“Not only did my participation in the Immigration Clinic make me a better advocate, one who got to argue before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at the age of 23, but I also graduated with lifelong mentors and friends who further inspired my humanity beyond what the law school ever could.”
— Blanca Peña Nevarez, BSL ’26
Learning and Leading the Way
Every year in the UNLV Immigration Clinic, two dozen or more UNLV students get the opportunity to experience intensive, cutting-edge, and community-driven legal practice, mentored by some of the best practitioners in the country. The clinic offers experiential learning opportunities for both undergraduates and law students. UNLV Immigration Clinic student attorneys litigate cases in Immigration Court, federal district court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, in some cases producing cutting-edge decisions that are then cited by others.
We offer five types of student opportunities:
Undergraduate internships
Community service opportunities for early law students (part of the Boyd School of Law’s Community Service Program)
Osvaldo Fumo Summer Fellowship (paid) (typically for a rising 2L)
Law school externships (for 2Ls and 3Ls)
Immigration Clinic course (Immigration Clinic course and Advanced Clinic) (for 3Ls, typically offered fall semester, followed by an optional advanced clinic in the spring)
Image
Image
In our externships and Immigration Clinic course, certified student attorneys directly argue and litigate deportation and immigration detention cases under supervision. Both satisfy the Nevada bar’s supervised practice requirement for attorney licensure.
“I developed my sense of what it means to stand in a courtroom. I learned that courtroom confidence is built, not improvised. That lesson carried into my first bond hearing. I felt the pressure, but I was ready. When the judge granted my client’s release that same day, it marked the first time I experienced what it means to function as an advocate rather than a student.”
— Wyatt Kay, BSL ’27
Image
