Andrea Receives Board of Immigration Appeals Accreditation
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LSG staff member Andrea Pietri-Diaz was recently accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Here's what she had to say about her experience:
After LSG received Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) recognition last October, I had an opportunity to apply for accreditation to administratively practice immigration law as a non-attorney. I felt that getting accredited would allow me to serve refugees and immigrants on a greater scale. I would contribute to LSG's Immigration Services department's growing capacity to take on more clients. This also helped me start a career path I would not previously have thought to follow.
It was not a short process. The BIA requires applicants to take a series of educational courses (webinars, e-learning courses, in-person courses, and seminars) to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of immigration law. Immigration law is complex, detail-oriented, and constantly changing. Applicants must gain hands-on experience under the supervision of an immigration attorney. I completed close to 100 hours of experience working under LSG Immigration Services attorney Killa Marti. She has been a phenomenal teacher, mentor, and role model during this process and I could not have asked for anyone better.
BIA accreditation allows me to administratively represent refugees and immigrants before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It also means our department is able to tackle more cases, providing more legal representation and assistance to refugees and immigrants at low or no cost to the client. The refugee and immigrant population is an already underserved and underrepresented population. I've worked with immigrants and refugees for a few years now and it is constantly rewarding to help such a vast, yet vulnerable population.
LSG congratulates Andrea on her BIA accreditation. Click here for more information about Immigration Services.
