Melissa is an Associate in Fragomen’s Los Angeles office. Melissa provides counsel in all areas of corporate immigration, focusing primarily on EB-1 employment-based immigrant visas and permanent residence applications.
Prior to joining Fragomen, Melissa was an attorney with a California-based law firm, where her practice focused primarily on family-based immigration matters and removal defense. Prior to this, Melissa served as a law clerk with Fragomen in Los Angeles where she assisted with all major employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories. While in law school, Melissa worked with the Joseph A. Vail Center for Immigrant Rights.
Melissa speaks Spanish and English.
Education
Southwestern Law School | J.D., 2014, cum laude
Grinnell College | B.A., 2012
Awards
Named to Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, 2021
Professional Accomplishments / Memberships
Bar Admissions: California
Memberships
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Member, Latina Lawyers Bar Association
Member, Mexican American Bar Association
Represented clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR); Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA); and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Prepared applications for a variety of immigrant and nonimmigrant matters.
Prepared responses to requests for evidence.
Prepared applications and represented individuals seeking naturalization, asylum, cancellation of removal and U-Visas.
Represented clients in court at master calendar and individual hearings.