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The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) is pleased to announce the launch of our new expert witness database. This database offers advocates a searchable repository of qualified and pre-vetted country specialists and health professionals who serve as expert witnesses to support asylum seekers in the United States. The database also provides a mechanism for advocates to contact experts directly. It is available free of charge to all advocates dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers. The database was developed with the generous support of NextGen America. CGRS also received invaluable pro bono assistance from Latham and Watkins LLP partner J.D. Marple and associate Gil Ofir.
The expert witness database may be accessed online at https://cgrs.uchastings.edu/expert/search. Please note that in order to access the database advocates must first create an account on CGRS’s website and log in. If you have requested technical assistance from CGRS in the past, you may use the same login credentials to access the database.
The expert witness database currently includes approximately 130 country conditions experts, the majority of whom specialize in conditions in the Northern Triangle of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) and Mexico. The database also includes approximately 30 health professionals who provide forensic medical and psychological evaluations in asylum cases. We are excited to continue growing the database to include experts who specialize in conditions in refugee-sending countries throughout the world.
In conjunction with the launch of our expert database, we will be holding a series of trainings for attorneys and experts. Country conditions experts can register now for our upcoming webinar, which will provide an overview of best practices for providing effective testimony in asylum cases. Attorneys can register for our upcoming webinar on best practices for collaboration with medical and mental health professionals.
Another excellent resource for expert witnesses and advocates is the new Expert Witness Asylum Handbook, prepared by Professor Deborah Weissman and students of UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Law.
We hope that advocates find the new database useful and encourage all to submit any initial feedback to CGRS using our online feedback form. If you have questions about how to use the expert witness database or would like to suggest additional experts for inclusion, please email the CGRS team at CGRS-ExpertDB@uchastings.edu.
