunity to appear in court, the most fulfilling part of the day was our client’s relieved smile that she would not be alone.