Must I be admitted to the D.C. Bar to represent political asylum applicants?
No. An attorney must be a member in good standing of a bar, but not necessarily the D.C. Bar. Similarly, the attorney can be a member of any bar when appearing in the immigration courts located in Arlington, VA or Baltimore, MD. Please note that many of the community organizations who refer pro bono cases are not unable to provide mal practice insurance to volunteer attorneys. Do I have to be a member of the bar in order to represent an asylum seeker? The regulations allow applicants to be represented by law students or law graduates without bar membership. They must file a statement that they are under the supervision of a licensed attorney, they must not receive either direct or indirect remuneration from the applicant and there must be official approval. (See 8 CFR 292). Are there volunteer opportunities for non-attorneys? Paralegals often assist attorneys with researching country conditions during the preparation of asylum cases. Individuals with language skills, especially French,
