KRISTI GAINES

Communications regarding international trade in legal services and overseas market access for U.S. firms and lawyers.

Communications regarding potential changes to the filing procedures for Notices to Appear for unaccompanied children. Communications regarding transfers of represented individuals from the Otay Mesa Detention Center without notice to counsel. Communications regarding making bond determinations more equitable by requiring consideration of a noncitizens ability to pay and ensuring consistency in determination of bond amounts. Communications requesting issuance of regulations that enhance protection for individuals seeking asylum due to gender-based violence. Communications regarding implementation of best practices for the care, representation, and adjudication of unaccompanied immigrant children. Issues relating to access to counsel and the Legal Orientation Program, particularly for individuals in immigration detention. S.2327, H.R.4627, the Afghan Adjustment Act and other measures to facilitate permanent legal status for certain Afghans present in the U.S.

S. 5229 - Judicial Modernization and Transparency Act H.R. 927, S. 325 - Supreme Court Ethics Act H.R. 926, S. 359 - Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2023 H. Res. 314 - Territorial Incorporation Doctrine Support for authorizing new federal judgeships. Judicial Security - efforts to expand judicial security protection to Administrative Law Judges. Support the original intent of H.R.9278 to extend the current deadline for millions of existing small businesses to file their initial beneficial ownership reports required under the Corporate Transparency Act for one year to January 1, 2026. Oppose efforts by Congress, such as the provision contained in S.4638, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, to regulate the practice of law by mandating that attorneys married to an active duty servicemembers in the armed forces be automatically admitted to practice law in the state where the servicemember has been stationed. This would undermine the longstanding principle and doctrine supported by the ABA which believes state supreme courts have the power of licensure. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Duty of Candor; Docket No. RM22-20-000, 87 Fed. Reg. 49784 (August 12, 2022)-provisions regulating certain attorneys engaged in the practice of law and requiring them to disclose certain attorney-client privileged and other protected client information. Model Rules of Representative Conduct developed by an Administrative Conference of the United States working group that, if adopted by individual federal agencies, would regulate the conduct of attorneys and non-attorneys who represent parties and other interested persons in administrative adjudicative proceedings before those agencies. Administrative Conference of the United States study on Regulation of Representatives in Agency Proceedings to explore how federal agencies regulate the conduct of attorneys and non-attorneys who represent parties and other interested persons in administrative adjudicative proceedings, and related best practices for federal agencies. Proposed Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel legal opinion further clarifying the ability of government attorneys and other employees to participate more fully in outside organizations, including legal professional associations. Revised Department of Justice ethics guidance (Representations Before the Government) further clarifying the ability of government attorneys and other employees to participate more fully in outside organizations, including legal professional associations.

Support for U.S. ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Draft legislation to amend U.S. law to extend domestic jurisdiction over crimes against humanity. Support for U.S. ratification of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (Singapore Convention on Mediation). Issues relating to facilitating U.S. support and engagement with the International Criminal Court. Support for increased funding for democracy, human rights, and rule of law programs.

Support supplemental disaster relief funding for legal services. FY2025 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations - funding for the Legal Services Corporation; funding for the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review's Legal Orientation Program. FY2025 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations - funding for democracy, human rights, and rule of law programs. H.R. 8773, S. 4928, Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2025, and other appropriations bills - provisions relating to funding for the Internal Revenue Service.

Discussions regarding draft legislation to revise the current standard for assessing a motion to reopen an immigration matter based on ineffective assistance of counsel. Issues regarding collection and publication of race and ethnicity data of individuals seeking benefits or subject to enforcement processing and adjudications. Communications regarding implementation of best practices for the care, representation, and adjudication of unaccompanied immigrant children. Issues relating to access to counsel and the Legal Orientation Program, particularly for individuals in immigration detention. S.2327, H.R.4627, the Afghan Adjustment Act and other measures to facilitate permanent legal status for certain Afghans present in the U.S. Issues related to unaccompanied alien children, including access to counsel and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Issues regarding the operations of the immigration courts, including establishing an independent Article I immigration court system. Issues relating to decreasing the use of detention and expanding alternatives to detention.

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION