Think Immigration: Beyond the CLE: Why Every AILA Member Should Experience the Annual Conference

This blog post is part of our series from the Member Experience Committee highlighting the ways AILA members can join in, build community, access resources, advocate, and enhance the overall AILA member experience.

Most immigration attorneys launch their AILA journey through local chapter meetings and one-day conferences. They’re convenient, low-cost, and filled with colleagues who practice just down the street. Yet at least once in your career you should consider attending the AILA Annual Conference (AC)—this year in Denver, June 18-21, 2025. Four days that deliver benefits that extend well beyond collecting CLE credits.

CLEs are just the beginning

Let’s address the obvious draw first: you can earn virtually all of your required CLE hours in a single trip. For solos and small-firm owners, that efficiency alone often justifies the travel and registration fee. Still, if you go only for the credits you’ll miss the richest part of the AC experience. The real magic lies elsewhere and is what draws me back year after year.

My Top Four or So Non-CLE Reasons to Attend the AILA Annual Conference

Reuniting—or Meeting—with Colleagues Nationwide

Immigration is a federal practice, so classmates, mentors, and former coworkers may scatter across the country throughout their career. The Annual Conference is often the only place to see them in person. You might run into former classmates now filing extraordinary-ability petitions in Los Angeles, co-counsel from tough PERM cases, or attorneys who share your cultural background, a practice niche, and more.

In an era dominated by screens, a spontaneous hallway conversation can spark a referral partnership—or a lifelong friendship.

Socializing That Builds Trust, Not Just Contacts

AILA is, at its heart, a member organization. Relationships forged over breakfast or during an evening reception can mature into mentorship and collaborative opportunities. Talking shop between panels can be useful, but laughing over a local craft beer (of which there are many in Denver!) can be transformative.

Because immigration law is inherently collaborative, trust grows faster when you’ve shared stories or the dance floor, rather than just emails.

Scheduled Fun (and Unscheduled Stress Relief)

AILA’s organizers know immigration lawyers and their teams operate under relentless deadlines and a political climate that can feel hostile to both immigrants and their advocates. To help us recharge, they build fun into the agenda: early morning yoga or other exercise, various dinners and galas, and a final-night party that has been quite legendary in past years, from renting out a museum in Chicago to a Disney World dance party in Orlando to a custom Broadway show in New York City.

Vendors and practice groups layer on their own events such as small-group dinners, happy hours, even comedy shows (I’m hosting one in Denver—ask me about it!). Those lighter moments aren’t fluff. They’re essential to de-stress, reconnect with our purpose, and return home energized for our clients.

A Curated Showcase of Immigration Tech and Services

AILA conference organizers make sure that every vendor is vetted, appropriate, and will bring something to the table. I've had a booth at AILA conferences for a handful of years now, as I straddle both sides as an AILA member attorney and the CEO of an immigration tech company. So, I know that AILA makes sure that all vendors make sense.

For example, when companies that have never exhibited at an AILA Annual Conference apply to be an exhibitor, AILA reaches out to references to make sure they’re a good fit. I've been a reference several times and have talked to AILA about why I think those specific companies would be a good fit. This happens behind the scenes and is often not known or appreciated, but it makes for a better conference experience and helps make sure AILA AC attendees are exposed to the latest and greatest tech and other services that make life better and easier for all AILA members.

Conclusion: See You in Denver (Or a Future AC)!

Are you heading to AILA AC 2025? If so, I can’t wait to see you—perhaps at a morning workout, happy hour, or my comedy night.

If you're on the fence, I hope this article helped. I'm also always happy to talk to any AILA members about the pros and cons of conferences to help you make a decision.

And if you absolutely can't make it this year, consider it for next year or sometime in the future! It's well worth the investment and, I suspect, once you go and realize how fun, engaging, enlightening and sometimes life-changing it is, you'll want to come back!