I recently spoke with Astrid Ackerman on her experience with the Newark Asylum Office’s pilot project. She attended an asylum interview where she appeared remotely, while the client went in-person. Read below to see some tips and hear more about this experience.
Q: Could you explain your organization and role within it?
I am currently a Kramer Levin extern at Brooklyn Legal Services’ (BLS) Immigration Unit. BLS provides a range of immigration services to low-income non-detained immigrants. As an extern, I have a docket of about 25 cases, including asylum, SIJS, removal defense, LPRs, and VAWAs.
Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your specific work?
Immigration court in NY has been closed for non-detained matters since March 2020 and cases have been postponed indefinitely or recalendared. The pandemic has made it more challenging to communicate with clients given the lack of government support for child care and clients having to adjust to working with video technologies or dealing with the lack of wifi accessibility for low-income workers. As to the affirmative asylum process, asylum offices paused performing interviews during the pandemic and now the offices are reopened with limited space capacities and keeping social distancing protocols. This means that clients and lawyers can’t be in the same office during the interview, unless they explicitly ask for it, and that the asylum officer does not conduct the interview face to face with the asylum petitioner, and instead it is done through video conferencing.
Q: What is the remote pilot project that you participated in?
I participated in Newark’s asylum office’s remote asylum interview program. The client had to go in person to the Newark office and the asylum officer was in the office too, but in a separate room than my client and the interview was conducted as a video conference through Microsoft Teams.
Q: What was the remote interview process like?
Overall, the process ran smoothly. I previously had to send a short form to the Newark office requesting permission to appear via video and make use of their pilot program. The interview was on a Monday and I received approval to participate in the program around Thursday. The approval only mentioned that I would receive a Microsoft Teams invite for the conference the day/time of the interview. By the time and day the interview was scheduled, I had not received the invite so I had to call the Newark office and let them know of the issue. I was put in touch with the asylum officer in charge of my case and they called me on my phone. The asylum officer asked whether I wanted to just do the interview on the phone, but I requested he send a conference invite because my client and I would prefer to conduct the interview via video. The officer then sent a Microsoft Teams invite to my email, but the audio was through the phone, not the Microsoft Teams app. I didn’t need to download any app to connect. There were no audio issues throughout the interview. I was able to see my client on video, but unable to see the asylum officer.
Q: How did you prepare and what tips would you give to other attorney’s participating in remote legal services?
For the most part, I prepared just as I would have for an in-person asylum interview. I reviewed our submission, which included affidavits, police letters, and country conditions research. I also prepared a list of key facts that I wanted my client to touch on during the interview to keep track of what wasn’t mentioned in order to guide my closing remarks in the interview. I also did several mock interviews with my client over the phone. This was really useful as it mimicked the actual interview’s setting. Attorney’s preparing to participate in remote services should make sure they explain the interview process to the client. It’s also good to ensure your computer doesn’t get pesky with Microsoft Teams since you’ll likely won’t be able to try out the link in advance of the interview. Conducting mock interviews with your client via a videoconferencing program is crucial to get the client used to the process. I also think it’s best to prepare the client for an impatient asylum officer and advise your client to provide short answers. Even if there are no video or audio issues, video conferencing is not exactly like face to face communication. There are some physical cues that are harder to perceive in video conferencing that in person. These cues are important for clients to gauge whether they should wrap up their answer or keep discussing it. In place of these cues, I think it’s good practice to have shorter answers and then take the asylum officer’s lead on whether more discussion is necessary.
Q: Would you recommend this pilot project to other pro bonos?
Yes, it was a great experience and it was good for the client too. Especially for clients who have been waiting a long time for asylum interviews, the pilot project offers a way to go forward with the process.
Pro Bono Net, with funding from the New York Office of Attorney General, is pleased to announce the official launch of 
Plain language guides for tenants and the general public, developed in collaboration with grantees under the OAG initiative; 
With nearly 150 site members and a rich collection of legal materials, the ProBonoNet/LA site is a well-used resource for attorneys and advocates across Louisiana. This meant that any site redesign effort had to make both the users’ needs and the visibility of the resources first and foremost. “Getting the most out of a site redesign meant understanding the ‘most valuable features’ of the existing site, and thinking strategically about enabling new features that foster a sense of community and purpose” said Amanda Brown, director of the Lagniappe Law Lab. “In our design working group we found that featuring the most-used site tools prominently in the design was key to our users getting the most out of the site. We also used this opportunity to highlight important features that were not used as commonly, but are critical to building up a culture of pro bono in Louisiana.” 
Tiffany Graves serves as Bradley’s Pro Bono Counsel, where she oversees the development and administration of the firm’s pro bono programs. Tiffany says, “I have long admired the work of Pro Bono Net. As Pro Bono Counsel, my full-time work is focused on finding ways to connect our attorneys with those most in need. Like other law firms, we benefit from the crucial services provided by Pro Bono Net that increase access to attorneys and equalize the legal system. I am excited to serve on the Board and look forward to supporting Pro Bono Net’s important work in this way.” Prior to joining Bradley, Tiffany was the executive director of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, where she led a 21-member commission created by the Mississippi Supreme Court and promoted its initiatives to improve and expand access to civil justice to the nearly 700,000 Mississippians living in poverty. Tiffany also currently serves as Co-President of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo). 
Charley Moore, is the Founder and CEO of Rocket Lawyer. Rocket Lawyer is one of the most widely used legal services in the world, with operations in the US, the UK and Europe. Millions of people and organizations use Rocket Lawyer to access affordable and complete digital legal services. Charley says, “I look forward to serving on the board and helping to facilitate much needed assistance to people and organizations who otherwise may find justice out of reach.”
Through Legal Aid Connect, Legal Aid of Nebraska can connect clients and pro bono attorneys, no matter where the client lives in the State. The attorneys meet virtually with their clients and simultaneously share, store, and complete documents during a consultation. This resource is particularly valuable during the ongoing pandemic. “The acquisition of Legal Aid Connect has helped us bridge the communication gap, caused by the pandemic, between attorneys and clients,” said Muirne Heaney, Managing Attorney of the Access to Justice Program at Legal Aid of Nebraska. “We already have used the platform for two name change clinics. The platform ran seamlessly. We were able to help many people with the name change process because of the platform. The platform has become an essential tool for communicating with clients.” 
Pro Bono Net is grateful to Jillian Jin, AmeriCorps Vista working with our Immigration Advocates Network program, for writing this important piece addressing the recent hate crimes committed against the Asian American community. You can read Jillian’s bio on our website, 
For more information on these issues and how you can support farmworkers, please visit 
GeorgiaVictimNetwork.org was created in collaboration with the Georgia Victim Legal Assistance Network (VLAN), which includes the Georgia Legal Services Program, the Georgia Asylum and Immigrant Network, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, and Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Network. Funding for the project was provided by the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). Georgia’s VLAN network also uses Navigators with the four main civil legal agency partners as advocates who can assist crime victims using the website.