 Immigration Attorney Heather Poole Attorney Heather L. Poole is a private immigration lawyer exclusively devoted to complex family-based immigration, deportation defense, and U.S. citizenship law. She is a Certified Specialist in Immigration & Nationality Law.* She has been practicing only federal immigration law since 2000. She helps immigrants keep their green cards despite marital breakups and successfully reunites couples who would otherwise face a devastating long-term separation due to immigration imposed unlawful presence bars or other immigration barriers including criminal convictions, misrepresentations, prostitution, and drug use. She works one-on-one with individuals and families across the U.S. and the world. She also actively prepares clients for interviews and filings at consulates worldwide. Heather regularly travels outside of California to represent clients at CIS interviews and deportation court proceedings located throughout the U.S. to be by a client's side. She can represent clients in every U.S. state as U.S. immigration is federal law. She also represents clients in federal court lawsuits against the government and is licensed in the Central District Court of California and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
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A PROVEN SUCCESS RATE. Immigration Attorney Heather L. Poole Heather has a 99% approval rate on all family-based immigration (including difficult conditional green card, VAWA, and NOIDs/RFE cases), I-601 & 212(h) waivers, and citizenship cases for the past 19 years and running.* She is often relied upon by business immigration attorneys who need a removal defense and waiver expert for their clients. Her success rate, including some of the most difficult cases that other attorneys refuse to take on, proves that clients can trust Heather's experience and judgment when deciding to pursue a particular immigration option under Heather's representation. Heather will tell it to you straight so you know your chances before starting your case.** ** Success rates are not meant to nor to they guarantee a successful outcome or result in your case. Every case is different. It is unethical and illegal for any Attorney to guarantee you a positive result. What the attorney can do is provide you with her legal opinion as to what the strengths and weaknesses of your case are and her belief on how successful you may be. She cannot nor will she ever "guarantee" a positive outcome or result. A RECOGNIZED EXPERT.Heather's expertise in immigration law is widely recognized by her peers. She served on the National Board of Directors for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) for 5 years, the largest bar association of immigration attorneys in the U.S. She is former Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association Southern California Chapter, made up the third largest concentration of immigration lawyers in the U.S. She regularly trains other immigration attorneys on complex immigration topics for AILA (national & state conferences), Federal Bar Association, Los Angeles County & Orange County Bar Associations, Pasadena Bar Association, and national Continuing Legal Education companies. She is an internationally published author on family-based immigration and deportation defense issues, writing both to train other lawyers and to offer educational information to the media and individuals about key immigration concepts. co-authored the first article on the V visa and an article entitled, "Responding to Requests for Further Evidence & Notices of Intent to Deny in Family Immigration Cases", both published in the AILA's Immigration & Nationality Law Handbook. She also wrote on Conditional Green Card Waivers in AILA's Immigration Forms and Fundamentals, another key reference guide for immigration attorneys throughout the U.S. as well as other publications. She is also published on the complex family immigration subjects in Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine (Los Angeles County Bar Association), The Orange County Lawyer (Orange County Bar Association), The Pasadena Bar Bulletin, The Alaska Bar Rag (Alaska State Bar Association), The Riverside Lawyer (Riverside Bar Association), and the State Bar of California's International Law Journal among others.  Immigration Attorney Heather L. Poole Voted a "Super Lawyer" for Excellence in Immigration Law Other immigration attorneys consider her the expert. Heather has been named by other attorneys a "Super Lawyer" (Superlawyers.com, and appearing in SuperLawyers magazine), a designation for the top 5% of immigration attorneys over the age of 40 in Southern California, six years in a row. Before she turned 40, Heather was named "Super Lawyer: Rising Star" seven times for excellence in immigration law in Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine, an honor given to only 2.5% of Attorneys in Southern California each year. She was also listed in the "Top 40 Under 40" list of Immigration Lawyers in the entire State of California by the American Society of Legal Advocates. She has been repeatedly named one of the top women lawyers in Southern California in Los Angeles Magazine and a Pasadena Magazine "Top Attorneys" for many years. Visit Attorney Heather's Profile on Superlawyers.com. Read Attorney Heather's Latest Client Reviews on Avvo.com (Attorney rankings)
* Certified as a Legal Specialist by the Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California |
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A COMMUNITY LAWYER.Heather's expertise is recognized and sought by community organizations, schools, and the media. She is currently on Neighborhood Legal Services' (NLS), Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), and San Pedro Community Services Immigration Referral lists as a recommended private attorney.
Her work with immigrants has been commended by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Haven House – the country's oldest domestic violence shelter, and Project Sister, a rape crisis center serving the Inland Empire. She is a long-term volunteer helping survivors obtain restraining orders in family court for the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Barrister's Project. She has received these recent awards for her community service:
Heather regularly volunteers her time representing detained asylum seekers and unaccompanied children in federal deportation court for KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) and Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project (Catholic Charities). Her cases have saved the lives of gay men, transgendered activists, domestic violence survivors and others who were tortured in their home country. She also mentors new immigration attorneys for AILA's Immigrant Justice Program, who are representing detained asylum seekers in asylum and torture relief proceedings and facing deportation judges for the first time. Visit Attorney Heather’s YouTube Channel – Immigration Videos – Useful Tips and Warnings. Visit Attorney Heather's Immigration Video Channel today and Subscribe! More in-depth Info about complicated Immigration law... SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTSFor upcoming Immigration Talks, click here. To request that Attorney Heather speak at your event, please email us: info@humanrightsattorney.com. A sampling of Heather's past speaking engagements:
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PUBLICATIONS/ARTICLES
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PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
American Immigration Lawyers Association:
- Director, National Board of Governors (2012-2013, 2014-2018)
- Member, USCIS Field Operations National Liaison Committee (2015 – 2016, 2018 - present)
- Member, USCIS National Benefit Center Liaison Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (2013 – 2015)
- Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association Southern Ca Chapter (2014 – 2015)
- Chair, National New Member Division Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association (2012-2013)
- Board Member, AILA National Publications Board (2011-2012)
- Editor of NMD E-News and Vice Chair, National New Member Division, American Immigration Lawyers Association (2011/2012); At Large National Steering Committee Officer (2009 – 2011)
Other Associations:
- Board Member, National Immigration Committee – Solo & Small Firm Section, American Bar Association (2013-2014)
- Board Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association Immigration Section (2011/2012)
MEDIA ABOUT ATTORNEY HEATHER . . . . .
