Associate
Melissa Mora
Country / Territory
Get in touch
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
444 South Flower Street, Suite 500
Los Angeles CA 90071
United States
Melissa is an Associate at Fragomen’s Los Angeles office, where she counsels clients on all areas of employment-based immigration, including immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. She also assists clients with family-based immigration matters, such as I-130 petitions, Adjustment of Status and naturalization.
Melissa has a wide range of immigration defense experience, including representing criminally charged non-citizens, juvenile immigrants and victims of domestic violence at both the trial and appellate levels. Additionally, Melissa has experience representing clients in affirmative immigration matters before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and providing immigration advice to criminal defense colleagues and their clients.
Prior to joining Fragomen, Melissa worked exclusively in nonprofit and pro bono settings, including at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, CUNY Law Immigration Clinic, Legal Aid Society and New York County Defender Services.
Melissa speaks English and Spanish.
Education
- City University of New York School of Law, J.D., 2017
- University of California, San Diego, B.A., 2012
More from Melissa
Admissions
Bar Admissions: New York
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Professional accomplishments
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Member, Cafecito Latina Lawyer Network
Mentor, LatinoJustice Next Generation Líderes
Experience
Successfully defended more than 10 clients against deportation from the United States
Won a remand and eventual termination of a deportation case from the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as two appeals with the Administrative Appeals Office
Secured a Clemency Grant from the New York Governor for a client who was facing deportation
Successfully briefed and argued several Motions to Terminate based on regulatory violations
Obtained Special Immigrant Juvenile Status grants for young immigrants fleeing violence and persecution
Successfully advocated for the release of a client in federal immigration custody
Publications and lectures
Panelist, “Public Interest Lawyering.” LatinoJustice Next Generation Líderes’ LAWBound, New York, NY, 4 August 2021.
Speaker, “Law School Career Panel.” LatinoJustice Next Generation Líderes, New York, NY, 11 March 2021.
Speaker, “Law Panel.” First Tech Fund, New York, NY, 18 November 2020.
Speaker, “What Can You Do With A Law Degree?” LatinoJustice Next Generation Líderes, New York, NY, 28 May 2020.
Panelist, “Organizing the Legal Workplace.” CUNY Labor Coalition, New York, NY, 25 November 2019.
