With nearly 30 years of dedicated immigration law experience, Cindy understands the positive impact listening can have on both clients and colleagues alike. Using this skill, she strikes the delicate balance of helping clients achieve their business goals while successfully creating and organizing their effective immigration programs, representing multinational corporate clients in a range of industries, including management and technology consulting, logistics and supply chain, transportation, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

Since being appointed Managing Partner of Fragomen’s Midwest practice at the beginning of 2023, Cindy has also taken on a managerial role in overseeing both the region’s practice and client relationships—successfully listening to and advocating for her colleagues and employees. In each of these capacities—both as an immigration lawyer and as a people manager—Cindy serves as a trusted advisor and true partner by recognizing that it is her responsibility to understand their needs and provide the space to communicate them.

Cindy has always been innately focused on helping others—in fact, this focus is what propelled her into a career in immigration law. As an international relations major in college, she knew she was interested in human rights and global issues. During her first year of law school, she was granted an opportunity to blend these passions by helping an individual and her family with an asylum application. She filed the application, attended their interviews and eventually celebrated when they were granted asylum—realizing she found her calling to pursue a career an immigration law.

Passionate about inclusivity, Cindy previously served as Chair and currently serves as Co-Chair of Fragomen’s U.S./Canada DEI Committee, helping to lead its expansion across the entire region. She is an active Fragomen and community volunteer, including through her pro bono work conducting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and naturalization clinics and providing services to immigrant families at the detention center in Dilley, Texas. She also serves as a board member of the British-American Business Council’s Chicago Chapter.

Education

American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 1996
Boston University, B.A., 1991

Admissions

Bar Admissions: Illinois

Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law

Awards

Listed in Chambers USA, 2024 to 2025

Listed in The American Lawyers’ Midwest Trailblazers, 2022

Listed among Crain’s 2020 Notable Women Executives Over 50

Phi Beta Kappa, 1991

Harold C. Case Scholar, 1991

Professional accomplishments

Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Chicago Chapter

President, Canada-U.S. Business Council Chicago

Member, Chicago Bar Association

Member, Board of Directors for the British-American Business Council, Chicago

Experience

Manages high volume U.S. immigration practice for global consulting, technology and outsourcing company to facilitate the transfer of professional employees from around the world to the United States.

Publications and lectures

Speaker, “Humanitarian Pathways & Workforce Strategy: Adapting to Evolving U.S. Immigration Policy.” Fragomen, Webinar, 5 August 2025.

Speaker, “Navigating the Path to U.S. Citizenship: What You Need to Know.” Fragomen, Webinar, 16 July 2025.

Speaker, “Navigating Automotive Industry Headwinds: Impacts on Global Immigration Strategies.” Fragomen, Webinar, 4 February 2025.

Speaker, immigration related topics during conferences presented by the Council for Global Immigration and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Speaker, “Has The Mobility Industry Opened Pandora's Suitcase? Part II - Business Travel Immigration Compliance.” Minnesota Employee Relocation Council, St. Paul, Minnesota, 13 July 2021.

Featured, “People on the Move.” Crain's Chicago Business, 5 August 2019.

Featured, “Shearn takes reigns of Fragomen office in Chicago.” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 1 August 2019.

“Off the “Fast” Track? The Effect of Corporate Downsizing on Labor Certification Strategy and Procedure,” 4th Annual AILA New York Chapter Immigration Law Symposium Conference Handbook, 2001.