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Melissa G. Shepard
<br />(714) 881-3691
<br />mshepard@immdef.org
<br />Bar Admission: State of
<br />California, #297107
<br />PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
<br />Immigrant Defenders Law Center,Los Angeles, CA —
<br />Legal Services Director,December 2024 - Present
<br />Directing Attorney,November 2022 – December 2024
<br />●Manage removal defense programs funded by local government and
<br />private foundations on a universal representation model.
<br />●Oversee team of attorneys, managing attorneys and program
<br />associates on the Community Defense Programs, Cross Border
<br />Initiative, Welcoming Project and Rapid Response Team.
<br />●Liaise with local government, agencies and organizations to advance
<br />universal representation e orts and rapid response e orts.
<br />Managing Attorney,July 2022 – November 2022
<br />●Mentor, supervise and support sta attorneys and post-bar law clerks
<br />on both the CRP and ARP programs providing representation to
<br />unaccompanied minors and adults before EOIR, USCIS and the
<br />California State Courts in Guardianship, Custody and Parentage
<br />Proceedings.
<br />●Manage case load and represent unaccompanied minors before EOIR,
<br />USCIS and the California State Courts.
<br />●Stay up to date on the rapidly changing immigration laws & policies.
<br />Sta Attorney,October 2021 – July 2022
<br />●Provided direct representation to Unaccompanied Children before the CA
<br />State Courts in Guardianship, Custody and Parentage Proceedings.
<br />●Represented Unaccompanied Children before EOIR, USCIS and the Asylum
<br />O ce in a variety of immigration matters including: a rmative asylum,
<br />Special Immigrant Juvenile Status petitions and adjustment of status.
<br />●Stayed up to date on rapidly changing immigration laws and policies and
<br />attend stakeholder meetings and trainings.
<br />●Provided group training for alternative forms of relief (U-visa CLE).
<br />HEATHER L. POOLE, PC,Pasadena & Costa Mesa—Attorney
<br />September 2014 – October 2021 (merged with SGG, LLP from May 2015 through May 2018)
<br />●Provided direct representation to individuals before EOIR (Executive O ce
<br />of Immigration Review) proceedings (immigration court), including
<br />defensive asylum, withholding of removal, bond hearings, Motions to
<br />Reopen and 212(h) waivers. Appealed decisions to the BIA (Board of
<br />Immigration Appeals).
<br />●Prepared,filed and represented individuals before USCIS in a variety of
<br />immigration matters including: a rmative asylum, family-based
<br />immigration applications, adjustment of status interviews, conditional
<br />green card waivers, joint removal of conditions, VAWA (Violence Against
<br />Women Act) petitions, inadmissibility waivers for unlawful presence,
<br />misrepresentation, U visas, naturalization, Registry, SIJS (Special
<br />Immigrant Juvenile Status), Parole in Place, and AAO Appeals.
<br />●Conducted client intakes and assist senior management in business
<br />development.
<br />SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
<br />●“Advanced Waivers: The
<br />I-212”,AILA California
<br />Chapters Conference, Los
<br />Angeles, CA, Nov. 2022;
<br />●“Universal Representation
<br />and Other Forms of Relief:
<br />U Visa”, Immigrant
<br />Defenders Law Center,
<br />June 2022;
<br />●“The Tricky World of I-601
<br />Waivers”, Orange County
<br />Bar Association
<br />Immigration Law
<br />Section, Irvine, CA,
<br />March 2019;
<br />●“Immigration Options for
<br />Abused Immigrants”,
<br />Shepherd’s Door
<br />(Domestic Violence
<br />Resource Center) Open
<br />House, Pasadena, CA,
<br />April 2019;
<br />●“Current Issues in
<br />Immigration Law”, Bruin
<br />Professionals (UCLA
<br />Alumni Association),
<br />Larsen O’Brien
<br />Downtown LA O ce, July
<br />2018.
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