- American Immigration Lawyers Association – Quick Take Video – Interview with Attorney Heather Poole about Rocket Docket in Los Angeles Immigration Court
- “Proteccion a mujeres migrantes” published in La Prensa, a Nicaraguan newspaper, highlighting work with abused immigrants (2005) republished on www.latin.ru website.
- Panorama, Cal Poly Pomona’s Community Magazine (2006)
- “Attorneys Assist Victims of Domestic Violence” feature article on the front page of the Pasadena Star News, highlighting Heather’s work with abused immigrants (March 2003);
- “Cal Poly Holds Panel on Abuse“, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, May 2001, featuring Heather’s speech on the rights of abused immigrants
- Listed in Los Angeles County’s Family Violence Referral Directory
MORE STUFF ABOUT HEATHER . . .
- Collects all things Wonder Woman (her clients often add to her collection)
- Snowboards, Skis, Scuba Dives, Golfs (badly) and Plays Ice Hockey with the boys!
- Her favorite movie: Airplane! (loves all things slapstick),
- Favorite Genre: Sci Fi (dressed up as Princess Leia in first grade . .. for Halloween)
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Lobbying for Immigration Reform at House Representative Adam Schiff's Office in Washington DC 2013
Mammoth Mountain, CA - Heather is an avid snowboarder & Skier
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Get to Know Heather /
Find Out If We Are the Right Firm For You
Book Your CASE EVALUATION APPOINTMENT Today:
Toll free (877) HUMAN-RTS
(877-486-2678)
Women's Herstory Mo - Keynote Speaker, Moreno Valley College 2012 (above);
Los Angeles County Superior Court Volunteer of the Year Award (with LA County Bar's Domestic Violence Project Chair)
Immigration Attorney Melissa Wong Shepard
Melissa Wong Shepard is an immigration attorney who has worked with Attorney Heather L. Poole since 2014. She is fluent in Spanish. As the daughter of immigrant parents, Ms. Wong Shepard understands the difficulties many immigrants face. Her personal experience offers a unique understanding and empathy for the clients she serves.
She has focused her career on representing immigrants in complex humanitarian immigration issues, deportation defense, and family-based immigration cases including conditional green card waivers, VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) green card cases, inadmissibility waivers for unlawful presence, misrepresentation, prostitution, and crimes. She also regularly handles NIV waivers and U visas for victims of violent crime.
She regularly works with clients with complicated citizenship and naturalization issues as well as challenging marriage-based green card cases dealing with client physical separation, divorce, and financial complexities. Ms. Wong Shepard also regularly represents LGBT individuals in marriage based green card cases, waivers, and political asylum.
Ms. Wong Shepard regularly represents individuals in removal proceedings throughout the U.S. including detained asylum seekers in detention centers. She served as an Asylum Liaison for the Southern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association from 2016 - 2018, representing the interests of the 3rd largest concentration of immigration attorneys in the U.S. before USCIS’s asylum office. She also regularly represents unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings and before the USCIS Asylum office in gang, religion, and other specialized areas of asylum.
Ms. Wong Shepard has been named a Super Lawyer: Rising Stars for Southern California region, in the top 5% of Immigration attorneys under the age of 40 for excellence in immigration law. Ms. Wong Shepard is a m in 2020. She is also an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the L.A. County Bar Association (LACBA). She is the immediate past Chair of the Orange County Bar Association's Immigration Law Section.
Committed to public interest, Ms. Wong Shepard volunteers her time at the LACBA Domestic Violence Project helping immigrant survivors of abuse obtain in pro per restraining orders in family court. She also regularly volunteers her time at community based pro-bono clinics and is a vocal advocate in city town hall meetings for positive immigration measures. Ms. Wong Shepard also volunteers on behalf of Catholic Charities’ Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project in representing detained asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors facing deportation. She also represents unaccompanied children in jeopardy of being removed through Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). For many years, she was the pro-bono liaison for the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Southern California Chapter, encouraging other attorneys to volunteer their time on indigent immigration cases.
Ms. Wong Shepard earned her Juris Doctor degree from Whittier Law School where she also previously served on the Alumni Association board. She served as the President of the Hispanic American Law Students Association at Whittier Law School. Ms. Wong Shepard graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies.
She is admitted to practice law in the State of California and represents clients in federal immigration proceedings all over the U.S., often traveling to USCIS interviews and removal proceedings to be by our clients’ side.
Recent Speaking Engagements & Community Involvement:
- Chair, Orange County Bar Association Immigration Section (2020)
- Member, VAWAs, U visas, and T visa National Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (2021-2022)
- Member, CIS California Service Center National Liaison Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (2019)
- Speaker, “The Tricky World of I-601 Waivers”, Orange County Bar Association Immigration Law Section, Irvine, CA (March 2019)
- