Harvard calling for top law student

A Charles Darwin University law student will enhance her immigration and refugee law skills at Harvard University as part of a new scholarship arrangement between the universities.

Caitlin Marshall will become the first CDU Bachelor of Law student to take part in the four-week Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) in the United States next month.

Caitlin said the opportunity would allow her to sharpen her advocacy skills and assist her in better understanding asylum seeker visa applications for permanent residency. 

She will also work on specific research tasks relating to national and international legal issues during the program.

“Understanding the operation and application of international law in conjunction with domestic laws is of keen interest to me,” Caitlin said.

“Social justice electives at CDU have provided me with a broader understanding of human rights issues and the impact domestic policies have on vulnerable people.”

She said the program would help her determine whether to embark on a career in advocacy or if she might pursue further research opportunities.

CDU was invited to include one of its students in the program following recent negotiations led by law lecturer Jeswynn Yogaratnam, who has presented refugee law research papers at HIRC.

Sponsored by CDU in cooperation with the HIRC, the program will run from 15 June until 11 July.

The HIRC has operated for 30 years with a focus on providing direct representation for individuals applying for asylum in the USA along with survivors of domestic violence and other crimes.

The program also focuses on policy advocacy on local, national and international platforms.