AILA South Florida Chapter Chair Laura Kelley on “Maintaining Your Sanity in an Otherwise Crazy Immigration World”
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) celebrated its 45th Annual South Florida Immigration Law Update on February 8th, 2024. In her welcoming remarks, Chapter Chair, Laura Kelley, encouraged her colleagues to remain hopeful and emphasized the value of collaboration: “When we approach our practices from the lens of service and abundance, we can do great things.”
AILA is a national association of over 16,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. The conference brought together the region’s practitioners to share learnings, network, and inspire creative approaches to today’s most pressing challenges in immigration law.
As a panelist, Laura contributed to a discussion around “Maintaining Your Sanity in an Otherwise Crazy Immigration World,” applying her training in mindfulness to the emotional and professional hurdles attorneys face. She tackled issues like balancing the emotional toll of immigration cases with the need for professional detachment, sharing strategies for staying sane in an often chaotic legal landscape.
“We need to be beacons of hope,” she said, “not only for ourselves, but for our clients, our colleagues, and our communities.”
To truly serve the immigrant community, Laura believes, one must first understand their stories, struggles, and aspirations. Immigration lawyers are uniquely positioned to add to national conversations about identity, justice, and progress. As professionals that make a real difference in people’s lives, Laura sees immigration law as work that’s as challenging as it is rewarding.
With over 1,200 members, South Florida represents one of AILA’s largest chapters, and Laura appreciates the trust placed in her as Chapter Chair. In addition to her professional responsibilities to her clients and her chapter, Laura believes in getting involved in the policymaking process to make the immigration system more efficient and just.
