Virginia Poverty Law Center
Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) provides leadership, support, training, public education, and advocacy to address the civil legal needs of Virginia's low-income population. Our legal staff specializes in areas of law that affect low-income Virginians. Through training and communications we educate others about the legal rights of the poor and identify and address systemic problems and issues. We work collaboratively with Virginia's Legal Aid community, executive agencies, legislative bodies, and other organizations and stakeholders to represent the interests of low-income Virginians. Susheela Varky, the Staff Attorney who focuses on domestic and sexual violence, established the Legal
Assistance to Victim-Immigrants of Domestic Abuse (LA VIDA) program for eligible low-income, undocumented or under-documented immigrant victims of domestic or sexual violence in 2009. The LA VIDA Team conducts intakes to determine if immigrant domestic and sexual violence survivors qualify for visas, especially U visas, VAWA Self-Petitions, Removal of Conditions for Battered Spouses, or T visas (and associated LPR applications). Completing an intake does not guarantee eligibility for a visa or any other immigration petition nor does it guarantee free legal representation. That said, LA VIDA prepares and submits visa applications for eligible clients and connects other victims with attorneys and professionals who can help them with appropriate immigration petitions.
Services Provided
Are immigration legal services provided? |
Yes |
Areas of immigration legal assistance: |
Adjustment of Status, Employment authorization, T visas, U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions |
Types of immigration legal services provided: |
Help completing forms, Filings with USCIS |
Non-legal services: |
Legislative advocacy (state or national) |
Populations served: |
Domestic Violence Victims |
Languages spoken: |
English, Spanish |
Access to a commercial interpreting service or language bank: |
Yes |
Nominal fee charged? |
No |
Other information: |
Services are available for low-income victims of domestic or sexual violence who have completed a VPLC clinic intake that has been reviewed and approved for further action. Legal advice is also given over the phone. |
Staffing Information
Number of attorneys on staff: |
2 |
Is organization BIA recognized? |
No |
Number of fully accredited BIA representatives on staff: |
0 |
Number of partially accredited BIA representatives on staff: |
0 |
Number of paralegals/legal workers on staff: |
1 |
Additional Details
Pro Bono opportunities? |
Yes |
Network affiliations: |
American Immigration Lawyers Association, Asista, Immigration Advocates Network |
Administrative Information
Contact Person: |
Susheela Varky
(804) 351-5274
|
Executive Director: |
James (Jay) W. Speer
(804) 351-5268
|
Last contact date: |
August 8, 2018 |
Administrator comments: |
1/10/13: tickler
Updated: 3/28/14
3/10/15: tickler
6/27/16: phone
08 Aug 2018: UTD |
IAN Members? |
No |