About this Event
Wasatch Immigration Project (WIP) is thrilled to invite you to "How to Handle Bond Proceedings in Immigration Court"
How to Handle Bond Proceedings in Immigration Court, taking place on April 28, from 9 AM – 1 PM, at Fabian VanCott's offices, at 95 South State Street, 5th Floor Conference Room, in Salt Lake City. Also available online.
Content: With recent changes in immigration policy and enforcement and the impending reality of a mass detention facility opening in Salt Lake County, members of our community who are navigating the immigration process are facing unwarranted and often illegal civil detention. Immigration law practitioners are filing petitions for habeas corpus in federal court to challenge illegal detentions – and winning. But, in most cases, winning a habeas case does not result in release. Rather, where habeas is granted, clients then face a bond hearing in immigration court, usually within 7 days.
The chances of an individual obtaining bond – and returning to their family – is significantly increased with the assistance of legal counsel. In fact, one study has shown that detained individuals who have an attorney are 10.5 times more likely to obtain relief than their pro se counterparts. Unfortunately, there are not enough attorneys in Utah trained to handle such matters on a pro bono basis.
Bond proceedings are finite proceedings. They start when habeas is granted and end when the immigration court renders a decision on bond, i.e., they do not extend to the underlying immigration matter. As such, these proceedings are uniquely appropriate for volunteer attorneys with limited time.
WIP is offering this training to allow local attorneys – whether they are practicing or retired, barred in Utah or some other state – to represent clients for bond proceedings only. Trained attorneys who agree to take on a pro bono case will be added to a roster of attorneys and, as matters arise, will be contacted by the attorney handling the habeas case to coordinate representation for the bond hearing, if and when one is ordered.
Event Schedule:
- 8:30 AM: Check-in and continental breakfast
- 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Federal Habeas Petitions for ICE-Detained Immigrants, by Benji McMurray of the Utah Federal Defender Office
- 9:30 AM -12:00 PM: A to Z: How to Handle an Immigration Bond Hearing, by Kendall Moriarty of Teter Legal and Nicholle Pitt White of Contigo Law
- 12:00 – 1:00 PM: Lunch and Learn: The State of Immigration Law in Utah, by Adam Crayk of Stowell Crayk
WIP has applied for 4 hours of CLE credit. If you have any questions regarding registration, please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected].
Registration: If you commit to handling at least one immigration bond hearing on a pro bono basis, registration is free. If you cannot commit to handling one immigration bond hearing, registration fee is $125 for in-person and $75 for online. Click "Get Tickets" to register.
Special Thanks: This training would not be possible without the time and energy of our talented panelists. And we are so grateful to Fabian VanCott for hosting us.
Speaker Bios:
Benji McMurray
Benji is the Senior Litigator at the Utah Federal Defender Office, where he represents clients at trial, on appeal, and in post-conviction petitions, and now on petitions for a writ of habeas corpus. In 2014-15 he served as Special Counsel to Senator Mike Lee, and in 2008-09 he was a Supreme Court Fellow assigned to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Previously, Benji was a law clerk to Tenth Circuit Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich and U.S. District Judge Paul G. Cassell. He has taught courses in sentencing, criminal procedure, and wrongful convictions as an adjunct professor, and from 2010-14 he served as a member of the Utah Sentencing Commission. Benji holds a B.A. in philosophy and a J.D. from Brigham Young University. He and his wife, Suzette, have seven children.
Kendall Moriarty
Kendall received her undergraduate degree from Linfield College in 2009 and her J.D. from the University of Utah SJ Quinney College of Law in 2016. After starting at a large firm, she left in 2018 to work for the non-profit Immigrant Legal Services where she began practicing exclusively immigration law. In 2019, she worked for Perretta Law. In 2022, she left regular private practice to focus primarily on contract writing, research, and preparation and coverage for hearings and interviews, allowing her more time at home with her family. Kendall specializes in asylum defense and removal work but has also done family- and victims-based work. She also specializes in state juvenile court petitions for Special Immigrant Juveniles. Kendall is a member of AILA and served on the executive committee for the Utah Chapter from 2020–2023. When she is not working, Kendall enjoys spending time with her kids, husband, and dog.
Nicholle Pitt White
Nicholle is a Shareholder and Managing Attorney at Contigo Law, PLLC, recognized for principled, fearless advocacy on behalf of immigrants facing removal. Admitted to the Utah Bar in 2018, she is known for strategic litigation and an unwavering commitment to due process.
Nicholle earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Spanish from Southern Utah University, including study abroad in Granada, Spain, and her Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law, with additional legal studies in Belfast and Dublin, Ireland. She has been recognized for excellence in trial advocacy and oral argument.
Her practice focuses on immigrant removal defense and post-conviction criminal matters. Nicholle has publicly addressed aggressive enforcement practices through major media outlets, including KSL, the Deseret News, and Utah News Dispatch.
Nicholle serves as Vice Chair of the AILA Utah Chapter and as a liaison with the Utah Immigrant Advocacy Coalition. In 2025, Voices for Utah Children recognized her as one of 40 outstanding advocates for her impact on immigrant rights and legal education.
Adam L. Crayk
Adam graduated Magna Cum Laude from Creighton University School of Law, where he was a member of the National Jesuit Honors Society. After law school, he briefly practiced with Wingo, Rinehart & McConkie before accepting a judicial clerkship in 2003 with Chief Federal Judge Dee Benson of the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Crayk served as a clerk until January 2005, then joined Stowell & Associates. In 2007, the firm became Stowell Crayk, PLLC.
Over the years, Crayk has developed a niche practice in criminal defense, immigration law, and the intersection of the two—known as “Crimmigration.” He advises the Salt Lake County Legal Defenders Association on criminal cases involving immigration consequences and has represented clients in hundreds of deportation trials, including Cancellation of Removal, Asylum, and Adjustment of Status cases. The firm consistently manages more than a hundred active deportation cases at any given time.
Crayk has built a large private immigration practice, handling adjustment of status applications, asylum claims, citizenship applications, U Visas, employment visas, and other cases involving U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. He frequently lectures on immigration and “Crimmigration” topics, presenting annually at the University of Utah School of Law and various continuing legal education seminars.
For the past five years, Crayk has been recognized as one of Utah Business Magazine’s Legal Elite in criminal defense. His criminal defense practice spans from complex homicide cases to misdemeanor matters, and he has extensive experience in both jury and bench trials throughout Utah.
In collaboration with his partners, Crayk has helped develop a large indigent criminal defense practice. The firm represents about ten cities and Salt Lake County, helping those who cannot afford legal representation receive strong advocacy in court.
Primarily found in either criminal or immigration court, Crayk is committed to making sure his clients’ voices are heard and working tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcomes for those he represents.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Fabian VanCott, 95 South State Street, Salt Lake City, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 125.00
