Honorable James J. Gilvary Symposium on Law, Religion & Social Justice
“Justice for Strangers?  Legal Assistance and the Foreign Born”

University of Dayton School of Law
February 27-28, 2008
Keller Hall
Dayton, Ohio

The 2008 Gilvary Symposium explored the national immigration debate and equipped attendees with the skills to better serve migrant and immigrant communities. 

Even if you missed the symposium, you can click here to look at Symposium Materials

To listen to podcasts of symposium sessions, go to itunes.udayton.edu. Click on "Launch UD on iTunes." You may log on as an anonymous visitor to access the podcasts. Select "Law" and "James J. Gilvary Symposium" to reach the podcasts.

Wednesday, February 27 explored the broad policy choices the United States faces as it re-evaluates its immigration policies.  The first group of panelists discussed immigration policy from the perspective of the Catholic faith tradition. Featured speaker Victor Romero outlined the primary policy issues facing lawmakers today. The evening closed with an in-depth look at the moral and legal debate surrounding guestworker programs.

Speakers included:

• Daniel G. Groody, Assistant Professor of Theology and the Director of the Center for Latino Spirituality and Culture at the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame
• Howard F. Chang,  Earle Hepburn Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law
• Victor C. Romero, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs  & Maureen B. Cavanaugh Distinguished Faculty Scholar at the Penn State Dickinson University School of Law
• Michael Scaperlanda, Associate Dean for Scholarship and Research, Professor of Law, and Gene and Elain Edwards Family Chair in Law

Schedule of Events for Wednesday, February 27:
3:30-5:00 Faith and the Immigration Debate
5:00-6:30 Dinner
6:30-7:15 U.S. Immigration Policy: Contract or Human Rights Law?
7:15-8:00 Guestworker Programs:  The Moral and Legal Debate

Thursday, February 28 provided tools and information legal practitioners need to best represent and counsel noncitizen clients. Topics included:

• Employment Laws and Remedies for Foreign Born Workers;
• Hidden Trafficking;
• Race, Civil Rights, & Immigration Law;
• Eligibility to Public Benefits for Noncitizens;
• Defending Noncitizens in Criminal Trials;
• Immigration Relief for Battered Immigrants; and
• Building a Community that Embraces Diversity.  

Speakers included:

• Jonathan Blazer, Public Benefits Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center
• Victoria Gavito, Legal Director at Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.
• Dina Francesca Haynes, Associate Professor of Law at the New England School of Law
• Susan Sibbing, Program Manager for the National Conference for Community and Justice of Greater Dayton
• Sheila F. Miller, Associate Professor of Lawyering Skills at the University of Dayton School of Law
• Bruno G. Romero, Program Manager of the Ohio Supreme Court Interpreter Services Program
• Victor C. Romero, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs  & Maureen B. Cavanaugh Distinguished Faculty Scholar at the Penn State Dickinson University School of Law
• Jed E. Untereker, Staff Attorney at the Working Hands Legal Clinic: Employment Laws and Remedies for Immigrant Workers
• Mark Heller: Managing Attorney at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality
• Lolita Buckner Inniss: Associate Professor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University
• Karen Denise Bradley: Attorney, Bradley & Associates 
• Lauren Morrison: Attorney at Legal Aid in Cincinnati
• Marilyn Zayas-Davis: Attorney at Law Office of Marlyn Zayas-Davis

Schedule of Events for Thursday, February 28:
9:00-10:00 Opening Session
10:15-11:00 Concurrent Sessions
     Employment Laws and Remedies for Foreign Born Workers
     Hidden Trafficking
11:15-12:45 Concurrent Sessions
     Race, Civil Rights, & Immigration Law or Eligibility
     Barriers to Public Benefits for Noncitizens
12:45-1:30 Lunch
1:30-2:15 Building a Community that Embraces Diversity.
2:30-3:15 Concurrent Sessions
     Immigration Relief for Battered Immigrants
     Defending Non-citizens in Criminal Trials
 
The 2008 Gilvary Symposium complemented the First Miami Valley Forum on Immigration: Challenges and Opportunities for the Immigrants in the Dayton Area, which addressed obstacles local immigrants face in health care, education, employment, and language.  Organizations shared their experiences and best practices, and workshops explored effective strategies and planned achievable goals. For Miami Valley Summit details, please contact Dr. Theo Majka at Theo.Majka@notes.udayton.edu.