RAGINI N. SHAH 79 Waltham Street Boston, MA 02118 917-647-7191 rnshah@suffolk.edu EDUCATION NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, J.D. 1999 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, B.S. SOCIAL POLICY, 1993 Honors: suma cum laude TEACHING EXPERIENCE SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL, Boston, MA. July 2013-present Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Interim Director of Clinical Programs July 2010 June 2013 Associate Clinical Professor of Law (on academic leave 2012-2013) July 2007-June 2010 Assistant Clinical Professor of Law. Created Immigration Clinic July 2007. Subjects taught: Immigration Clinic, Immigration Law. FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México August 2012-June 2013 Mexican Migration Project, University of Guadalajara Researching root causes of migration including new migration patterns and community based alternatives that could form the basis of human rights based arguments. COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL, New York, N.Y., July 2006-June 2007 Lecturer in Law and Clinical Staff Attorney July 2004 June 2006 Clinical Staff Attorney, Child Advocacy and Immigration Clinic Developed curriculum and independently taught weekly seminar for the Immigrant Children s Representation Project of the Child Advocacy Clinic in 2006-2007. Supervised twelve students in two-person teams on all aspects of representation for children facing removal proceedings and projects concerning unaccompanied minors. From 2004-2006, co-taught weekly seminar with Professor Jane Spinak. Supervised students on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status ( SIJS ) applications for children in foster care and advocacy projects. Conducted trainings with student teams for judges, caseworkers, and lawyers on eligibility for SIJS. Created website with resources for advocates including child welfare law and immigration law and procedure. Service: Assisted in preparation of externship program in immigrant representation. Assisted students in development of program to assist attorneys representing children facing removal from the United States. RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, New Brunswick, N.J., January 2003 May 2004 Adjunct Professor, School of Management and Labor Relations. Developed curriculum and taught advanced course in Employment Law including: employment discrimination; wage and hour; and welfare to work requirements with particular emphasis on social history of statutes covered. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Boston, MA, 1997-1999 Teaching Assistant. Taught first quarter of two-quarter Legal Practice course for first-year students. Provided intensive instruction on legal methods and drafting. Provided individual and group feedback on writing samples. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THE DOOR S LEGAL SERVICES CENTER, New York, N.Y., November 2003 June 2004 Staff Attorney: Represented undocumented youth in applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status ( SIJS ) and
Adjustment of Status by interviewing clients, preparing immigration documents, obtaining supporting documentation, and advocating with local USCIS office. Initiated federal litigation on behalf of SIJS-eligible youth who were improperly being denied relief by USCIS. Facilitated local SIJS advocates group and prepared memoranda for largescale advocacy. Developed and conducted trainings for pro bono counsel and social workers on SIJS requirements. SOLIDARITY AND ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, Brooklyn, N.Y., October 2001 March 2003 Volunteer Attorney: Represented low-income immigrants in removal proceedings by: securing release of immigrants from detention; preparing applications for political asylum, hardship waivers, and adjustment of status; and monitoring criminal proceedings for immigrant detainees. SOUTH BROOKLYN LEGAL SERVICES, CORP. B, Brooklyn, N.Y., September 1999 - September 2001 Staff Attorney: Represented low income tenants in eviction proceedings, Article 78 proceedings and federal housing rights cases by interviewing clients, preparing pleading and motion papers, and appearing in court. Conducted training sessions on tenants rights and legal developments. VLADECK, WALDMAN, ENGLEHARDT & ELIAS, P.C., New York, N.Y., December 1998 - February 1999 Law Clerk: Performed legal research and writing on a variety of employment and labor law issues including Title VII, ERISA, individual union members rights and immigrants rights. WOMEN S REFUGEE PROJECT, Boston, MA, August 1997 June 1999 Law Clerk: Represented low-income clients in asylum proceedings by interviewing clients, preparing applications and supporting documents, and researching international asylum standards. Researched visa and documentation requirements for adjustment of status. HONORABLE BERNARD ZIMMERMAN U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco, CA December 1997 - February 1998 Extern: Researched and wrote memoranda on civil rights law, administrative law, civil procedure, and immigration law issues. Assisted in in camera review and discovery conferences for civil rights cases. CALIFORNIA RURAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE, San Francisco, CA, June - August 1997 Law Clerk: Researched and wrote memoranda on variety of cases effecting migrant farm workers including unemployment compensation procedures, immigration amnesty procedures and environmental health standards. Conducted pre-trial factual research for civil rights, unemployment insurance, and immigration cases. PUBLICATIONS AND WORKS IN PROGRESS Taking Migrants Into Account: Root Causes of Undocumented Migration and a Migrant-Centered Approach at Addressing Those Causes, Work In Progress. No Matter What: The Inevitability of Mexican-U.S. Migration and its Lessons for Border Control Strategies, 55 Wayne L. Rev. 1851 (2010). Sharing the American Dream: Towards Formalizing the Status of Long Term Resident Undocumented Children in the United States, 39 Col.Hum.Rts.L.Rev. 637 (2008). Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Manual for Children in Foster Care, published on-line at https:\quickplace.law.columbia.edu\childimmigrant; and www.refugees.org. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Manual for Children in Removal Proceedings, published on-line at https: \quickplace.law.columbia.edu\childimmigrant; and www.refugees.org. PRESENTATIONS
