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Biography
Kathleen is an experienced and dedicated immigration attorney whose legal practice is informed by her more than ten years as an immigration attorney at a nonprofit and as an asylum officer and training officer on immigration matters in the federal government. She is a fierce advocate and she will fight for your rights at every opportunity, throughout your case. Contact her today for assistance with your immigration matter.
Education
- Wake Forest University School of Law
- J.D. (2004)
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- American University
- B.A. (1999)
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Professional Experience
- Attorney
- Maloney PLLC
- - Current
- Consultant
- Feerick Center for Social Justice, Fordham University School of Law
- - Current
- •Train and lead teams of legal practitioners assisting people in detention and shelters in Texas and New Mexico in a partnership with Las Americas and Catholic Legal Immigration Network •Established partnership with New York Legal Assistance Group that enables students at Fordham University School of Law to complete pro se asylum applications for families •Initiate pro se clinics for undetected asylum seekers in El Paso. Create training and supervise law students •Developed a six-week training program for Americans for Immigrant Justice in the asylum processing rule, focusing on a client-centered, trauma-informed approach to interviewing. Aided the team to build national capacity for credible fear representation and provide supervision of that team
- Training Officer
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- -
- •Aided in the development and delivered a national training on “Particular Social Groups” and helped launch the National Training Curriculum Reference Library •Developed and provided weekly trainings to government directors, asylum officers, supervisory officers and other staff members on law and procedures, interviewing vulnerable populations and country of origin materials, among other subjects •Supervised asylum officers remotely and conducted remote asylum interviews. Provided substantive expertise on asylum law, policy and procedures
- Asylum Officer
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- -
- •Reviewed asylum applications and supporting evidence, researched country conditions, interviewed asylees. Made eligibility determinations, produced written assessments supporting asylum decisions and adjudicated applications • Oriented men, woman and children who crossed into the United States and were housed in Texas. Conducted credible fear and reasonable fear screenings and made legal determinations
- Adjunct Professor
- Columbia Law School
- -
- • Co-taught a seminar course focusing on federal immigration law and New York state family law. Taught law students forms of immigration relief, immigration consequences of criminal convictions, international human rights and child development • Trained students to provide comprehensive direct representation of clients by teaching students litigation skills, interviewing and communications skills, relationship building with clients and ethical considerations
- Attorney
- Legal Aid Society, Immigration Law Unit
- -
- •Conceptualized, created, helped implement the ICARE project bringing universal representation to children in immigration proceedings in New York City through building a collation with other not-for-profit organizations •Supervised lawyers, law students and Pro Bono attorneys •Represented children in removal proceedings, special immigrant juvenile trials and asylum interviews •Aided clients in filing applications with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including: petitions for special immigrant juvenile status, petition for alien relatives, adjustment of status, U visas, T visas, naturalization, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, temporary protected status, work authorization and a certificate of citizenship •Co-ran a monthly juvenile docket, assisted daily at the surge docket by creating an intake form and pro se materials, coordinated intake and supervised Pro Bono lawyers’ for immigration relief
- Attorney
- Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice
- -
- • Represented children in family court matters involving child abuse, neglect, custody, support and visitation issues. Developed and implemented case strategies in all phases of a child welfare case. • Interviewed and counseled child clients from newborn to 21 years of age. Negotiated settlements, participated in court conferences, and worked within a multi-disciplinary team. •Advocated for clients outside of court in all areas, including: housing, education, immigration and the provision of social services
Publications
Articles & Publications
Speaking Engagements
- The FERM Program: A Three-Month Assessment Highlighting the Need for a More Family-Centered Approach
- Feerick Center for Human Rights
- Particular Social Groups
- USCIS
- Recent Case Law and Precedent: Seriousness of Harm, Credibility, Government Unwilling/Unable
- USCIS
- How Refugees Obtain Lawful Permanent Status in the United States
- Public Service Through Government Employment
- Wake Forest University
Awards
- Deans' Leadership Award
- Wake Forest University School of Law
Professional Associations
- New York City Bar
- Committee on Immigration and Nationality Law
- Current
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- American Immigration Lawyers Association
- Member
- Current
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- State Bar of Texas
- Member
- Current
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- New York
- New York State Office of Court Administration
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- Texas
- State Bar of Texas
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- U.S. Supreme Court
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Fees
- Credit Cards Accepted
Practice Area
- Immigration Law
- Asylum, Citizenship, Deportation Defense, Family Visas, Green Cards, Investment Visas, Marriage & Fiancé(e) Visas, Student Visas, Visitor Visas, Work Visas
Languages
- English
Legal Answers
- Q. I am looking for an immigration lawyer to help with my cousin's asylum case. He has a master hearing coming up in April.
- A: At master calendars judges can take pleading without an attorney in court or they may set deadlines, such as the submission of applications, including asylum. If your cousin does not follow the judge's orders he may be barred from relief. Your cousin should arrive very early for court because often there are long lines to enter the building.
Your cousin should be checking his master calendar date frequently because in NYC these court dates can change. If your cousin does not show up to court, he could be ordered removed in absentia (when he is not present in court). He can check the date, if he has his A number, by calling 1800-898-7180 or by going to this EOIR website: https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/ ... Read More
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