Students’ Human Rights Advocacy Highlights
Legal Advocacy Before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Students have worked in collaboration with several local and national human rights organizations in requesting hearings before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where they have presented testimony and extensive written documentation, using international human rights law to frame our partner organizations’ priority issues of concern regarding U.S. policies and practices for detaining immigrants.
Advocacy for the UN Human Rights Council
In close coordination and consultation with a national human rights non-profit law office and grassroots organizations in Haiti, Clinic students worked to translate a series of persistent rights violations and issues of concern into the international human rights framework for Haiti’s Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human Rights Council. Students also conducted workshops and trainings to the partner organizations and their members on how to effectively use international human rights law and mechanisms in their own domestic advocacy.
Immigration Highlights

Students in the Clinic have successfully represented clients from countries as diverse as China, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, Mali, Guinea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Working in teams of two and under faculty supervision, students are responsible for all aspects of client representation, including interviewing, legal and factual research and analysis, case theory and narrative theory development, affidavit drafting, brief writing, negotiation, and preparation of fact and expert witnesses. Students then serve as lead counsel during the trial, delivering opening and closing arguments, and conducting all direct and cross-examinations of their client and other witnesses.
Transnational Clinic Course Details for Students
Contact Us
The Transnational Legal Clinic receives clients from partner organizations; we do not have an open intake process.
People seeking legal representation for immigration matters should contact other local immigration legal services providers or the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Please also note, the Transnational Legal Clinic does not represent individuals in U.S. state or federal courts.
Transnational Legal Clinic
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
Gittis Center for Clinical Legal Studies
3501 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Fax: 215.573.6783