Kelsey Hines founded Hines Immigration Law, PLLC after years of practice as an immigration attorney and litigator in the private and non-profit sectors. An active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”), Kelsey has contributed to several immigration-related publications and speaking events. She has extensive experience representing clients in all aspects of family-based immigration, humanitarian-based immigration, and detained and non-detained removal defense matters, as well as related federal immigration litigation. Kelsey represents individuals and families before Immigration Courts, Federal District Courts, Federal Courts of Appeal, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Administrative Appeals Office, US Citizenship and Immigration Offices around the country, and US Embassies around the world.

Kelsey graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School with a specific concentration in immigration law. During her legal education, she represented clients in asylum proceedings and provided legal consultations for detained non-citizens as a supervising student attorney in the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic and volunteer with the Minnesota Detention Project. She clerked with numerous immigration firms and non-profits throughout the Twin Cities and in New York City. Additionally, Kelsey spent her final year of law school as a full-time extern at a public defenders office so she could bring criminal defense knowledge to her immigration practice. She continues to enjoy the intersection of criminal law and immigration law and routinely walks alongside clients as they navigate the complexities of both systems.

Kelsey came to the law from a social work and advocacy background. Before law school, she served as a shelter advocate at a domestic violence and sexual assault agency; a policy intern with the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s Commission on Human Trafficking; a mentor at a sex trafficking trauma recovery center, and a site coordinator for a gang intervention and community outreach program. As an attorney, Kelsey strives to provide empathetic, compassionate, trauma-informed, and client-centered representation.

Long before her time in law and social work, Kelsey was fortunate to grow up in one of the most internationally diverse school districts in the US, with classmates from over 60 countries who spoke over 70 different languages. She learned from an early age how tremendously special immigrants are to this country.

Kelsey truly loves this work, and she looks forward to fighting alongside you toward your immigration goals.

EDUCATION

University of Minnesota Law School, Juris Doctorate, Immigration Law Concentration

Awards: Legal Research and Writing “Best Oralist",” Saeks Public Interest Fellow, Robina Public Interest Scholar, Jamie Grodsky Public Interest Scholar, Dean Distinguished Scholar

Involvements: Binger Center for New Americans Immigration and Human Rights Clinic Student Director, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Moot Court, Street Law Instructor, Human Rights Advocacy Mentor, Minnesota Justice Foundation Community Service Placement Committee Chair, Lawyers for Reproductive Rights, Women’s Law Student Association Mentor

Central Michigan University, Bachelors of Social Work

Awards: National Association of Social Workers BSW Student of the Year for the State of Michigan, Social Sciences Department Scholar, Leadership Distinction Award, Superior Scholar Award, Academic Honors Scholar, Community Service Award, Volunteer of the Year for Isabelle County

Involvements: International Outreach Team Leader, Student Social Work Association Membership Director, Organization of Women Leaders Public Demonstration Committee Chair

• State Bar of Minnesota

• Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

• Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

• Federal District Court for the District of Minnesota

• Federal District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

• Federal District Court for the District of North Dakota

ADMISSIONS

• Volunteer Lawyers Network Legal Clinic

• Contract Attorney with the Advocates for Human Rights’ Afghan Legal Clinic

• American Lawyers Association (“AILA”) National: Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee

• American Lawyers Association Lawyers (AILA) MN/Dakotas Chapter: New Members Committee Co-Chair

• Federal Bar Association (FBA) Immigration Law Section

• Minnesota State Bar Association

• Hennepin County Bar Association

• Ramsey County Bar Association

• Minnesota Women Lawyers Organization
  

RECENT PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENTS