SUSAN CHURCH

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Bar Admissions: Admitted in Massachusetts, New Hampshire; First Circuit Court of Appeals, Massachusetts Federal District Court and New Hampshire Federal District Court.

Education: 1995, J.D., cum laude, Suffolk University Law School; Dean’s List, Best First Year Oral Advocate, Wyman Public Interest Law Student Award, Byrnes Public Interest Law Scholarship 1991, B.A., University of Massachusetts Amherst, cum laude

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Public Speaking/Teaching Events:  Attorney Church has taught other lawyers on the topic of Immigration and Criminal defense, both locally and nationally.  Some of these locations include Suffolk Lawyers for Justice, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Program, The Flaschner Judicial Institute, The Federal Defenders, and the Criminal Justice Act Legal Education Program.  Additionally, Attorney Church has appeared as a guest on local and national television and radio including MSNBC, Fox News, Boston Public Radio, Greater Boston Television Show, and  Boston Public Radio.

 

Awards and Honors:

2001:   Detention Panel Attorney of the Year, Political Asylum and Immigration Project (PAIR)

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2014:  Attorney of the Year, National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts

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2015:  PAIR Project pro bono attorney of the year award. 

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2017:   American Immigration Lawyers Association, 2017 "Exemplary Service" award Mass Lawyers’ Weekly, Lawyer of the Year Top Women of the Law, Mass Lawyer's Weekly The John and John Quincy Adams "Pro Bono" Publico Award by the Supreme Judicial Court

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2018:  Suffolk Law School, Outstanding Alumni of the Year

Board Memberships and Positions:  Board Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association of New England 2012-2018, Member of the National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts Board of Directors​

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Biography:  Susan Church is a trial and appellate attorney focusing mainly on immigration law and criminal defense.  After graduating from Suffolk Law School, she worked as a public defender at the New Hampshire Public Defenders Office in New Hampshire.  Upon returning to Boston, Attorney Church worked as an associate attorney at Salsberg & Schneider law firm where she tried state and federal criminal cases, including first degree murder cases and specialized in immigration law. 

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In November 2005, Attorney Church established her own firm, Demissie & Church with her current partner, Attorney Derege Demissie.  At Demissie and Church, Attorney Church advocates for immigrants with criminal convictions facing deportation and immigrants seeking immigration benefits in the United States.

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A longtime supporter of progressive political causes, Attorney Church also successfully represented the “Occupy Boston” protestors as the lead attorney.  In  From 2012-2018 she has served as a Board member of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association of New England, taking the title of Chair in 2016-2017.

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In 2017 Attorney Church successfully sued President Trump for his anti-immigrant travel and visa processing ban on Muslim immigrants from seven affected countries, obtaining a Temporary Restraining Order from the Federal District Court.  She is also a frequent lecturer at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education programs, American Immigration Lawyers Association of New England, and Boston Bar Association and the Mass Bar Association.  Attorney Church has also appeared as a guest commentator on national television and radio.