FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATLANTA — In joint effort to provide free legal services for immigrants, the Emory
University School of Law and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have an
Immigration Clinic once a month in Chamblee.
“I think legal advice is difficult to come by,” said Luce Randall, an Emory Law student
and student administrator for the clinic. “And it can be intimidating to a lot of people
trying to figure out how to contact a lawyer and which lawyer. So this clinic provides a
free and safe entrance to that process. We also want the community to trust that we are
not taking advantage of them. We are truly offering a free service.”
On the second Wednesday of every month from 7-9 p.m., immigrants can come to the
Immigration Clinic to talk to attorneys who can advise them on legal issues. The Emory
Law students, many are international students, also work as translators of various
languages including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Korean and more.
“I was immediately interested in helping with the Immigration Clinic because of the need
I see in the immigrant community,” said Jorge Gavilanes, an associate attorney at Kuck
Baxter Immigration who works pro bono at the clinic. “Unfortunately there is a lot of
misinformation and fear that can lead people to make bad choices. These legal
consultations, in partnership with Emory Law School, provide an avenue for people to
obtain good legal advice for free. Our goal is to educate the immigrant community about
the law, help them better understand what can be done in their case, and know who can
assist with their cases here in Atlanta.”
At the clinic, participants are first greeted by Emory Law students who help them fill out
a basic waiver which notifies them that whatever they disclose to the attorney will be
confidential. The students interview the individuals to obtain information relevant to their
legal issue. And then the participant meets with one of several attorneys who will be
able to provide them with brief, safe and general advice on immigration or family law.
“We feel privileged to be here because we want to help our community,” Christina
Lanier, Emory Law student. “We live in a community that needs services like this. And
we have the passion, we have the knowledge, and we have the ability to fund these
kinds of clinics. So it is important, from a community perspective, for us to serve them in
a way that respects their needs.”
Next, the clinic will also provide cultural adaptation classes to help the immigrants learn
the skills they need to live in the United States.
“Our goal is to reach out to serve our community no matter what where they are from
and what their circumstances are,” said Bret Ellsworth, Manager of Immigrant Services
with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This is a walk-in clinic, no appointments necessary. The clinic is located at 5522 New
Peachtree Road, Chamblee, in the La Mansion Events Hall. For questions or more
information, call (404) 727-7135 or email lawcommunityclinic@emory.edu. Also follow
on Facebook to get the most recent information https://www.facebook.com/
communityimmigrationclinic.
Media Contact:Tiffany BirdAtlanta Media SpecialistThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintstiffanybird@ldspublicaffairs.org770-365-4172Immigration Clinic Contact:Luce RandallImmigration Clinic Emory Law Student Administratorlawcommunityclinic@emory.edu404-727-7135