Lecturer, Los Efectos del Neoliberalismo en La Migración Mexicana, (The Effects of Neoliberalism on Mexican Migration), Center for North American Studies, National Autonomous University of Mexico, November 28, 2012, México City, México. Panelist, Políticas Publicas y Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes, (Public Policy and Human Rights of Migrants), Latin American Rural Sociology Association, November 13, 2012, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. Panelist, Taller: La ley de migracion y su reglamento, (Workshop: The immigration law and its regulations), INEDIM Conference, October 17, 2012, Guadalajara, Jalisco. Panelist, Immigration: From Local to Global, LatCrit XVI, October 7, 2011, San Diego, CA. Panelist, Overview of the Job Market Process, LatCrit XVI, October 6, 2011, San Diego, CA. Presenter, Incubator Session, Emerging Immigration Professors Conference, May 18, 2011, Washington, D.C. Panelist, Dignity and Justice in Immigration Laws, South North Exchange, May 12, 2011, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Panelist, Subordinated Sites and Bodies, LatCrit XV, October 9, 2010, Denver, CO. Panelist. Factors to Reform: Migration, Asylum, Social Cohesion and Political Economy, Immigration Reform: Problems, Possibilities, and Pragmatic Solutions, Wayne State Law Review Symposium, February 4, 2010, Detroit, MI. Facilitator, Working Group, 0-3 years of experience, Annual Meeting, Clinical Section, Association of American Law Schools, May 6-9, 2009 Panelist. Our Collective Identities: Approaching Cross Cultural Issues in the Classroom, Plenary Session, Annual Meeting, Association of American Law Schools Clinical Section, May 5, 2008 Tuscon, AZ. Panelist. Families and Citizenship, Wayne State University Center for Citizenship Studies Fifth Annual Conference in Citizenship Studies: The Boundaries of Citizenship, March 28, 2008, Detroit, MI. Panelist. Challenging Our Assumptions: A Conversation Between the Experienced Clinician and the Experienced Practitioner, Concurrent Sessions, Clinical Section, Association of American Law Schools, May 5, 2007, New Orleans, LA. Presenter. Approaches to Representing Immigrant Children: Law Centered Representation vs. Client Centered Representation," Works in Progress Session, Immigration Law Teachers Workshop, May 5, 2006, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV. Panelist. A Critical Look at Immigration Law s Treatment of Children, Works in Progress Session, Annual Meeting, Clinical Section, Association of American Law Schools, May 1, 2006, New York, N.Y. Facilitator. Working Group on Immigration, Annual Meeting, Clinical Section, Association of American Law Schools, April 30-May 3, 2006, New York, N.Y. Moderator. Obtaining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status American Immigration Lawyers Monthly Meeting, April 6, 2006, New York, N.Y. Guest Speaker. Immigration Issues for Children in New York s Foster Care System, New York Family Court Continuing Education Series, September 28, 2005, New York, N.Y. Panelist. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Representing Unaccompanied Alien Minors, National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children, September 20, 2005, New York, N.Y.
Guest Speaker. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children, February 1, 2005, New York, N.Y. Panelist. Post 9/11 Advocacy Strategies in New York City, Post September 11 Advocacy Strategies: A Comparative Look at New York and San Francisco, Association of Asian American Studies Annual Meeting, March 2004, Boston, MA. Panelist. Taking It to the Streets, Feminist Legal Theory in Action, Feminist Jurisprudence Conference, June 28-30, 2003, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, WI. Moderator. Constitutionalism and the Underrepresented, Law and Society Annual Meeting, June 5-8, 2003, Pittsburgh, PA. Panelist. A Look at Plenary Powers in Immigration Law, Law and Society Annual Meeting, June 5-8, 2003, Pittsburgh, PA. Panelist. Racialized Underpinnings of the Plenary Power Doctrine, Race and the Body Politic, Critical Race Theory Workshop, April 10-12, 2003, The American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. Trainer. Changes to the Rent Stabilization Laws, Continuing Legal Education Series, Legal Services for New York, May, 2000, New York, N.Y. PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Planning Committee, Immigration Law Teachers Workshop, 2009-2010 RESIST Board of Directors, 2009-present Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association, Board Member, 2008-2010 Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, Member 2007-present American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member 2004-present National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, Member 2005-present
REFERENCES Professor Jeffrey Pokorak Director of Experiential Learning Suffolk University Law School 120 Tremont Street, Suite 190 Boston, MA 02108 (617) 305-1645 jpokorak@suffolk.edu Professor Ilene Seidman Associate Dean, Clinical Professor of Law Suffolk University Law School 120 Tremont Street, Suite 190 Boston, MA 02108 (617) 573-8157 iseidman@suffolk.edu Professor Jane Spinak Edward Aranow Professor of Law Columbia Law School 435 West 116 th Street, Box D-6 New York, NY 10027 (212) 854-3857 spinak@law.columbia.edu Antonio Castro Aranda Detention Project Manager Political Asylum and Immigrant Representation Project 254 Friend Street Boston, MA 02114 (617) 742-9296 acaranda@pairproject.org