The CHANGE Framework & Immigration Research

The Challenge

As a Pro Bono Legal Intern at Dentons US LLP, I worked under the firm's objectives to increase pro bono activity and support the implementation of pro bono practices within lawyers' practice areas. Meanwhile, the intense execution of President Trump's immigration agenda drew urgent attention to immigration-based cases.

The CHANGE Framework

I developed the CHANGE framework — a system used by lawyers within Dentons to organize pro bono cases by associating relevant subjects into categories. This makes it easier for lawyers to accept pro bono cases because the framework provides clear pathways depending on the subject area, with specific processes tailored to each category.

The framework covered themes including domestic violence, false incarceration, racial equity, and immigration — creating a structured approach to what was previously an ad-hoc process.

Independent Investigative Research

Recognizing immigration as both an urgent legal issue and a living community struggle, I launched an investigative project that paralleled my internship work. Through interviews and immersion in Chicago communities, I explored how immigration enforcement was reshaping daily life and legal needs on the ground.

"Immigration is both an urgent legal issue and a living community struggle — understanding it requires being present in both dimensions."

Impact

The CHANGE framework was adopted within Dentons to organize pro bono projects across the firm. The investigative research laid the groundwork for the Roth Fellowship project on immigration legal design that continues today.