Laserfiche WebLink
I LIANA A LEXIS G OMEZ <br />Phone: (909) 286-5658 ▪ E-Mail: iliana@immdef.org <br /> <br />E DUCATION <br />UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, California <br />J.D. Candidate, May 2017 <br />UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California <br />B.A., Legal Studies, May 2014 <br />Honors: Magna Cum Laude <br /> <br />E XPERIENCE <br />Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Los Angeles, CA August 2017-Present <br />Staff Attorney, NQRP <br /> <br />▪ Represented immigrants deemed mentally incompetent to represent themselves in immigration court, <br />wherein such cases heavily involve criminal-immigration issues. <br />▪ Had a denial overturned by the Board of Immigration Appeals under a clear error standard. <br />▪ Granted asylum on three cases for mentally ill men from Mexico. <br />▪ Granted asylum for a mentally ill woman from El Salvador. <br />▪ Granted asylum for a bisexual man from El Salvador. <br />▪ Granted termination after extensive briefing regarding the standard for granting relief in immigration <br />court after post-conviction relief. <br />The Bronx Defenders, Bronx, New York Summer 2016 <br />Legal Intern, Immigration Practice <br />▪ Worked with removal defense and plea consult practices; work primarily focused on issues at the <br />intersection of immigration law and criminal law. <br />▪ Conducted legal research on array of issues, including criminal bars to immigration relief and the <br />interplay between criminal convictions and both removal and inadmissibility. <br />▪ Drafted briefs, including a brief arguing that a client was eligible for withholding of removal. <br />▪ Participated in six-week trial advocacy course taught by office staff attorneys, learning about opening <br />statements, direct and cross examination, and closing statements. <br /> <br />UCLA School of Law Asylum Clinic, Los Angeles, California Spring 2016 <br />Student, Public Counsel Placement <br />▪ Worked one day a week at Public Counsel as part of semester-long clinical course <br />▪ Worked with student partner and client to prepare asylum application to submit to USCIS. <br />▪ Drafted client declaration; completed I-589 form, researched and compiled country conditions <br />evidence. <br />▪ Worked with client in removal proceedings, communicated directly with client and two witnesses to <br />draft client and witness declarations. <br /> <br />CARECEN Youth Deportation Clinic, Los Angeles, CA Fall 2015 <br />Volunteer <br />▪ Conducted intake interviews of undocumented immigrant youth in Spanish to assist attorneys with <br />assessment of eligibility for immigration relief.