Sept. 9, 2025 | 2-3 p.m. ET | CA MCLE: N/A

Current capacity does not meet current demand for low-cost legal representation in immigration matters. Many immigrants seek services from nonprofit and community-based agencies, which often provide a wide array of both social and legal services. In many instances, these agencies are staffed by non-attorney legal workers who provide both counseling and direct services to clients.  

Join CLINIC’s Field Engagement Team in an open forum as they discuss the considerations a nonprofit might have when contemplating opening an immigration legal services program.  

Also, learn more about the Capacity Building Institute, CLINIC's newest service. The Capacity Building Institute serves organizations seeking to gain authorization to practice immigration law through trainings, technical assistance, and assistance with the Department of Justice Recognition and Accreditation application.

Topics will include:  

• Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law (UPIL)  

• Recognition and accreditation facts 

• Financial management and funding FAQs 

• CLINIC affiliation details and membership requirements 

NOTE: This webinar is intended for those agencies interested in CLINIC affiliation, not for current Affiliates.
 

Sept. 10-24, 2025 | 2-3:30 p.m. ET | CA MCLE: N/A

Funding a nonprofit immigration legal services program is more challenging than ever before. For many programs, grant funding is integral to a healthy, diversified revenue portfolio, but acquiring and managing grant funding for immigration services presents unique challenges.

During this three-part webinar series, CLINIC’s program management experts as well as guest speakers with grant-giving experience will equip attendees with the important and up-to-date information needed to secure and sustain grant funding. 

Registration

Please note that CLINIC is committed to preventing the Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law (UPIL). CLINIC online trainings are open to the staff and volunteers of CLINIC Affiliates, any other nonprofit agency, and private attorneys and their staff. Independent non-attorney legal workers are not eligible to register for CLINIC trainings. CLINIC reserves the right to request proof of an agency’s nonprofit status, proof of employment/volunteer status with a nonprofit, and/or proof of authorization to provide immigration legal services to the community.

NOTE: Access to recordings of the webinars is included with your purchase of the three-part webinar series. Your access will be available until Oct. 25.  

Webinar One: Finding Grant Opportunities

Sept.10 | 2-3:30 p.m. ET | CA MCLE N/A

Part one of the series will cover the basics of grant funding, including an overview of the types of grant-making entities. The session will include strategies for identifying potential funders and determining whether a funder is a potential match for the grant-seeking organization.

Webinar Two: Securing Grant Opportunities

Sept. 17 | 2-3:30 p.m. ET | CA MCLE N/A

Part two of the webinar series will focus on creating successful funding pitches and preparing applications for submission. We will provide tips, explain best practices, and discuss common pitfalls in seeking opportunities for grant funding. 

Webinar Three: Sustaining and Managing Grants

Sept. 24 | 2-3:30 p.m. ET | CA MCLE N/A

Part three of the webinar series will focus on grant management and the organization’s responsibilities after grant funding has been awarded, including best practices for reporting, data collection, preparing for potential audits, ongoing funder relations, and ethical considerations in closing out a grant. 
 

Sept. 16 - Dec. 9, 2025 | CA MCLE: Self-Study

Course Description

Immigration law is often described as one of the most complicated areas of practice in the United States. How can new and aspiring practitioners learn the necessary immigration law and skills to be effective advocates for their clients? CLINIC’s Comprehensive Overview of Immigration Law (COIL) e-learning course provides an overview of core immigration law concepts and legal skills to enable new practitioners to quickly learn the fundamentals of immigration law and gain the training background to help support an application for Department of Justice accreditation.

Registration fees include CLINIC's Introduction to Immigration Law manual and all other material for the course.
 

Course Structure

The course starts on Sept. 16 with access to the e-learning website. Each week, participants will have two units to complete that focus on separate themes. All 16 units consist of a live webinar and a set of self-directed activities, which include readings, exercises, a video, and a quiz. The webinars will be recorded, allowing students the flexibility to work the sessions into their busy schedules. The course is interactive, with opportunities for online and real-time discussion among students, and between students and instructors. The course concludes with an open-book final exam that students take once other course requirements are met.
 

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is appropriate for the aspiring or new practitioner who is prepared to make the time commitment needed to fully participate in this course and complete its requirements. The course has an accelerated pace with two 75-minute webinars each week, as well as each unit’s self-directed learning activities. Overall, a participant should expect to spend between eight and ten hours each week to attend or listen to recordings of the weekly webinars and complete the corresponding course activities. At the conclusion of the eight-week course, participants will also need to devote additional time to study and review for the open-book final exam. If you have the time to devote to this learning experience, then this course is a great way to quickly learn the fundamentals of immigration law.

If you are a government employee, you may not register for this training without prior authorization from CLINIC. You may request permission to register by contacting CLINIC at training@cliniclegal.org.
 

Course Instructors

The trainers for this course are CLINIC Training and Technical Assistance attorneys. For questions about the course content, please contact Kristina Karpinski at kkarpinski@cliniclegal.org or Elizabeth Martin at emartin@cliniclegal.org.
 

Course Completion Requirements

Course participants will receive a course completion certificate if they: (a) attend or view recordings of each of the 16 course webinars; (b) complete each unit quiz; (c) view each unit video; and (d) receive a passing grade on the open-book final exam. Participants will have until Dec. 2 to complete the webinar, video, and quiz requirements, and until Dec. 9 to complete the final exam. 
 

Registration

Please note that CLINIC is committed to preventing the Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law (UPIL). CLINIC online trainings are open to the staff and volunteers of CLINIC Affiliates, any other nonprofit agency, and private attorneys and their staff. Independent non-attorney legal workers are not eligible to register for CLINIC trainings. The training is for the staff of nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, and attorneys and legal staff of private law offices. Registrants from nonprofit organizations must scan and email a copy of the IRS 501(c)(3) letter designating their agency as a nonprofit entity to training@cliniclegal.org.

Course registrants may pay only by credit card. Please be sure to register under the correct category and for the correct training. All registration changes or cancellations are subject to an administrative charge of $70.00. Please note that CLINIC can issue refunds for an e-learning course only until one week prior to the first day of the training. 

Please provide the full name and a working email address for each individual taking this course.  We will communicate with each registrant only via email, so it is very important that we have the correct name and email address for each registrant listed on the registration form.