Law Students

Collecting Cards

By Andrea

I'm here! Just getting used to the new job and new schedule. Today I learned how to explain that I'm somewhere between student and lawyer in Spanish. Very useful. I also dealt with a Guatemalan guy whose criminal docket sheets showed he used to live on "Chapin St." in Rhode Island. Chapin is a nickname for a Guatemalan dude. Funny.

I'm doing a little of everything - which is both the nature of detention work and a pretty ideal way to learn. It's like I have to collect all the forms of relief trading cards so I can redeploy them later for maximum justice. Right now my deck contains an Asylum, a Cancellation of Removal, and a Voluntary Departure. Still need to collect a Bond Hearing, a VAWA, a Citizenship Claim, and a Motion to Reopen. I would make a Dungeons & Dragons joke here but I don't know enough references to actually be funny. I leave that to you, commenters.

I am most definitely being trained here, although not with internal meetings or lunchtime speakers or what have you. They're giving me all the work the lawyers do, but offering to hover over me or hold my hand as much as I want it - or not. My supervisor keeps asking if I want to tag along on literally anything she's doing - from going through intake forms with our director to going to court to review hearing tapes - and apologizing if it sounds boring. (I've said yes to everything.)

I think the most accurate thing to say is that I feel a little anxious and very humble about playing for keeps in this field, but I don't feel in over my head or like I'm floundering without support. My stomach jumps a little bit when I pick up the phone and talk to someone in detention (although I get MORE physically anxious speaking on the phone in Spanish), but maybe it always will - that's OK.

I'm also going to a bunch of outside trainings of the formal, binder-issuing kind. In fact, this weekend I'm taking the bus to NYC for not one, but TWO trainings on immigration and crimes, and staying with the lovely Caro. Yay! My organization doesn't have the money to fly me or put me up in a hotel on top of it, but they were happy to pay for the seminars. So I haven't gotten any swag, or any free food besides some muffin tops my supervisor brought for yesterday's staff meeting, but I'm being well taken care of.

Also! The Internet now says I have a job, so it must be true.

Full post as published by Peanut Butter Burrito on September 10, 2008 (boomark / email).