FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 27, 2009

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has released the first
immigration law practice manual for attorneys representing transgender
clients. Immigration Law and the Transgender Client , co-authored by
Immigration Equality and the Transgender Law Center (TLC), provides
practical advice and information to assist attorneys representing
transgender immigrants.

"We are proud to publish this groundbreaking manual dealing with the
intersection of two dynamic areas of law - transgender civil rights and
immigration law," said AILA Publications Director Tatia L. Gordon-Troy.
AILA is the national association of over 11,000 attorneys and law
professors who practice and teach immigration law.

"Every day we hear from transgender immigrants who face incredibly
complicated legal issues. From obtaining corrected identity documents, to
fighting for marriage recognition, to seeking asylum to escape
persecution, transgender immigrants need well-trained legal counsel," said
Victoria Neilson, Legal Director of Immigration Equality.

Transgender immigrants often face overwhelming legal issues, and all too
often the attorneys who want to help them, just lack the resources they
need. Immigration Law and the Transgender Client addresses unique issues
faced by transgender immigrants and those in bi-national relationships,
including identity documents, asylum, detention, and marriage-based
petitions.

"This area of the law is so specialized that LGBT civil rights attorneys
often lack the immigration expertise to properly advise transgender
immigrants, and immigration practitioners lack the cultural competence and
understanding of transgender legal issues to adequately represent these
clients," said TLC Legal Director Kristina Wertz. "The immigration
practice manual seeks to close that gap."

Edited by Neilson, the manual provides an unprecedented resource for
attorneys seeking information about the unique needs and issues faced by
transgender clients. "Victoria Neilson's expertise in this field is now
more accessible to immigration attorneys and will foster a new cadre of
attorneys with similar expertise," said Gordon-Troy.

Immigration Law and the Transgender Client can be purchased from the
American Immigration Lawyers Association at
http://aila.stores.yahoo.net/transgender.html for $69 ($49 for AILA
members). An online version can be accessed at
http://www.immigrationequality.org/template3.php?pageid=1135 .

Transgender Law Center and Immigration Equality would like to thank The
Arcus Gay and Lesbian Fund for their support of this project.
www.arcusfoundation.org

Media Contacts:
Kristina Wertz, Esq.
Transgender Law Center
w: 415-865-0135
kristina [at] transgenderlawcenter [dot] org  

Victoria Neilson, Esq.
Immigration Equality
w. 212-714-2904 x. 25
vneilson [at] immigrationequality [dot] org