Immigration 101: The Nuts and Bolts [Three-Part Webinar] (Watch Live or via OnDemand Streaming)

Agenda

Part 1 of 3: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific
11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern

9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. Pacific Time
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Central Time
12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time
Broad Introduction, Resources and Important Terms
Sarah B. Castello and Jacqueline Villalbla

Broad Introduction and Resources

• Authorities:

• • USCIS
  • ICE
  • CBP
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • US Department of Justice – Immigration Court
  • US Department of State -Embassies
  • US Department of Labor
• Governing Law: The interplay between Immigration laws and policy

Terms of Art

• Immigrant vs. Non-Immigrant;
• Visa vs. Status
• Inadmissibility vs. Deportability
• Who is considered not legally in the US?
• Unlawfully Present, Out of Status or both?

9:50 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time
11:50 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Central Time
12:50 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Opening Your Practice Tips
Flavia Santos Lloyd

10:30 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Pacific Time
12:30 p.m. – 12:35 p.m. Central Time
1:30 p.m. – 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time
BREAK (5 min)

10:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Pacific Time
12:35 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Central Time
1:35 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time
Jacqueline Villalbla and Matt Hughes
Non-Immigrant Visas

• H-1B visas/status and Labor Condition Applications (LCAs)
• L-1 visas/status
• Other nonimmigrant categories, including B, E, F, J, K, O, R, S, T, TN, and U
• Visa Waiver Program
• Rules of chargeability
• Waivers of inadmissibility: 212(e), 212(d)

11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time
1:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Central Time
2:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
BREAK (10 min)

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central Time
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Family Based Immigrant Visas
Susan Han and Elina Santana

• Family-based immigrant visa categories
• Marriage fraud (including 204(c))
• Adjustment of status (INA 245(a), (c), (k) and (i))
• Conditional Permanent Resident status
• Violence Against Women Act
• Child Status Protection Act
• Affidavits of support
   

Part 2 of 3: Thursday, March 6, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific
11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Pacific Time
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Central Time
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Employment Based Immigrant Visas and Employment Enforcement
Richard Green and Flavia Santos Lloyd

• Employment-based (EB 1-5) immigrant visa categories
• Labor certifications
• Employer compliance (INA 274A)
• Priority Dates

10:15 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. Pacific Time
12:15 p.m. – 12:25 p.m. Central Time
1:15 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. Eastern Time
BREAK (10 min)

10:25 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Pacific Time
12:25 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Central Time
1:25 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time
Motions and Review
Amy Lenhart

• In absentia hearings and orders
• Motions to reopen/reconsider/remand/ terminate in removal proceedings
• Other agency actions
• Administrative Appeals (BIA, AAO, BALCA)
• Judicial deference to administrative actions and orders (Chevron and Brand X)
• Federal Court jurisdiction
• Federal District Court actions
• Federal Court of Appeals review

11:50 a.m. – 11:55 a.m. Pacific Time
1:50 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. Central Time
2:50 p.m. – 2:55 p.m. Eastern Time
BREAK (5 min)

11:55 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
1:55 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central Time
2:55 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Bars to Admissibility & Waivers
Juliana Lamardo and Cassandra Suprin

• Inadmissibility – What is it?
• How does DHS know who is Inadmissible?
• How does it come up?
• Who is subject to inadmissibility?
• LPRs and Admissibility
• Grounds of Inadmissibility
• Criminal Grounds of Inadmissibility 212(a)(2)
• Exemptions, Waivers and Relief
  • Waivers of inadmissibility (212(h), 212(i), 212(a)(9)(B)(v), 212(e), 212(d))
  • Petty offense exception, juvenile exception, juvenile convictions
  • LPR Cancellation (42A) and 212(c)
  • Other
  • What forms do I use? Application to apply for admission after removal, I-212
  • No waivers for whom?
  • Preparing Waivers
  • What is extreme hardship?
  • Who has the hardship?
  • What about when is there no hardship?
• Final tips and best practices

Part 3 of 3: Tuesday, March 11, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific
11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern

9:00 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Pacific Time
11:00 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. Central Time
12:00 p.m. – 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time
Naturalization and Citizenship
Sarah Castello and Andrea Martini 

• Citizenship
  • Criteria and eligibility;
  • Was the client “lawfully admitted for permanent residence”
  • Evidence

• Naturalization
  • Requirements
  • Process (including administrative and court review)
  • Form N-400 (can be filed by mail or online);
  • Form G-28
  • Biometrics, background checks and interviews

• Citizenship Acquired after Birth by Operation of Law
  • Child Citizenship Act and pre-CCA derivative naturalization
  • Citizenship upon Application of Parent
  • Former INA 321
  • Application Process
    • Form N-600

10:35 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. Pacific Time
12:35 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. Central Time
1:35 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. Eastern Time
BREAK (5 min)

10:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time
12:40 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Central Time
1:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Removal, Relief and Bonds
Alary Piibe and Jennifer Rozdzielski

• Removal Proceedings
• Criminal grounds of removability
• Other grounds of removability
• Relief:
  • Cancellation of Removal (LPR & Non-LPR)
  • Asylum/Withholding/CAT
  • NACARA
  • 212(c)
  • INA § 237(a)(1)(H) waiver
  • Voluntary Departure
  • Temporary Protected Status
  • AOS
  • Suspension of Deportation
• Expedited removal (INA 235(b) and 238)
• Executive actions and prosecutorial discretion
• Bonds
  • Eligibility, Jurisdiction
  • Redeterminations and Conditions
  • Mandatory Detention
  • Rodriguez Hearing
• Reinstatement of removal orders

12:00 p.m. – 12:10 p.m. Pacific Time
2:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. Central Time
3:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Eastern Time
BREAK (10 min)

12:10 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
2:10 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central Time
3:10 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Refugee and Asylum
Melisa Pena and Diana Albite 

• Bars to asylum
• Eligibility to asylum
• Credible Fear v. Reasonable Fear
• Hot issues: Particular Social Groups
• Withholding (compared to asylum, similar/different)
• Convention Against Torture 

Date/Time/Location

Three-Part Webinar

Dates:
Part 1: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Part 2: Thursday, March 6, 2025
Part 3: Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Times for all sessions (see agenda for topics and breaks):
9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific
11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern

We will send your login details and handout materials approximately one week  before your program.

Testimonials

“Wonderful seminar! Everything was covered fabulously, and the speakers were knowledgeable and interesting.” – Laura Lee Robinson, Esq.

”I wanted an entry-level, basic introduction to Immigration Law and that’s what I got. I was very impressed by the quality of the presenters. They were all experts in their field and were effective in sharing their wide knowledge base with us.” – Laura delaz Cabrera, Esq.

“The information was presented in a very clear manner that helped me to understand what I’ve learned on the job – and in my own research – much better.” – Kevin Kime, Esq.

“Great seminar!” – Nicholas J. Brunick, Esq.

“The program ran very well. The speakers were great and experienced in their field. They were very helpful and answered questions one-on-one.” – Dina Hunter, Esq.

“This class was simply phenomenal. Thank you!” – Gisela Rodrigues, Esq.

“Speakers worked well together to convey all important information.” – William K. Hedrick, Esq.

“Well done, I enjoyed the three days.” – Sanjeev Dhingra, Esq.  

“Very knowledgeable speakers.” – Katia Rocha, Esq.  

“Overall, I thought that the seminar was helpful and informative.” – April Perez, Esq.

“I was very satisfied with the program… Very good information and tips!” – Luis Alvan, Esq.

”Speakers were extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer even the simplest question. Felt as though it was a comprehensive introduction to a complicated subject.” – Lauren Bebek, Esq.

“This was well-organized and well-presented.” – Ronald L. Boorstein, Esq.

“Incredible roster of speakers.” – Serrano Margaret, Esq.

“Overall, the program was very good.” – Katia Rocha, Esq.  

“I feel the speakers and content have been very informative.” – Jacinda Beraud, Esq.  

“I found the seminar very informative.” – Pedro A. Lopez, Esq.

“I haven’t felt this excited about practicing law in a while – can’t wait to get my feet wet!” – K. Rosenchal, Esq.

“I liked the content and the energy of the speakers.” – Luisa Gamboa, Esq.  

“Informative, well presented, and the degree of detail was great. Well worth the investment – very practical tips that can be immediately put to practice.” – Julie Katz, Esq.

“Interesting and great content.” – Georgia Thomas, Esq.

“It was a good intro into immigration.” – D. Duckett, Esq.

“Excellent forms for intake interview. Informative/interesting discussion on family visa requests. This MCLE was an excellent start for me. Thank you.” – William Olzman, Esq.

“Excellent overview.” – D. Halper, Esq.

“Excellent presentation of topics. Very good overview.” – Lisa Thompson, Esq.

“It was an incredibly helpful overview of immigration! Thank you!” – Yana Loboda, Esq.

“It was great and I learned a lot. It was an awesome experience, thank you!” – Ismael Rosas, Esq.

“Excellent and knowledgeable speakers – I really enjoyed today!” – Sanjeev Dhingra, Esq.  

“Thorough background for someone new to Immigration Law.” – Sanjeev Dhingra, Esq.  

“Very satisfied.” – Edward Ramos, Esq.

“Excellent. Content was excellent. I thought the content choices were well chosen.” – Julie Katz, Esq.

“Very informative. I learned a lot!” – Isaura Gomez, Esq.

“Great overview – learned a lot. Great speakers.” – Joshua Aguilar, Esq.

“All speakers were knowledgeable and skilled. Delivered very good and relevant information. – Ronald A. Cabanayan, Esq.

“Very informative and useful information.” – E. Samet, Esq.

“Amazing!!! It really increased my interest in pursuing more immigration law; Great resources!!!” – Yamilette Rivera, Esq.

“Excellent experience; good job!” – Gulomjon Azimov, Esq.

“It was good overall.” – Fidel Guillermo Maceda Johnson, Esq.  

“Everything was well explained.” – Aaron Caspar, Esq.

“Absolutely satisfied with the course and the information I received from it.” – S. Wilkerson, Esq.

