Practising Law Institute to Offer Pro Bono Briefing on Haitian Crisis
Monday, January 25, 2010
- Organization: Practising Law Institute
- Link: http://www.pli.edu
The Practising Law Institute (PLI) will present a free One-Hour Audio Briefing entitled Crisis in Haiti: Addressing the Legal Issues, on January 27, 2010, at 1:00 P.M. ET.
In the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12th, nearly one million residents have found themselves displaced and in need of assistance.
In order that the Haitian diaspora currently living in the United States will be allowed to work and send vitally needed money home, the Obama administration has designated Haiti as a country whose nationals may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This is similar to actions taken in the past in cases of extreme turmoil, as with survivors of Latin American earthquakes and those fleeing extreme political upheaval in Africa, and federal immigration officials are expecting up to 200,000 undocumented Haitian immigrants to apply.
The audio briefing, delivered live via the PLI website, will feature Julie E. Dinnerstein, Co-Director of the Immigration Intervention Project, Sanctuary for Families, and Miriam A. Buhl, Pro Bono Counsel at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, discussing the ways in which attorneys and related professionals can offer their help in registering TPS applications and through disaster-related pro bono legal/non-legal assistance designed to minimize the risk of catastrophic loss of life and infrastructure.
Among the topics covered will be an explanation of Temporary Protected Status and the application process, the legal needs that are likely to emerge from the current situation in Haiti, and how lawyers can help victims of natural disasters.
