National Immigration Litigation Alliance

What National Immigration Litigation Alliance does

National Immigration Litigation Alliance (NILA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020 and headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts. It operates as a membership-based platform serving immigration attorneys who litigate in federal court, providing strategic assistance, document review, co-counseling, practice advisories, continuing legal education webinars, and a litigation tracking resource. NILA also maintains its own affirmative impact and FOIA (transparency) litigation docket, frequently partnering with peer organizations such as Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, the American Immigration Council, the ACLU, and major law firms on nationwide class actions affecting noncitizens.

The organization is led by co-founders Trina Realmuto (Executive Director) and Mary Kenney (Deputy Director), each with over 25 years of immigration litigation experience and multiple precedent-setting federal court decisions. NILA's revenue model combines annual membership dues ($125 for nonprofit attorneys, $250 for private practice, with group rates down to $100–$200 per attorney), fee-based pleading review services priced $150–$375 by document length, webinar fees ($40 members, $80 non-members), donations, and grants, including the Van Der Hout LLP-sponsored Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship established in 2024. NILA is not a technology product company; its core "platform" is a curated library of templates, advisories, webinars, and a federal litigation case navigator, distributed via the immigrationlitigation.org website and direct attorney relationships.

Name

National Immigration Litigation Alliance

Legal name

National Immigration Litigation Alliance, Inc.

Website

https://immigrationlitigation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Immigration Litigation Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports immigration attorneys through federal court litigation membership services, co-counseling, practice advisories, and impact and FOIA litigation on behalf of noncitizens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration Federal Court Litigation Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration Legal Advisory & Representation (Student Visas) (EDAIADAB)

Keywords

• Immigration federal court litigation
• Immigration legal services
• Strategic legal assistance
• Immigration attorney membership
• Immigration impact litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brookline

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide attorneys with unlimited strategic assistance, access to pleading review services, priority for co-counseling programs, and discounted webinar rates. General members pay $250/year while nonprofit members pay $125/year. Group rates are available for 5+ attorneys from the same organization.
2. Pleading Review Services: Fee-based service for members to have NILA staff review and provide comments/edits on pleadings in individual cases. Pricing varies by document length from $150 for 12 pages or less to $375 for 31-65 pages.
3. Webinar Fees: Educational webinars on immigration litigation topics offered at discounted rates for members ($40) compared to non-members ($80).
4. Donations and Grants: NILA accepts donations to support its programmatic efforts. The Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship is sponsored by Van Der Hout LLP.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NILA provides membership-based strategic assistance, expert pleading review, and co-counseling to immigration attorneys practicing in federal court, alongside its own docket of impact litigation and FOIA transparency litigation. The organization also produces practice advisories, legal templates, CLE webinars, a Litigation Navigator, and runs the Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship. Services are delivered directly to attorney members via email, phone, Zoom, and the immigrationlitigation.org website.

Product overview

National Immigration Litigation Alliance operates as a platform of interconnected legal services designed to support immigration attorneys in federal court litigation. The organization offers a membership-based Strategic Assistance and Pleading Review program as its core offering, supplemented by direct Co-Counseling Program partnerships with attorneys on cases. The Impact Litigation and Transparency Litigation (FOIA) services represent NILA's own affirmative litigation docket pursued on behalf of noncitizens. Rounding out the platform are Practice Advisories and Templates providing legal resources, NILA Webinars for continuing education, a Litigation Navigator for tracking federal immigration cases, and the Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship for developing future litigators. These services work together to enforce and expand immigrant rights through federal court litigation while building the capacity of the immigration bar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship: An annual one-year fellowship hosted at NILA to advance the development of fierce and creative litigators, engaging in impact, transparency, and accountability litigation. Sponsored by Van Der Hout LLP.

