Sara Elizabeth Dill

Director, Criminal Justice Standards and Policy, Chief Counsel - Supreme Court Amicus Project , Legal / Policy

Washington, D.C., United States

Policy development and lobbying including Supreme Court amicus briefs. Previously private at individuals and corporations in state, federal, and international courts at the trial and appellate levels in criminal justice and immigration cases, human rights issues, and also those under investigation for federal offenses, including foreign corrupt practices, OFAC compliance, and extradition matters.

Contact Sara Elizabeth Dill
Area of Expertise:
  • Government, Governance, Reforms
  • Human Rights, Law, Migration, Conflicts, Justice
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis
  • Private Sector, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility
Professional Experience:

Oversee the development and revision of criminal justice standards. Coordinate policy development on criminal justice, immigration, and international law matters. Assist Governmental Affairs in drafting position papers and letters to Congress and other governmental bodies. Review and analyze Supreme Court decisions and provide synopsis to members, including highlighting relevant ABA policies or standards. Assist in the drafting of Supreme Court amicus briefs to reflect policies and standards.In addition to litigation, my practice has involved the following. Develop I-9 compliance programs for corporations and defend against investigations. Represent victims of human trafficking and assist in prosecutions and investigations. Defend individuals in federal court charged with white collar offenses, health care fraud, FTC violations, narcotics trafficking, immigration offenses, war crimes, as well as investigating related cases pending before the ICTY. Prepare applications for foreign investors and corporations seeking to immigrate to the United States. Represent applicants for political asylum from Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Rwanda, Colombia, Haiti, Venezuela and other nations. Authored amicus briefs on behalf of the American Bar Association in the case of U.S. Department of Justice v. Arizona regarding SB1070 (the anti-immigrant legislation) and on behalf of the League of Women Voters in the same sex marriage amendment case.

Education:

Northwestern University Law School, L.L.M., International Human Rights (anticipated May 2014)

Marquette University Law School, Juris Doctor
Moot Court, National Team Coach/Competitor, 2004, Evidence Team Competitor, 2004.
THE VERDICT, Editor-in-Chief and Monthly Columnist 2003-2004. Legal Clinic Volunteer.

Marquette University, Bachelor of Arts
Political Science major with an emphasis in economics, international affairs, and criminology.
Residence Council Vice-President, 1998-1999; Executive Board Member of the Year, 1999. Senior research paper on the social, political, and economic causes of human trafficking.

Affiliations and Achievements:

SuperLawyers Rising Stars
International Law, Immigration and Criminal Defense Attorneys, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 (Wisconsin, Illinois & Florida)

American Bar Association
President’s Commission on Immigration, Commissioner, 2008-2011
Criminal Justice - Immigration Committee, Co-chair, 2005-2013
Draft proposed resolutions for presentation to the House of Delegates and Congress.
Young Lawyer’s Division Criminal and Juvenile Justice Committee Chair, 2007-2008
Criminal Justice Council, 2006-2007, 2009-2011, 2013-2014

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member.

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member.

American Immigration Lawyer’s Association, Member.
Unbalanced Scales of Justice: How ICE is Preventing Non-Citizens From Having Equal Access to Diversion Programs and Therapeutic Courts. HOFSTRA FAMILY COURT REVIEW, October 2012.

Human Trafficking: A Decade’s Track Record, Plus Techniques for Prosecutors and Police Moving Forward. Criminal Justice, Volume 26. Number 1, Pages 18-26, Spring 2011.

Practice Pointers for the Criminal Defense Attorney in the Aftermath of Padilla v. Kentucky. American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section. April 2010.

Immigration Law Update. THE STATE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. American Bar Association. 2008.

101 Tips for Representing Non-Citizens in Criminal Proceedings. ABA YOUNG LAWYER’S DIVISION 101 PRACTICE SERIES. Spring 2007.

Not All Refugees Are Created Equal: The Gender-Based Exclusionary Tactic of United States Asylum Law. ABA SECTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW FALL MEETING CLE MATERIALS. November 2006.

Old Crimes in New Times: Human Trafficking and the Modern Criminal Justice System. CRIMINAL JUSTICE, Volume 21, Number 1, Pages 12-18. American Bar Association, Spring 2006.

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Mandatory Sentencing Guidelines. MILWAUKEE BAR ASSOCIATION MESSENGER, Volume 14, Number 2, Page 1, February 2005.

Examining Statutory Sentencing in Blakely v. Washington. MILWAUKEE BAR ASSOCIATION MESSENGER, Volume 13, Number 10, Page 1, October 2005.


Panelist, Current Approaches to Ending Sex Trafficking: From the Global, National, and Local Frontlines, British Council Symposium, Chicago, Illinois (May 2013).

Panelist, Human Trafficking, Union Internacional des Avocats Congress, Dresden, Germany (November 2012).

Panelist, Immigration, Race and Incarceration in the United States, 2012 American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois (August 2012).

Panelist, Essentials of Immigration and Criminal Law, Plus a Dialogue on Immigration Policy, Domestically and Internationally, 2012 American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois (August 2012).

Panelist, Selective Enforcement of Criminal Law: Prosecutorial Discretion in Complex Cases. Joint Meeting of the ABA Criminal Justice Section and the Florence Bar Association, Florence, Italy (May 2012).

Panelist, Prosecuting and Defending Immigration Based Criminal Offenses, Post Conviction Relief, and What Happens Next in Immigration Proceedings. ABA Criminal Justice Spring Meeting, Los Angeles, California (April 2012).

Panelist, Postville Raids: Internal Investigations, Corporate Compliance with I-9 Verification Procedures and the Criminal Consequences for Hiring Unauthorized Workers. 2011 ABA Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada (August 2011).

Panelist, Post-Conviction Relief and Immigration Proceedings: Padilla v. Kentucky and other Relevant Post-Conviction Remedies for Noncitizens. 2001 Equal Justice Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (May 2011).

Panelist, The Impact of Padilla v. Kentucky, American Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Program, Miami Beach, Florida (April 2011).

Panelist, The Padilla Decision: It’s About More Than Just Immigration. Sentencing and Re-Entry Institute, Washington, D.C. (November 2010).

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments
  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

10-15 years

Highest Qualification:

Doctorate

Languages:

English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Conversational in Italian

Nationality:

United States

Home Page:

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