Outreach

Gibbs Houston Pauw, PLLC is founded on the commitment to serve the public interest. We believe when justice is furthered in our local and national communities it positively impacts our clients and the society we live in.

Our contributions include:

• Gibbs Houston Pauw attorneys are active in local and national advocacy efforts. We serve in leadership positions on the American Immigration Lawyer Association’s (“AILA”) national and Washington Chapter committees, and the American Immigration Council. We bring matters before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and are involved in the legislative efforts advocating for immigrants’ rights before the United States Congress.
• Robert Gibbs and Robert Pauw are the founding members of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (“NWIRP”), a leader in pursuing and defending legal status for low-income immigrants. Gibbs Houston Pauw continues to support the non-profit organization in its impact litigation efforts by providing legal counsel and resources, and by taking on pro bono matters.
• Gibbs Houston Pauw supports and provides legal services to several community groups, such as Chaya, One America, Volunteer Advocates for Immigrant Justice (“VAIJ”), National Immigration Project (“NIP”), CLINIC, National Immigration Law Center (“NILC”), Literacy Source, and King County Bar Association. We collaborate with various non-profit organizations like Immigrant Legal Resource Center (“ILRC”) and American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) in advocating for immigrant communities. Our attorneys provide educational services at Seattle University School of Law, Continuing Legal Education courses, and community seminars, and author and publish articles and books on immigration law.
• Gibbs Houston Pauw strives to further the legal rights and interests of groups of individuals through pro bono Class Action representation.

Gibbs Houston Pauw regularly brings legal challenges and defends individual rights in courts and before administrative boards. GHP attorneys served as counsel in the following significant cases:

• Carrillo de Palacios v. Holder, 662 F.3d 1128 (9^th Cir. 2011) (challenge to BIA’s interpretation of “unlawful presence” ground of inadmissibility)
• Hadera v. Gonzales, 494 F.3d 1154 (9^th Cir. 2007) (immigration judge erred in ordering deportation to Ethiopia where evidence showed respondent was likely not a citizen of Ethiopia)
• Morales-Izquierdo v. Gonzales, 477 F.3d 691 (9^th Cir. 2007) (en banc), 388 F.3d 1299 (9^th Cir. 2004) (challenge to DHS policy of reinstating prior orders of deportation)
• Rafaelano v. Wilson, 471 F.3d 1091 (9^th Cir. 2006) (challenge to DHS execution of an order of removal, where petitioner claimed she had complied with a voluntary departure order)
• Washington Beef, 328 NLRB 612 (1999) (employer has mandatory duty to bargain over time period to allow employees to respond to INS no match letter)
• Morisath v. Smith, 988 F.Supp. 1333 (W.D.Wash. 1997) (challenge to INS refusal to release permanent resident alien from custody)
• Patel v. Sumani Corp., 846 F.2d 700 (11th Cir. 1988), cert denied, 109 S. Ct. 1120 (1989)(finding FLSA coverage for undocumented employees)

Gibbs Houston Pauw public service efforts have been recognized through various awards:

• Pro Bono Award, Washington State Chapter, AILA
• Amicus Award, NWIRP
• Carol King Award, National Lawyers Guild
• Jack Wasserman Award for Excellence in Litigation, AILA
• Award for Outstanding Dedication to Battered Immigrant Women, Southeastern Arizona Behavior Health Service
• Ecumenical Award, Washington Association of Churches