EOIR Merits Hearing: Be Ready for Anything!
Your client filed an application or petition, had their master calendar hearing, and is now scheduled for a merits hearing. How should attorneys prepare for surprises from the DHS attorney, the immigration judge (IJ), and/or the client at the hearing? What can attorneys do to be ready for a multitude of potential outcomes at individual merits hearings? Our panel of experts will offer real-world scenarios of unexpected situations that could sabotage the hearing and offer best practices to salvage the case.
Featured Topics
- Setting the table: preparing clients thoroughly and managing expectations
- Contingency planning: identifying risks and case weaknesses
- Keep the mind nimble: strategies for quick adaptation at the hearing
- Power tools: checklists, scripts, and off-the-cuff practice for keeping control of your hearing
- Expect the unexpected: anticipating and neutralizing “surprises” from DHS, the IJ, and/or your own client
AILA Membership Benefit – Access to Free Seminar Recordings (CLE Credit Available for $35)
Enjoy access to free seminar recordings as an AILA Member. AILA encourages live attendance for those wishing to ask the speaker questions. CLE credit is included with purchase for live participants.
Recordings will be available approximately two weeks after the live event date. AILA members can access these seminars, with no CLE credit, for free. Recordings are CLE eligible in most jurisdictions and a $35 administration fee is required to obtain CLE credit.
Contact us at cle@aila.org or visit AILA’s Web Seminar Recordings page for more information about receiving CLE credit for a web seminar recording.
| Product Details | |
| Event Date | March 5, 2026 |
| Format | Web Seminar |
| Length | 90 minutes |
| CLE Eligible | Yes. Live attendance must be recorded in My CLE by Thursday, March 12, 2026. This deadline does not apply to the OnDemand format. |
| Digital Library | Digital goods (MP3, PDF, ZIP, etc.) are available for download for two years after purchase. |
Eligible participants can receive up to 1.8 CLE credit hours. AILA will administer CLE credit only to individuals who register and log into the web seminar. AILA cannot verify your attendance and participation in this program unless you register directly for the web seminar and use your name to log in to participate in the program. Therefore, persons who log in or listen in on the web seminar as part of a group will not be able to obtain CLE credit.
Please note that your jurisdiction may limit the amount of distance learning credit you can earn. To view details on your jurisdiction's credit restrictions and CLE requirements, visit the CLE Center.
AILA has filed for CLE and specialized credit in all jurisdictions with mandatory CLE requirements. For details about specific approvals, contact us at cle@aila.org.
- AILA applies for accreditation upon attorneys’ request after participation for the following states: AR, DE, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MS, OR, TN and WY. Programs are typically approved.
- Florida and Rhode Island - Attorneys must apply on their own for approval of seminars in FL and RI. Programs are typically approved.
- The OnDemand Recording format does not qualify for CLE credit in the following jurisdictions: MO and PR. Please note that your jurisdiction may limit OnDemand credit based on the date of the original presentation. View the OnDemand Downloadable Expiration Chart for more details.
To receive CLE credit for the live event, attorneys must record web seminar attendance and the CLE code provided by March 12, 2026 via My CLE.
Contact us at cle@aila.org or visit AILA’s Web Seminar Recordings page for more information about receiving CLE credit for a seminar recording.
Jennifer Durkin (DL), Staten Island, NY
Jennifer Durkin is of counsel with Dutta Law Firm. Until recently, she served as an Immigration Judge at the Varick Court. Before joining EOIR, Jennifer worked at the Legal Aid Society as Deputy Attorney-in-Charge of the Immigration Unit and as supervising attorney on the NYIFUP project representing detained New Yorkers. From 2005-2020, she was a partner at several immigration firms. Jennifer received her JD from the UCLA School Of Law (1999).
Monica Mananzan, AILA Removal Defense Section Steering Committee, Washington, D.C.
Monica Mananzan is Managing Attorney of the Detained Adult Program at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, where she has represented individuals in ICE detention for six years. She previously served as a Staff Attorney at Catholic Charities of Baltimore, representing survivors of violence in humanitarian immigration cases. Monica earned her JD from the University of the Philippines College of Law and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. She serves on AILA’s ICE National Liaison Committee, chairs AILA DC’s WAS ICE ERO Liaison Committee, and is Amica Center’s lead Padilla Adviser.
Matthew G. Holt, San Diego, CA
Matthew G. Holt is the managing attorney at Hurwitz Holt, APLC with offices in San Diego and Carlsbad. He is a past chair of the AILA San Diego Chapter, AILA's New Members Division, and the San Diego County Bar Association's Immigration Section. He's a California State Bar certified specialist in immigration law, currently serves on AILA's ICE Liaison committee, and is the co-author of Conducting Immigration Evaluations: A Practical Guide for Mental Health Professionals (1st Ed.). He graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2003 and received his JD as a trustee scholar from California Western School of Law (2007).
Alexander Vayser, Highland Park, IL
Alexander Vayser is an immigration attorney with North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic, he focuses his work on removal defense, humanitarian relief, and family-based applications. He is a member of AILA ‘s Distance Learning committee and prioritizes continuing education opportunities to further improve his legal skills. Alexander received his JD from The University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
