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 within one week of the web seminar date via webCLE.

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.

Joshua Altman (DL), San Diego, CA

Joshua Altman worked in the Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review’s immigration courts, Board of Immigration Appeals, and front office for nearly a decade before moving to private practice in 2018. Josh brings an extensive knowledge of agency decision-making practices and substantive law and applies his civil litigation and appellate advocacy skills to solving complex immigration matters.

Russell Abrutyn, AILA Michigan Chapter Chair, Southfield, MI

Russell Abrutyn owns the immigration law firm Abrutyn Law. Russell is the Michigan Chapter Chair and serves on the Board of Governors and Governance Committee. He previously chaired the National Membership and Amicus committees. Russell has received AILA awards for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law, excellence in immigration litigation, mentorship, and five President’s Commendations. As counsel, co-counsel, or amici, he has obtained numerous favorable published decisions in the circuit courts and BIA.

Javier Maldonado, San Antonio, TX

Javier Maldonado, a seasoned attorney in civil litigation, specializes in immigration, employment discrimination, civil rights, and complex cases in federal and state courts. Formerly the Executive Director of the Texas Lawyers’ Committee, he champions immigrant and refugee rights. Mr. Maldonado, a Columbia University School of Law graduate, has diverse experience, including roles at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). In 2006, he earned the LexisNexis Matthew Bender Daniel Levy Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Immigration Law.

Rebecca Sharpless, Coral Gables, FL

Rebecca Sharpless is a faculty member of the University of Miami School of Law, where she directs the Immigration Clinic and serves as Associate Dean for Experiential Learning. She is a past president of the South Florida Chapter of AILA and served for many years on AILA's amicus committee. Her narrative nonfiction book Shackled: 92 Refugees Imprisoned On ICE Air will be released January 16, 2024 by the University of California Press.