With the help of two School of Law clinics and seven-plus years of advocacy, an immigrant grandmother has gained lawful status in the United States.
The longtime client initially worked with the Jane W. Wilson Family Justice Clinic, which helped her urgently adopt her grandson, an orphaned U.S. citizen child. Once reaching adulthood, the adoptee enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves, at which point the Community Health Law Partnership Clinic was able to assist the grandmother in obtaining Military Parole in Place, a discretionary measure that allows close family members of active-duty members in the U.S. armed forces to obtain deferred action and work authorization, which will eventually facilitate the client’s family-based pathway to lawful permanent status.
The Jane W. Wilson Family Justice Clinic’s advocacy was undertaken by Elizabeth N. Rawlings (J.D.’18) and Clinical Assistant Professor Christine M. Scartz. Community HeLP Clinic Staff Attorney Kristen Shepherd handled the Parole in Place application, while earlier work on the client’s immigration case involved Mary S. Honeychurch (J.D.’18) and Pedro Dorado (J.D.’17), supervised by Associate Dean Jason A. Cade. Administrative Associate Sarah Ehlers provided key support to both clinics.