“Great overview of immigration laws. I learned a lot.” – Jessica McGuire, Esq.

“Excellent!” – Diego MacWilliam, Esq.  

“Very informative seminar. Knowledgeable speakers.” Elena Costa, Esq.

“Excellent!” – Donald Garrard, Esq.

“The program was informative and well organized. The speakers had a great depth of knowledge in their field.” – Julie Katz, Esq.

“Very good. Keep it up.” – Fidel Guillermo Maceda-Johnson, Esq.  

“Good course. I’m glad I came…” – A. Rivera, Esq.

“Great overview of the visas!” – Sherine Makar, Esq.

“Very helpful in understanding immigration law.” – Raymond F. Horne, Esq.

“Good overview of complex subject matter. Of great relevance and most compelling.” – Martie Leys, Esq.

“Great CLE.” – Alex Farris, Esq.

“Good stuff and good practice tips today.” – Anna Black, Esq.  

“Very good overview. This has given me ideas as to particular areas in which I would be interested in concentrating.” – Jessica McGuire, Esq.

“Very good and knowledgeable speakers.” – B. Mittelberg, Esq.

“Great insight.” – E. Rafael Hahn, Esq.

“Great intro for starting a business for new lawyers and beneficial for seasoned lawyers as well. Zoom is very practical for today’s fast paced environment. The presenters’ emails are greatly appreciated as well.” – Francis Jerome Shea, Esq.  

“Very educational and great speakers!” – C. Perez, Esq.

“I really enjoyed this first part of the Immigration Webinar. The speakers delivered relevant information that will help those looking to further their Immigration Law Practice.” – Michael R Joyce, Esq.

“Great tips.” – Georgia Thomas, Esq.  

“Great speakers. I received a lot of clarification as a paralegal…Thanks!” – Shirley M. Quesada Rivera

“Great to hear these experts speak. Absolute expert lecturing.” – Vincent Miller, Esq.

“Great! All of them explained every single question.” – F. Cervantes, Esq.

“Great!” – Laura Fonseca, Esq.

“Green, Damast, and Piibe were fabulous. Lots of energy, extremely knowledgeable, and their material was informative.” – David A. Torres, Esq.

“A lot of practical knowledge!”

“Again, another day of comprehensive information from knowledgeable presenters.”

“As a new attorney to immigration law I was satisfied with the program because it provided a great overview of immigration laws. I chose this particular seminar because of the comprehensive nature of the agenda and I appreciated that so many topics within immigration were covered.”

“Comprehensive covers all major bases.”

“Having the handouts beforehand was very helpful in terms of taking notes. Thank you! Accessibility with the question is done well…having the speakers see our questions, but not the whole group is good so that we are not distracted. Bravo. Outlines and content were well formulated and thought through before the family law and the Removal section.”

“Content (oral and written) is excellent, the platform works really well, and Pincus does a great job organizing and presenting the CLE on the platform.” 

“Essential information and truly knowledgeable presenters.”   

“Excellent – great presenters, very knowledgeable.”

“The depth of waivers and relief was very well presented. The charts and links are needed and appreciated by the presenters.” 

“The handouts seem great and there were a lot of great tips shared.”

“Very interesting and informative. The degree of detail was great.”

“The material given was wonderful.”

“Excellent presentation, a lot of information. Very educational.”

“Excellent seminar. Each speaker was superior expert on the topic they presented. The program was very interesting. It was my first Pincus program. Very impressed and looking forward to taking another program.”

“Extremely up-to-date with current immigration matters.”

“Fantastic! Really enjoyed the very clear discussion of issues relevant to day-to-day practice. Thank you!”

“Good energy & display of expertise.”

“Good general overview and introduction to immigration law. I learned about different types of visas.”

“Well organized, breaks at perfect times, panel was perfect, great speakers. Well done!”

“Your support staff, especially Renee in LA were terrific in assisting me to overcome my sign in, computer speaker, and alternate sound solutions.”

“Good printed material and presentation.”

“Good review of family-based immigration. Good overview of business visas.”

“Excellent. Very knowledgeable speakers. Efficient, good pace. Area covered fairly well in time allocated.”

“Got very good and useful summary of everything.”

“Excellent staff and fantastic speakers. 5-Star program. Very satisfied with panels, content, and hotel location. Pincus Staff were very professional and extremely competent; ALL of the attorney presenters were erudite, highly-experienced, and very interesting – some of the best I’ve heard. The overall quality of the entire program was excellent.”

“Excellent topic and speakers.” 

“Lots of information! In general, I think it’s very well presented.”

“Great big-picture overview of practicing Immigration Law.”

“Great job. While technical, they did a great job explaining it for the first-time immigration practitioners.”

“The speakers were good. Good coverage of basic subject matter.”

“This was a terrific and comprehensive program.”

“Great overview. Thanks! I work in a niche area of immigration law and wanted a base for other types of visas. Great seminar.”

“Great program. Very educational.”

“Very good program.”

“The speakers are amazing and the topics are excellent.”

“Thorough primer on relevant topics in this field.”

