Kate Melloy Goettel
Overview
Kate Melloy Goettel, a national leader in immigration law and federal court practice, directs the Federal Impact Litigation Clinic at the College of Law. The Federal Impact Litigation Clinic works at the intersection of immigration law, administrative law, federal court practice, and civil rights. Professor Goettel works with students to represent immigrants and immigration organization in civil lawsuits in federal court.
Before joining the Iowa Law faculty in 2024, Professor Goettel served as senior legal director for the American Immigration Council, where she led impact litigation focusing on unlawful detention, the laws surrounding immigrant youth, interior enforcement, and family separation. Prior to that, she was senior litigation counsel at the Department of Justice and a litigator at the National Immigrant Justice Center. Professor Geottel has practiced in 40 federal district courts, eight courts of appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Professor Goettel currently serves as Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Federal Court Litigation Section and is a member of the executive board of the Federal Bar Association's Immigration Law Section. She regularly presents CLEs and trainings on immigration litigation in Iowa and around the country, with a particular focus on habeas corpus law.
Teaching areas
- Clincal law
- Immigration law
- Appellate advocacy
Professional affiliations and memberships
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
- Chair, Federal Court Litigation Section, 2025–2026
- Rule of Law Task Force, February 2025–present
- Member, Amicus Curiae Committee, 2024–2026
- Chair, Federal Litigation Conference, 2025
- Federal Bar Association
- Immigration Law Section Chair, 2022-2023
- Advisory Board Member, 2023-present
- Iowa Bar Association
- National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
- American Bar Association
Awards and honors
- President’s Award, American Immigration Lawyers Association, 2026
- Dean’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, 2025
- Greater Iowa City Excellence in Action Award, 2025
- Barry Frager Award for Service to the Federal Bar Association Immigration Law Section, 2023
- Federal Bar Association NGO Lawyer of the Year, 2019
- Special Commendation from the Assistant Attorney General, 2013
