Emily ABraham

Founder & Legal Director

Emily Abraham is a founder and legal director of Social Justice Collaborative. At SJC, Emily supervises  all types of complex removal defense cases, especially asylum, as well as appeals before the BIA and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

SJC provides removal defense legal services to about 1500 immigrant families each year, and represents hundreds of individuals in removal proceedings each year, including complex federal litigation that Emily directs and oversees  Emily also coordinates the SJC pro bono program that provides free legal services for several hundred non-citizens each year.  

Emily also has extensive background  working with victims of crime, including refugees and domestic violence survivors. She incorporates her deep understanding of immigration and civil law to find immigration relief for individuals in crisis.  Emily directs the social work internship program based in SJC’s Central Valley office, which provides case management support to SJC clients.

Emily attended Northeastern University School of Law, the nation’s leading public interest law school, specifically to become an  immigration lawyer. In addition, she has a domestic violence certificate from the Asian Women’s Shelter and was given the community organization award through the Alameda County Bar Association.  Emily graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of California, Davis and is fluent in Spanish.

Emily is also the Pro Bono Coordinator at the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) Northern California Chapter. She is a member of the California Bar and the Northern District of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.  When she has free time, Emily is a master sourdough bread baker.