“They did a wonderful job- very detailed!”

“I was satisfied because today’s presenters focused more on undocumented persons who entered without inspection; that is the biggest segment of our immigration practice; we handle an occasional visa, but it is very rare.” 

“Very informative and the material was fully covered.”

“Great start to the multi day program. Speakers were informative, well organized and interesting.”

“Good information. Good overview.”

“Very good speakers, good content.”

“I am impressed by the amount of information presented. I can see that I would have to do much more research to truly understand many of the topics. I think that’s unavoidable due to the amount of information and time constraints.”

“I am satisfied because the speakers and the content are helpful to someone like me that wants to go into a different area of the law practice.”

“I needed a systematic overview of the major immigration case types and got it.”

“Great speaker. Extremely knowledgeable.”

“I thought it was very good. Speakers very competent and kept my interest.

“Great speakers, a lot of useful information.” 

“I thought it was very informative and concise.”  

“Great examples. Straight forward and easy to follow.”

“I would like to get into immigration law. This seminar was a great introduction.”

“I’m getting a general sense of the field. Good overview of a very complex area of law.”

“It’s a good seminar, thank you all!”

“Good material and presenters.”

“Overall good, very helpful.”

“Overall program was great. Despite being a dense and tough topic, the speakers did a great job.”

“Overall, excellent content. Learned a great deal about portions of immigration work that I’ve not experienced in the past.”

“Received the survey commentary I sought. Speakers are a good team.”

“Speakers had a lot of great information.”

“All of the speakers were great, the information was invaluable.”

“Speakers were clearly very knowledgeable.”

“Excellent.”

“Very well organized and easy walk-thru of the immigration system.”

“Speakers were very good obviously know their stuff.”

“Stewart really knows her stuff and explains it well. Good balance of legal requirements and practice tips. Ludwig’s practical tips were good.”

“Clarity on presentation.” 

“Very thorough. Speakers explained the content well.”

“The panel was very knowledgeable.”

“The program has been excellent so far. I found much of the informative helpful. The questions were also good and I liked that the speakers addressed them as they came in. I took notes on the information provided and actually some of the information delivered will be helpful to my current practice.”

“The speakers and content were great.”

“Today’s speakers seemed informed and organized… especially Piibe and Santana.”

“Truly enjoyed all the speakers and topics.”

“Very detailed and comprehensive. Great presenters. The knowledge base was terrific and the speakers shared tips and resources.”

“Very detailed and informative.” 

“Very educational and well presented. Good coverage of the practical aspect.”

“Very good overview of the entire topic. Given that it was only two days, the speakers did a great job with providing the relevant details.”

“Very good overview.”

“It was great…as a whole, very good.”

“Very informative session.”

“Great speakers. I wish there was more time.”

“Knowledgeable speakers.”

“Lots of new info!”

“Excellent program today.”  

“Very informative, good speakers.”

“The content is very good.”  

“On the whole, this was well-organized and well-presented.”

“Overall – a cascade of information!”

“Very well developed.” 

Faculty

Diana Albite, Esq.
Founding Partner
Albite Law Group, P.A.

Mrs. Diana Albite is the Founding Partner of Albite Law Group. Mrs. Albite was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida. After beginning her undergraduate studies at Florida International University on various scholarships, she graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.A. in Political Science. Thereafter, Mrs. Albite attended St. Thomas University School of Law, ultimately earning the degree of Juris Doctor. While at St. Thomas, Mrs. Albite participated in the law school’s Immigration Clinic as a Certified Legal Intern. In this capacity, she had the opportunity and privilege of trying several cases before Department of Homeland Security on behalf of underprivileged persons. Also while in law school, Mrs. Albite served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Ellen Leesfield in Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Mrs. Albite also clerked at Downs, Brill, Whitehead, & Sage, where she gained invaluable research experience in Personal Injury and Maritime and Admiralty Law. While a law student, Mrs. Albite was a member of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, the Hispanic Association of Law Students, and the Student Animal Defense Legal Fund.

Mrs. Albite’s passion for advocating on behalf of her clients led her to creating Albite Law Group, P.A. As a result of that very same passion and tenacity combined with dedication and labor, Mrs. Albite’s boutique firm rapidly blossomed, offering personalized service and attention to individuals and corporate clients alike. Mrs. Albite’s love for the South Florida community motivates her to dedicate countless hours to assisting to those who cannot afford legal advice.

Mrs. Albite is currently licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, as well as in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Mrs. Albite has appeared in Almavision radio station broadcasted on 87.7 FM, Univision and Telemundo, and  Buenos Días Miami on Mira TV show with renowned presenter Tomas Garcia Fuste. She has been extensively quoted by El Nuevo Herald among other newspapers and media outlets,  where she has discussed current immigration issues. 

Mrs. Albite appears and presents at Immigration events and maintains the Immigration community informed free of charge.

Sarah B. Castello, Esq.

