Michael Vastine joined the faculty of Stetson University College of Law in Summer 2024, as Distinguished Visiting Director of Clinical and Experiential Education.  He previously taught at St. Thomas University College of Law (Miami) from 2004 to 2024, as tenured Professor of Law, Director of the Immigration Clinic, and Director of Clinical Education.  Professor Vastine is a leader in the field of clinical legal education, serving in appointed positions of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) and the Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA).  A nationally recognized expert, leading litigator, and academic in the fields of immigration law and immigrant defense, he has also held numerous elected and appointed leadership at the national level of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the AILA South Florida Chapter, including a term as Chair.  In 2013, he received the AILA (National) Elmer Fried Award for Excellence in Teaching and in 2022 was named to the inaugural AALS Pro Bono Honor Roll.  

Professor Vastine has litigated extensively before the U.S. Courts of Appeals, in cases arising from his clinical practice and primarily construing the “categorical approach” for determining the immigration consequences of crimes, including foundational cases on questions of mens rea elements, definitions of controlled substances, trafficking, firearms, and crimes involving moral turpitude.  He also argued the Florida Supreme Court case establishing the post-Padilla v. Kentucky standard for effective criminal defense of immigrants.  He has separately authored numerous amicus curiae briefs for AILA and other organizations in litigation of similar issues at the Courts of Appeals and, occasionally, before the U.S. Supreme Court, in addition to work challenging the constitutionality of the prolonged detention of immigrants.