The clinic will operate as a small specialized law firm in which the students will represent refugees seeking grants of political asylum. Cases will include “affirmative cases” requiring investigation and preparation of an asylum application as well as “defensive cases” required trial of deportation hearings in which students will defend on the basis of an asylum claim. A typical case will entail extensive client and witness contact, wide-ranging investigation into human rights issues in the client’s home country, and location and preparation of appropriate expert witnesses. Defensive cases will ordinarily involve multiple appearances in the Immigration Court in Detroit. The seminar portion of the course will cover focus on the specifics of the U.S. asylum system and intensive trial practice training. Students registering for the clinic will ordinarily be expected to register for an additional 2 or 3 credit module of the clinic in at least one succeeding term.