Products and services

• Strategic Assistance and Pleading Review Membership
• Impact Litigation
• Transparency Litigation (FOIA)
• Co-Counseling Program
• Practice Advisories and Templates
• NILA Webinars (CLE)
• Litigation Navigator
• Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500,000 Central American asylum seekers benefited from ABC v. Thornburgh litigation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Northwest Immigrant Rights ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary co-counsel partner in multiple impact litigation cases including D.V.D. v. DHS, Mansor v. USCIS, Padilla v. ICE, Nightingale v. USCIS, Garcia Perez v. USCIS, Sanchez Mora v. CBP, Moreno v. Nielsen, Campbell Davis v. USCIS, and Gomez v. Jaddou. One of NILA's most frequent litigation partners.
• American Immigration CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel partner in Padilla v. ICE, Nightingale v. USCIS, C.M. v. United States, Moreno v. Nielsen, and Make the Road New York v. McAleenan cases. Collaborates on practice advisories and immigration litigation support.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Padilla v. ICE, Doe v. Nielsen, and Make the Road New York v. McAleenan. Collaborates on constitutional rights litigation and immigration enforcement challenges.
• Human Rights FirstmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in D.V.D. v. DHS, a certified national class action challenging third country deportations without notice or opportunity to contest removal based on fear of persecution.
• Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt, P.A.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Mansor v. USCIS (nationwide class action on TPS EAD processing) and Nightingale v. USCIS (FOIA A-File litigation).
• Van Der Hout LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Marc Van Der Hout Litigation Fellowship hosted at NILA. Co-counsel in Sanchez Mora v. CBP. Marc Van Der Hout is a nationally recognized immigration litigator and mentor who trained NILA's Executive Director.
• Arnold & Porter LLPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in C.M. v. United States (family separation Federal Tort Claims Act case) challenging the Trump Administration's family separation policy.
• National Immigration Law CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Doe v. Nielsen challenge to CBP detention conditions.
• Law Office of Stacy TolchinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Nightingale v. USCIS FOIA litigation and Gomez v. Jaddou.
• Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing, Feinberg & Lin LLPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in C.M. v. United States family separation case and Campbell Davis v. USCIS naturalization case.
• Morrison & Foerster LLPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Doe v. Nielsen, successful challenge to unconstitutional conditions in CBP detention facilities (hieleras).
• Proskauer Rose LLPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in NILA v. CBP FOIA litigation regarding treatment and expulsions of pregnant women and mothers with newborn U.S. citizen children.
• Al Otro LadomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in NILA v. CBP FOIA litigation regarding treatment and expulsions of pregnant women and mothers.
• Haitian Bridge AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in NILA v. CBP FOIA litigation regarding treatment and expulsions of pregnant women and mothers.
• Innovation Law LabmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Innovation Law Lab v. USCIS, successful FOIA litigation that obtained release of Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Procedures Manuals.
• Church World ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-plaintiff in NILA & Church World Service v. USCIS and NILA & Church World Service v. Department of State FOIA litigation regarding Form I-730 Refugee/Asylee Relative Petitions.
• Marzouk Law LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in NILA & Refugees International v. U.S. Department of State (third country agreements FOIA) and NILA & Church World Service v. USCIS I-730 litigation.
• Pangea Legal ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Pangea Legal Services v. USCIS FOIA litigation regarding I-730 petition adjudication records.
• ACLU of PennsylvaniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in ACLU of Pennsylvania v. ICE FOIA litigation regarding sexual abuse investigation at Moshannon Valley Processing Center.
• Immigrant Legal DefensemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Immigrant Legal Defense v. CBP FOIA litigation regarding certified administrative records for petitions for review.
• Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Make the Road New York v. McAleenan challenging expansion of expedited removal.
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay AreamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Doe v. Nielsen challenging unconstitutional conditions in CBP detention facilities.
• Araujo & Fisher LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in VECINA & NILA v. Administration for Children and Families, successful FOIA litigation obtaining release of Unaccompanied Child Manual of Procedures (UC MAP).
• Immigrant Advocates Response CollaborativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative v. DHS FOIA litigation regarding CHIP, CHIS, and BITMAP programs.
• Safe Passage ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Safe Passage Project v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection FOIA litigation regarding CBP Form 93 for unaccompanied children.
• The Law Office of Derrick J. Hensley, PLLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Safe Passage Project v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection FOIA litigation.
• Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice ClinicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Safe Passage Project v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection FOIA litigation.
• Central West Justice CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in NILA v. USCIS FOIA litigation regarding asylum processing data.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Immigration Council: Former employer of NILA co-founders Trina Realmuto and Mary Kenney. Operates impact litigation, policy advocacy, and legal training programs for immigration attorneys, with significant overlap in federal court litigation support and FOIA work.
• Northwest Immigrant Rights Project: NILA's most frequent co-counsel partner, with joint litigation across D.V.D. v. DHS, Mansor v. USCIS, Padilla v. ICE, Campbell Davis v. USCIS, and other precedent-setting federal court cases. Northwest IRP is a regional legal services organization with a deep impact litigation docket.
• National Immigration Law Center: Leading national immigration impact litigation and advocacy organization. Co-counsel with NILA in Doe v. Nielsen challenging CBP detention conditions, and pursues comparable federal court strategies to expand immigrant rights.
• National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild: Former employer of NILA co-founders and Senior Staff Attorney. A national membership organization of immigration lawyers, legal workers, and advocates focused on impact litigation, defense, and movement lawyering.
• Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project: Direct co-counsel partner of NILA in federal court litigation training and support. Provides legal services to immigrants in federal detention and pursues federal court impact litigation on due process and detention conditions.
• Al Otro Lado: Direct co-counsel partner of NILA in NILA v. CBP FOIA litigation regarding treatment of pregnant women. Provides direct legal services at the U.S.-Mexico border and pursues federal court impact litigation on behalf of immigrants.

Broad incumbents

• American Immigration Lawyers Association: National bar association of immigration attorneys with 16,000+ members. Operates the immigration legal community with CLE, advocacy, and amicus programs, serving a similar constituency of immigration attorneys to NILA but at much greater scale and broader scope.
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): Large national nonprofit network providing immigration legal services, capacity building, and advocacy. Operates a network of affiliated programs and pursues select impact litigation, making it a broader-scale peer in immigration legal services.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): NILA co-counsel in Padilla v. ICE, Doe v. Nielsen, and Make the Road New York v. McAleenan. Operates the largest immigration rights litigation portfolio in the country, with significantly greater resources and broader mandate as a national civil liberties organization.

Emerging players

• Justice Action Center: Newer nonprofit focused on immigration impact litigation and federal court advocacy. Operates a smaller docket with similar federal court strategy and co-counsel relationships to NILA, positioning it as a comparable but less established peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NatlImmLitAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-immigration-litigation-alliance
• Xx.com/NILA_ImmLit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Immigration Litigation Alliance