Law Office of Sarah B. Castello

Sarah has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of immigration law except employment-based. She also has successfully litigated many cases before the U.S. district courts and the Ninth Circuit. Along with federal litigation, Sarah is currently practicing removal defense in the San Francisco Immigration Court, as well as family-based and humanitarian work.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Kansas and received a Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Sarah has been a member of the State Bar of California since 2006. She is admitted to the U.S. Appeals Court for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California. Sarah is also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Richard M. Green, Esq.
Partner & Chair of CDF’s Immigration Practice Group
Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger, LLP

Rick Green is a CA Certified Legal Specialist in Immigration & Nationality Law.

Immigration Lawyer Richard M. Green understands the importance of work and family, and places special emphasis on helping employers obtain immigration status and employment authorization in the United States for their employees and their family members. A Certified Specialist in Immigration & Nationality Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization, Green is a proud member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has been helping clients with their immigration issues for close to 20 years.  Additionally, Green is an Adjunct Professor at the Fowler School of Law at Chapman University where he teaches Immigration Law.

Susan S. Han, Esq.
Founder/Certified Legal Specialist in Immigration & Nationality Law
Susan S. Han Law Group, APC

Ms. Susan S. Han is the founder and owner of Han Law Group, Immigration Attorneys. She has been practicing immigration law since 1998 and has vast experience in handling all aspects of immigration law including family-based petitions, business immigration, deportation and removal, asylum, U-visas, TPS, citizenship and naturalization, and appeals at all levels.

In addition to her practice, Ms. Han has been an adjunct professor at California State University, Los Angeles, and is a frequent guest speaker on immigration topics for various bar organization such as the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).  

Ms. Han received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law where she earned the American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law.

Matthew Hughes, Esq.
Former Visa Unit Chief, Kathmandu, Munich, and Belmopan, Belize.
BoarderCall LLC

Based in Portland, Oregon with a global practice, Matt Hughes guides businesses, individuals, and families through the U.S. immigration system.

IMMIGRATION 

Matt represents global organizations moving talent and knowledge around the world, start-ups seeking a foothold in North America, families creating new lives in the United States, visa applicants and more. With over 14 years of immigration and consular experience, Matt’s

practice includes, among other things, L-1 executives, managers, and specialized knowledge workers; E visa investors; STEM-focused H-1B employees; Green Cards; and U.S. naturalizations. Matt is an expert in tricky consular issues, visa interviews, and other matters that involve the U.S. Department of State. He speaks German fluently, as well as some Spanish and Nepali.

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

As a former American diplomat and consul who has moved his own family around the world

multiple times, Matt understands the importance of a trustworthy advisor. Before entering

private practice, Matt ran visa units for the U.S. Department of State in three countries

(Immigrant Visa Unit, U.S. Embassy Kathmandu; Visa Unit, U.S. Embassy Belmopan; Visa Unit, U.S. Consulate General Munich) and received multiple awards for his work and leadership on many sensitive issues. Because of this experience, he has often been a speaker at American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA) conferences on consular and visa matters. Matt is currently a member of the AILA New Member Division National Steering Committee. He has also served as a public defender and completed a clerkship in the Probate and Tax Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court.

Juliana G. Lamardo, Esq.
Founder
Law Offices of Juliana G. Lamardo, P.A.

Juliana G. Lamardo was born in São Paulo, Brazil. When she was 8 years old, her parents made the difficult decision to leave Brazil in search of a better life. Juliana’s father obtained an L-1A visa and moved the entire family to the United States. In 1994, Juliana became a lawful permanent resident and then a U.S. Citizen in 2001. Juliana experienced the immigration process firsthand and knows how apprehensive it can be.

Juliana attended Florida International University in Miami and earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in 2003. Following her mother’s footsteps as an attorney, Juliana attended law school at Barry University School of Law in Orlando, Florida. She graduated in 2007. It was in law school where her desire to help other immigrants came to life.

Juliana opened the Law Offices of Juliana G. Lamardo in 2016. She was previously a Senior Associate Attorney with a private immigration law firm for over six years, where she handled thousands of cases. She concentrates in the areas of deportation defense, bond hearings, deferred inspections, family-based residency, Citizenship, and naturalization.

Juliana has represented clients in removal and bond proceedings before the Immigration Court, before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on family-based petitions, applications for residency, and applications for Citizenship, as well as various waivers for criminal activity. She has also appeared before the Customs Border Protection (CBP) for deferred inspections.

She is a frequent speaker at various immigration-related seminars including the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Pincus Professional Education, and the Association for the Studies of the Cuban Economy (ASCE). She was also a regular guest speaker on Almavisión radio (87.7 FM) on issues related to immigration.

She has been licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida and the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida Division since 2008. She is also a member of the Florida Bar and is licensed to practice immigration in all 50 states.

Juliana is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. She understands the complexities associated with immigration procedures and she applies her knowledge and background to competently assist those who wish to build a life in this country. 

Amy C. Lenhert, Esq.
Managing Attorney
Law Office of Sabrina Damast, Inc.

Amy Lenhert has practiced immigration law exclusively since becoming an attorney in 2003. She has expertise in a broad range of immigration matters and is certified as a Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. 

Amy has successfully litigated cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts of California, Nebraska, and Washington, D.C. In addition to her federal court practice, Amy represents clients in removal proceedings throughout the United States, assisting her clients in obtaining cancellation of removal for lawful permanent residents, cancellation of removal for nonresidents, waivers for fraud and criminal convictions, and applications for asylum.  She has successfully represented clients with administrative appeals to both the Board of Immigration Appeals and the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office.

Amy also regularly represents individuals in connection with family-based visa petitions, unlawful presence waivers, applications for naturalization, and complex citizenship claims.

Beyond litigation and family immigration, Amy’s employment-based experience includes representation of large healthcare companies with hundreds of immigrant visa petitions for Registered Nurses under the Schedule A category, as well as assisting with TN visa matters for Registered Nurses. She has successfully litigated erroneous denials of employment-based petitions in federal court.

Amy believes strongly in the importance of giving back, and regularly provides pro bono legal services through a variety of organizations.  She serves on the advisory committee for the Los Angeles office of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), an organization dedicated to ensuring that no child appears in immigration court without legal representation.

Amy received her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School Los Angeles in 2003. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Executive Committee for the Immigration Section of the Los Angeles Bar Association (LACBA).

Flavia Santos Lloyd
Managing Attorney; Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California
Santos Lloyd Law Firm, P.C.

Attorney Flavia Santos Lloyd is passionate about immigration law and the community she serves. As an immigrant herself, Ms. Santos Lloyd can relate to her clients’ experiences during the immigration process. With focus on quality customer service, zealous and diligent representation of her clients, and a proven track record, she has served a wide range of her clients’ immigration needs.

Ms. Santos Lloyd is a Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California and a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the American Bar Association (ABA), Orange County and Los Angeles County Bar Associations, Orange County Hispanic Bar Association, among other organizations, and she is an active member of the State Bar of California.

Before graduating from law school, Ms. Santos Lloyd worked for 12 years in the immigration law field as a supervising immigration paralegal at a leading Orange County immigration law firm. In total, Ms. Santos Lloyd has been in the immigration field for over 22 years. Attorney Santos Lloyd and her staff are fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and French.

While in law school, Ms. Santos Lloyd volunteered at immigration clinics and other immigration-related organizations. Her practice focuses on a broad spectrum of immigration matters such as family-based, employment-based, extraordinary ability cases, naturalization, adjustment of status, consular processing, asylum, removal, and complex family matters such as waivers. Her primary focus and expertise are extraordinary ability cases (O, P, and EB-1A) and EB-2 NIW. As she is also passionate about teaching, she teaches subjects tested in the California Bar Exam and Immigration Law at different law schools. She also devotes her time to scholarly work by writing research papers and presenting them at national and international conferences. 

Andrea Martini, Esq.

Law Office of Andrea Martini, P.A.

Andrea was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to young Venezuelan parents who attended college in the United States and later returned to Venezuela. After living in Venezuela, Andrea and her family returned to South Florida.

Andrea attended Miami Sunset Senior High School and was the recipient of a Florida Bright Futures scholarship based on her academic performance.  

Soon after, Andrea enrolled at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida to study Journalism.  After completing her first year at FIU, Andrea excelled academically and was invited to join the university’s prestigious Honors College, a rigorous academic program with a special curriculum designed to promote interdisciplinary learning. Through the Honors College, she participated in a study abroad program in Italy to learn about the interrelation between art and literature while also becoming fluent in a third language:  Italian.  Andrea was also a writer for The Beacon, the university’s bi-weekly student newspaper, during most of her tenure at FIU and her articles were regularly featured in various sections including sports, op-ed, news and arts. During the summer of 2002, Andrea had the privilege of being selected to participate in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (“CHCI”) Summer Internship program and was assigned to the office of Former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman John Conyers.  During her internship, Andrea worked on several projects, including the coordination of town hall meetings to promote bilateral discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and she conducted research and wrote on the topic of hate crimes.   

Upon her return from Washington, D.C., Andrea interned with the office of Senator Bill Nelson in Coral Gables, Florida, where she worked on local constituent issues.  Andrea received the FIU Honors College Outstanding Service 2003-2004 Award for her involvement with several community projects and her work with children with disabilities as the President of FIU’s Student Council for Exceptional Children.  After continuously maintaining a 4.0 grade point average throughout her major studies, the FIU School of Journalism and Mass Communication awarded her as the 2004 Outstanding Journalism Student, and she obtained a paid internship as an assistant producer for Univision’s National Newscast and Ultima Hora.  In May of 2004, Andrea graduated Magna Cum Laude from FIU with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and a Minor in Criminal Justice.  

In the fall of 2004, Andrea began to attend NOVA Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center to pursue a Juris Doctor degree.  Based on her academic performance and attainment of Dean’s List, Andrea was invited to be a junior member of NOVA’s ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law, and she later became the editor of the 2006-07 bilingual edition.  Andrea also served as President of the school’s International Law Student Association, and she participated in the University of Miami’s study abroad program through which she completed coursework in international and comparative law in Greece and at the University College London.  She was awarded a Public Service Fellowship for her work with the Department of Justice, Office of Chief Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices in Washington, D.C., and graduated in May of 2007.  She was admitted to practice in Florida in September of 2007.

After law school, Andrea worked as an associate attorney with the world-renowned immigration law firm of Kurzban, Kurzban, Weinger, Tetzeli & Pratt, P.A. (KKWTP), in Miami, Florida.  While a KKWTP, Andrea’s practice included family-based immigration, removal defense, asylum and corporate/business immigration, and she worked on a myriad of challenging cases with clients from all over the world.  As an associate attorney at KKWTP, Andrea became the firm’s Intern Coordinator overseeing and mentoring the work of dozens of law students.  

In April of 2012, Andrea decided to establish her own practice, and became the founder and President of Andrea Martini, P.A., in Coral Gables, Florida.  Andrea Martini, P.A. exclusively focuses on Immigration and Nationality law and represents clients from all over the United States and around the world.  As the daughter of immigrants, Andrea understands the nuisances of our immigration system.  Because of this, she strives not only to provide affordable and professional representation, but to also care about her clients and provide excellent customer service.  She taught immigration law as an Adjunct Professor at Broward College during the Summer of 2013.  Andrea has been featured as a speaker on several immigration-related panels and is the former President of the AILA South Florida Chapter.  She served as the former President of the CHCI Alumni Chapter in Miami, Florida.

Melisa Peña, Esq.
Managing Partner
Jarbath Peña Law Group, P. A.

Melisa Peña is a Peruvian-American attorney from Lima who has made her home in Miami, Florida. She is a founding Partner of JP Law Group, a boutique Immigration and Family Law practice established in 2013.

Her life’s work has been to help those that are faced with the same daunting challenges that her and her family faced as immigrants. Melisa graduated from Braddock High School and Florida International University (FIU). She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2012.

While securing her own citizenship and studying law at FIU, she interned at Catholic Charities Legal Services, as a Florida Bar Public Service fellow, where she used her passion for outreach and education to bring new life to legal orientation programs. She continues to use her experience to provide hope and help to her clients.

Whether it is volunteering at Temporary Protective Status (TPS), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), or Citizenship clinics or holding workshops at high schools and churches, she is always advocating in the community and for the community. In her spare time, Ms. Peña is an avid traveler.

She was heavily involved in Haiti relief efforts. She plans to continue working to keep families together and helping others.

Alary E. Piibe, Esq.
Partner/Certified Legal Specialist in Immigration & Nationality Law
Hill & Piibe, Immigration Attorneys

Alary E. Piibe is a long-time litigator and certified as a specialist in immigration and nationality law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization who has developed keen and aggressive courtroom skills. Mr. Piibe prides himself as a formidable strategist who will make persuasive, effective presentations, and who represents his clients in a straightforward manner before US ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security), US CIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security) and the Immigration Court. This litigation style translates into a benefit for his clients, and helps cause the government to make a thorough and careful consideration of the cases during the adjudication process. 

Mr. Piibe has considerable experience in applying for waivers for unlawful presence (otherwise known as “3/10 waivers” or “illegal presence” waivers). He treats each case as unique and devotes many firm resources in an “all-out” effort to obtain a successful conclusion that reunites a family. He is especially adept at criminal immigration issues, understanding the nuances that can mean the difference between success and deportation. Under his guidance, the firm has vacated numerous criminal convictions to cancel their effect on deportation and removal. 

Mr. Piibe’s experience before the Asylum Office and the Immigration Court gives his clients additional protection, and he has won several asylum cases involving complicated and technical issues, which most immigration attorneys would have declared hopeless. Mr. Piibe is a member of both the California State Bar as well as the federal District Courts, enabling him great latitude to appear in any Court to pursue his clients’ needs.

Jennifer Rozdzielski, Esq.

JR Immigration Law

Attorney Jennifer Rozdzielski specializes in all areas of immigration and nationality law. She has practiced exclusively in immigration law and worked for one of the top immigration law firms in the United States.

Jennifer is a certified immigration law specialist and member of the State Bar of California. She is admitted to practice before the following courts:

U.S. Supreme Court of the United States

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

United States District Court, Central District of California

United States District Court, Eastern District of California

United States District Court, Southern District of California

Additionally, Jennifer has appeared pro hac vice in district courts across the United States.

Jennifer obtained her Juris Doctorate degree in Los Angeles, California, graduating Cum Laude in the top 10 percent of her class. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a Certificate in International Studies Magna Cum Laude.

Jennifer was selected as a Super Lawyers Southern California Rising Star in 2019, 2020, and 2022 an honor reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys in southern California. She was also selected for Best Lawyers in Southern California in 2021 and 2022.

Elina M. Santana, Esq.
Shareholder / Immigration Attorney
Santana Rodriguez Law, P.A.

Elina Magaly Santana, Esq. is a Shareholder and Co-founder of Santana Rodriguez Law, P.A., a firm focusing solely on Immigration Law.  She is licensed in the state of Florida, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Elina focuses her immigration practice on Family-based and Marriage-based Residency, Naturalization, Deportation Defense (including Asylum & Cancellation of Removal), Waivers, Derivative/Acquired Citizenship, and BIA Appeals. 

She is the 2nd Vice-President for AILA South Florida (American Immigration Lawyers Association) and a Board Member for Capital Good Fund, a social change organization that uses financial services to tackle poverty in the U.S.  She has also volunteered on the border in Harlingen, TX aiding children seeking asylum and special immigrant juvenile visas. 

Elina has served as a panelist and guest speaker at many events on immigration law, and she has appeared on Univision, Telemundo, and NBC to talk about current immigration issues.  Elina earned her JD from Boston University (BU) School of Law and her BA in both Sociology and Spanish Literature at New York University (NYU) with high honors.  She is a fluent Spanish speaker and was born to Cuban parents in Miami, Florida.

Cassandra Suprin, Esq.
Family Defense Program Director
Americans for Immigrant Justice

Cassandra Suprin is the current Family Defense Program Director at Americans for Immigrant Justice (AIJustice). Prior to working at AI Justice, Ms. Suprin was a managing attorney at Catholic Legal Services. Ms. Suprin’s specialties include family-based petitions, waivers, and humanitarian reliefs.

Jacqueline Villalba, Esq.
Partner, Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law
Harper Meyer LLP

Jacqueline Villalba is a Board-Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law. She has extensive experience in the areas of business and family-based immigration. She represents clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”)with regard to non-immigrant visa petitions; extraordinary ability, national interest waiver, and professional worker petitions; labor certifications; family-based immigrant visa petitions; and applications for naturalization. Jacqueline also practices before the Executive Office for Immigration Review, representing clients in removal proceedings with regard to asylum requests, applications to adjust status to permanent residence, cancellation of removal, bond hearings, and other forms of relief.

Jacqueline served as Chair of The Florida Bar International Law Section for the 2022-2023 term. She is a member of the International Law Section’s Executive Council and previously served Chair of the Section’s Women in International Law and Foreign Legal Consultant Committees. She has also served on the Board of Directors of AILA South Florida. Additionally, she has served as Chair and Co-Chair of AILA South Florida’s Luncheons Committees, Co-Chair of the DMV Committee, and Chair and Co-Chair of the CLE Committee. Jacqueline has lectured at legal seminars on a variety of business and family-based immigration issues. In 2009, and from 2018 – 2021, she was selected as a Florida Rising Star. This peer designation is awarded only to a select number of pf accomplished attorneys in each state. She was also included in the 29th edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for her high caliber work in Immigration Law, ranking among the top 5 percent of attorneys nationwide, as determined purely by her peers.

Jacqueline received her B.B.A. from the University of Miami and her J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in the State of Florida as well as in the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Fees

Discounted rates are available for 3-4 attorneys watching via OnDemand at your firm or agency.
Licenses are available for law firms or agencies that would like OnDemand Streaming for more than four attorneys.

Pre-order the Recorded Package of this program when you register for only $149 (download or OnDemand) (attendee special only).

Registration fees are per person.

Individual: $600

Group: $575 per person for 2 or more from the same company pre-registering at the same time.

Government employee/Legal Aid* Rate: $525

Law Student*/Paralegal Rate: $375 (current JD students only)

We will send your login details and handout materials approximately one week before your program.

Program materials:

Registration includes an electronic copy (.pdf) of your seminar handbook.  The link to download this handout will be emailed to you a few days before the program.  Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see it by then.  Please put info@pincusproed.com in your address book to make sure you receive your pdf of the program handbook.

* Law Student Rate is for current law students only. Please provide your law school name and ID # when you register.

** Legal Aid attorneys are those attorneys employed by Legal Aid/non-profit firms.  It does not include attorneys who have their own practice, or are employed by law firms, that volunteer their time for non-profit causes or take on pro-bono cases. It also does not include attorneys who serve on non-profit boards.

Full and partial scholarships may be available to a limited number of Legal Aid attorneys, based upon registration. Please call (877) 858-3848 to discuss or email your request to info@pincusproed.com.

CLE Credits

CA General:  This program is approved for 12.75 units of general CLE in California.

CA Participatory Certified Legal Specialist: This program is approved for 12.75 units for CLS CLE in Immigration and Nationality Law.

CA Self Study (only) Certified Legal Specialist:  This program is approved for 12.75 units of CLS CLE in Immigration and Nationality Law.

FL General: This program is approved for 15.5 units of General CLE Credits in Florida.

FL Certification Credits: This program is approved for 15.5 Credits of Immigration and Nationality Law Certification Credits in Florida.

OR General: This program is approved for 12.75 units of general CLE in Oregon.

WA General:  This program is approved for 12.75 credits of Law & Legal CLE in Washington.

NY General: This course is eligible for approval, under New York’s CLE Approved Jurisdiction policy, for 12.75 CLE units. Pincus Professional Education is a CA Accredited Provider, which is a NY approved jurisdiction. See Section 6 of the New York State CLE Board Regulations and Guidelines for further information.

This program is approved for CLE in the states listed above.  Upon request, Pincus Pro Ed will provide any information an attorney needs to support their application for CLE approval in other states other than what is listed above. Many attorneys ask for this and are approved in other states.