In Memoriam: Carolyn Waller

This is to announce the sad news that Carolyn Waller, former AILA member, died peacefully at her home in Bethesda, MD after a long illness. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Thomas Waller, paleontologist emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution, her daughter Lynn Fegley, her son John Waller, and 3 grandchildren.

Ms. Waller was a pioneer in immigration law in the Washington, D.C. area. She was a graduate of the Antioch School of Law, and worked to have the school relocated at the University of the District of Columbia. She worked with Maury Roberts for many years, editing Interpreter Releases. She worked on important litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Waller specialized in asylum law, and wrote the first asylum training manual for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, which formed the basis for training attorneys in asylum law for many years. She practiced law until approximately 2011. In 1989 AILA recognized her work with its Non-Profit Lawyer of the Year award.

Ms. Waller continued to work for the improvement of the availability of good immigration legal services for those who could not pay high fees. She started an immigration law clinic in honor of the Reverend James Healey, which was then incorporated into the immigration clinic at the University of the District of Columbia. She continued to work as an adjunct professor at UDC lawschool.

Ms. Waller was active in working to ensure fair elections both abroad and in the U.S. She observed elections in Ethiopia, and in Haiti, working with the Washington Office on Haiti. In the U.S. she regularly worked as a poll worker, and observed elections to ensure fairness in Philadelphia.

The family is still making plans regarding ceremonies, and will communicate this later.

Most of all, she was a constant, kind, steady friend. She will be greatly missed.

Carolyn Killea Rutledge