Chair of NMM Immigration Law Practice Raymond Lahoud Speaks on Asylum

Raymond G. Lahoud, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Chair of its Immigration Law Practice, will speak on the topic of asylum on two separate occasions.

On Tuesday, January 30, Lahoud, along with other immigration lawyers who practice in New Jersey, will present “Understanding Asylum and Refugee Law.”  Hosted by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE) in cooperation with the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Immigration Law Section, the program will be held at the Best Western Robert Treat Hotel in Newark from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  Moderated by the Hon. Dorothy Harbeck, US Immigration Judge, participants will address how asylum, refugee status, and persecution are defined; the process of credible and reasonable fear interviews; evolving case law and legal strategies regarding particular social groups; presenting a case before the Immigration Court; the asylum “clock;” utilizing protection under Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture (CAT) in difficult cases; and bars to status.  Up to 4.5 New Jersey and New York credits and 3.5 Pennsylvania credits are available.

On Friday, February 23, Lahoud will present at the 2018 New York Asylum and Immigration Conference to be held at New York Law School from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM.  Intended for new and experienced attorneys, as well as professors, featured topics include an intro to asylum law, ethics in immigration law, the future of immigration, Unicef and UNHCR Statelessness and child migrants, diversity and inclusion, best practices before the Asylum Office, how to prove persecution on account of a protected ground, direct and cross examination, and motions to reopen and reconsider.  Each of the three tracks will offer up to 8.5 hours of CLE, including options for 1.5 hours of ethics and 1.5 hours of diversity and inclusion training.  The event is hosted by the Federal Bar Association Immigration Law Section, Federal Bar Association SDNY Chapter, Federal Bar Association International Law Section, New York Law School Safe Passage Project Clinic, and New York Law School Asylum Clinic.

A resident of Pennsylvania, Lahoud focuses his practice exclusively on immigration law and deportation defense for individuals and corporations.  Lahoud has received numerous accolades.  He has been awarded the Empire State Pro Bono Counsel Award each year since 2012, has been selected as Lead Counsel, has received the Martindale-Hubbell Platinum Client Champion Award, and has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star, ranked as a Top Rated Immigration Attorney in the New York Metro Area.  EB5 Investors, the leading online portal, conference series, and magazine for investors, developers, and EB-5 professionals, has named Lahoud one of the “Top 5 Rising Stars” nationally.  He was also named one of the 40 young professionals from the Greater Lehigh Valley as the Lehigh Valley Business 2017 Forty Under 40 for his commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and the community.

Lahoud earned his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Lehigh University, where he earned Dean’s List; was named a President’s Scholar; was inducted into Phi Beta Delta; received the Williams Award, Treen Scholarship, and Littner Scholarship; and was Editor of The Lehigh Review.  He earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned Dean’s List, received CALI awards in many courses, and worked on the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal.