Serene Hawasli Kashlan

Legal Director

Serene Hawasli Kashlan joined Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta as the Director of Legal Services in May 2024.

Prior to joining Advancing Justice, Serene was the managing asylum attorney at the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network (“GAIN”). At GAIN, Serene represented asylum-seekers before the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”), and ancillary forms of relief. In addition to providing direct representation, Serene helped establish GAIN’s legal clinic model and pro bono legal resources, in addition to managing the recruitment, training, and technical support for pro bono attorneys representing asylum seekers.

Serene earned her Bachelor's degree in Political Science, International Affairs (minor in Sociology) at Georgia State University in 2006. Serene earned her law degree at Georgia State University, College of Law in 2010. Serene is Syrian-American and became involved in immigration law after the conflict in Syria erupted in 2011. In order to help her community, Serene provided pro bono services to Syrian nationals applying for Temporary Protective Status (“TPS”), visa extensions, and asylum.

Prior to returning to Atlanta and joining GAIN, Serene practiced as a solo practitioner and independent contractor to a Detroit-based immigration law firm, representing clients in the areas of family based immigration, family law, and estate planning. Serene is licensed in both Michigan and Georgia, and is fluent in Arabic.