AILA Presents Sui Chung with the 2012 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 14, 2012
George Tzamaras or Belle Woods
202-507-7649 - 202-507-7675
gtzamaras@aila.org - bwoods@aila.org

NASHVILLE, TN - The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Sui Chung, an attorney with Immigration Law & Litigation Group, with the 2012 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for her outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field. Ms. Chung will receive the award today during AILA's Annual Conference in Nashville, TN.

As Chair of AILA South Florida's Pro Bono Committee, Ms. Chung has led the creation and implementation of the AILA Krome Mental Incompetency Project and AILA Broward Transitional Center Bond Project, managed numerous citizenship and immigration drives, organized and presented trainings for pro bono attorneys, and established effective mechanisms for intake, distribution, and matching of attorneys with indigent detained and non-detained immigrants. By creating numerous and meaningful opportunities for AILA attorneys to serve the most needy immigrants, she has amplified the effectiveness of her personal mission to pro bono service, as well as her chapter's efforts to offer its assistance in championing causes of the most vulnerable of our population.

Ms. Chung has also represented many individual clients by offering pro bono appellate representation to immigrants in removal proceedings. She tirelessly briefed dozens of appeals and served as counsel for immigrants detained throughout the country. In every instance where a respondent became eligible for bond, she further conducted telephonic and televideo hearings before many different immigration courts. She has served as mentor and supervisor to law students and attorneys participating in the EOIR/BIA Pro Bono project.

Ms. Chung has also organized and led several larger service projects, in which she engages members of the Bar to serve indigent communities. She provides legal orientation to volunteers of other community-based organizations and trainings to law enforcement regarding immigration relief available for victims of crime. She serves on the Legal Needs of Children Committee of the Florida Bar, and has integrated an immigration component into the committee's annual convention.

Upon receiving her law degree, she was selected for the United States Department of Justice Attorneys General Honors and was assigned to serve at the Board of Immigration Appeals. She received her Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center, and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees from Oberlin College and Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

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The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.