Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies
The Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit legal center at UC Law SF that provides free technical assistance, expert witnesses, and strategic litigation support to attorneys representing gender-based asylum seekers in the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies does
The Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) is a nonprofit legal organization founded in 1999 by Professor Karen Musalo at UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). CGRS specializes in U.S. gender-based asylum law, providing free legal technical assistance, litigation support, and expert witness referrals to attorneys and advocates representing asylum seekers, while also engaging in strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and coalition building. Its primary beneficiaries are asylum seekers fleeing gender-based violence, domestic violence, gang violence, and persecution based on LGBTQ+ status, along with the attorneys and legal advocates who represent them.
The organization operates a suite of interconnected products: a Technical Assistance Center that delivers free expert consultation, practice advisories, country conditions evidence, and sample briefs; an Expert Witness Database connecting attorneys with country specialists and health professionals; a Technical Assistance Library of litigation resources; an Immigration Judge Dashboard tracking adjudication outcomes; Case Outcome Tracking systems; and Pretermission Resources. Underlying infrastructure consists of a Drupal-based web portal with registered user roles for attorneys/advocates, pro se asylum seekers, and expert witnesses. CGRS has built a 25+ year track record of precedent-setting litigation including Matter of Kasinga (1996), Rody Alvarado (2009), Matter of A-R-C-G- (2014), and the 2021 vacatur of Matter of A-B-, and currently serves as co-counsel in multiple federal cases challenging anti-asylum policies.
CGRS is funded entirely through donations and charitable contributions, with all services provided at no charge. Revenue streams include individual donations processed through a Network for Good portal, foundation grants, and in-kind support from its host institution. The organization serves three primary user segments: asylum seekers (particularly women, children, and LGBTQ+ individuals), attorneys and legal advocates, and expert witnesses. It operates as an independent center within UC Law SF with no disclosed equity ownership, venture capital backing, or parent entity.
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies
- Legal name
- Center for Gender and Refugee Studies
- Website
- https://cgrs.uclawsf.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit legal center at UC Law SF that provides free technical assistance, expert witnesses, and strategic litigation support to attorneys representing gender-based asylum seekers in the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immigration Legal Aid Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (54111), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB)
Keywords
Where Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: CGRS operates as a nonprofit organization at UC College of the Law, San Francisco, funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters. The website features a donation portal through Network for Good.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CGRS provides free legal technical assistance, expert witness referrals, litigation resources, and training to attorneys and advocates representing asylum seekers fleeing gender-based violence. The organization also conducts strategic litigation in high-impact asylum cases, engages in policy advocacy and coalition building, and maintains an expert witness database along with immigration judge outcome tracking tools.
Product overview
CGRS operates as a unified legal advocacy platform offering multiple interconnected services. The core offerings include a Technical Assistance Center providing free consultation and resources to attorneys, an Expert Witness Database for finding qualified witnesses, and a Technical Assistance Library of legal documents. Supporting tools include an Immigration Judge Dashboard tracking case outcomes and Pretermission Resources for case-specific guidance. Together, these services form a comprehensive support ecosystem for gender-based asylum litigation and advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Technical Assistance Center
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully advocated for vacatur of Matter of A-B- ruling in 2021, restoring protections for domestic violence survivors seeking asylum
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical ProgramcoreCGRS co-counsel with Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program in Pangea Legal Services v. DHS, challenging the Trump administration's 'death to asylum' regulations. The partnership combines clinical program resources with CGRS's specialized expertise.
- Sidley Austin LLPcoreMajor law firm partnership in Pangea Legal Services v. DHS litigation challenging sweeping anti-asylum regulations. Sidley Austin provides significant litigation resources and expertise.
- Mujeres Unidas y ActivasmajorPartnership with community organization of Latina immigrants supporting each other and advocating for justice. Joint campaigns include #ImmigrantWomenToo and #WelcomeWithDignity.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)coreCGRS is counsel with ACLU in Grace v. Barr, challenging the application of Matter of A-B- in expedited removal proceedings. This federal court challenge protects asylum seekers' access to credible fear interviews.
- Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)majorCLINIC represents the applicant in Matter of L-E-A-, with CGRS providing amicus support in challenges to family-based asylum restrictions.
- UC College of the Law, San FranciscocoreCGRS is based at and operates in partnership with UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services): Texas-based nonprofit providing low-cost immigration legal services and co-counseling major federal asylum litigation. Named co-plaintiff in RAICES v. Mullin with CGRS, making it a near-perfect litigation peer.
- Americans for Immigrant Justice: Florida-based nonprofit providing direct immigration legal services and impact litigation for asylum seekers. Similar mix of representation, technical assistance, and policy advocacy targeting federal immigration apparatus.
- ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project: National ACLU project conducting high-impact federal immigration litigation, including asylum cases co-litigated with CGRS (Grace v. Barr, East Bay Sanctuary v. Trump). Same plaintiff-side legal-advocacy model with overlapping co-counsel relationships.
- International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP): Organization providing legal aid and policy advocacy on refugee resettlement and asylum, with active federal litigation including against Trump-era asylum restrictions. Comparable plaintiff-side impact litigation model and mission overlap.
- Al Otro Lado: Transnational legal services organization named as direct co-litigant with CGRS in multiple federal cases (Al Otro Lado, Haitian Bridge Alliance et al. v. Trump/Noem). Comparably specialized in border asylum access litigation.
- Pangea Legal Services: Bay Area nonprofit providing direct representation and impact litigation for asylum seekers, with co-counsel relationship to CGRS in Pangea Legal Services v. DHS. Operates at smaller scale with overlapping expert-witness and technical-assistance workflows.
- Human Rights First: National and international refugee rights organization providing pro bono legal representation, technical assistance to attorneys, and federal litigation on asylum policy. Directly overlaps with CGRS's legal-advocacy-plus-policy posture.
- National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC): Chicago-based legal aid and policy organization providing direct representation, technical assistance, and federal litigation for asylum seekers. Closely comparable scope, funding profile (nonprofit/grant-supported), and Technical Assistance-style services.
- Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): National nonprofit network providing immigration legal services, attorney training, and advocacy. Active CGRS amicus partner in Matter of L-E-A-; comparable TA/training capability and asylum-litigation posture.
Emerging players
- Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): Nonprofit focused on legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children, adjacent rather than directly overlapping with CGRS's gender-asylum specialty. Comparable nonprofit legal-services infrastructure for asylum-seeking populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies social profiles
Digital presenceCentre for Gender & Refugee Studies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies
What does Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies do?
CGRS provides free legal technical assistance, expert witness referrals, litigation resources, and training to attorneys and advocates representing asylum seekers fleeing gender-based violence. The organization also conducts strategic litigation in high-impact asylum cases, engages in policy advocacy and coalition building, and maintains an expert witness database along with immigration judge outcome tracking tools.
Is Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies a public or private company?
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies founded?
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies based?
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services), Americans for Immigrant Justice, ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Al Otro Lado, Pangea Legal Services, Human Rights First, National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) and Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC). Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies.
What industry is Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies in?
Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies's product category is Immigration Legal Aid Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAL, Immigration Law, with a secondary code of BPADAHAB, Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support. Its NAICS code is 54111 and its SIC code is 8111.