Thirty years of immigration law, taught for six of them at FAU and Broward College, with a solo practice built on one principle: when you call, you reach me.
Where the practice came from
I earned my Juris Doctor at the University of Miami School of Law in 1987. I was sworn in on April 4, 1988 — my father picked the date for the lucky-4s pattern, which he liked. Cute, in retrospect.
I started in trial work and over time narrowed my non-immigration practice to probate, trust, and guardianship litigation only. The reason is straightforward: immigration is the most rewarding work I do. When a client receives their green card or becomes a citizen, the satisfaction is unmatched.
The first immigration cases
In 1996 I took on my first immigration matters — chefs at a Japanese restaurant in the Boca Raton area. From there the practice grew, deepened, and eventually became the work I focus on full-time. Thirty years later, I still answer my own phone.
Teaching immigration law
For six years I taught Immigration Law at Florida Atlantic University and Broward College. The work mattered to me beyond income or schedule — I love the Constitution, our history, and the way American immigration policy ties them together.
I tell my clients why the answer is the answer. As a result, they always pass. I’ve never had a client fail the civics test in 30 years.
Track record — what is real
I do not write copy claiming perfect records or claiming I always win. The Florida Bar prohibits attorneys from creating “unjustified expectations,” and the law of large numbers eventually finds anyone who claims them. What I can tell you, factually:
- Zero civics-test failures in 30 years. I prepare clients for the interview by going through the questions, explaining the answers, and making sure the supporting evidence is in order before the appointment.
- My fastest immigrant visa petition: 62 days. My fastest adjustment of status: 63 days. Both on a marriage-based case. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
- Florida Bar #743828, In Good Standing — admitted 1988, continuously practicing in Florida ever since.
VAWA, asylum, and the quieter cases
Some of the cases I find most meaningful are not the headline ones. VAWA — the Violence Against Women Act — lets the abused spouse, parent, or child of a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident self-petition for immigration relief, despite the abuser. As a woman, I am sensitive to abuse that is not physical but just as damaging — emotional and verbal abuse. VAWA cases are among my favorite types of immigrant visas to represent, and I am always thrilled when my clients obtain their immigrant visas for themselves, despite what they were put through.
Asylum cases sit alongside VAWA in that category. So do removal-defense matters where the underlying facts deserve careful work, careful advocacy, and a careful exercise of the discretion that every immigration officer holds.
Solo practice — what that gets you
I do not have associates. I do not have paralegals. I do not have a receptionist. When you call, the person who picks up is the person who will handle your case. When you come in, the person across the desk is the person who will appear at your interview, write your brief, sign your petition.
This is not a marketing position. It is how the practice actually works.
How I work with clients
The first call is free. We talk about your situation in plain language and I tell you what the law says. No attorney–client relationship is formed on the phone — that requires a formal engagement — but you leave the call knowing where you stand.
If you want me to review documents, assess the record, or give specific advice, the next step is an in-person consultation at the office in Boca Raton. The fee is $375 for the hour and is credited against your retainer if you decide to engage me.
From there, the work begins.
Where I serve clients
The office is in Boca Raton. I attend in-person interviews across Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties. Representation extends nationwide and internationally — I travel for in-person matters when retained for them.
Credentials
- Florida Bar #743828 — admitted April 4, 1988, In Good Standing
- Juris Doctor, University of Miami School of Law, 1987
- Adjunct Faculty, Immigration Law — Florida Atlantic University and Broward College (six years)
- AILA Member — American Immigration Lawyers Association
- 30 years of immigration practice (since 1996); 38 years as a trial attorney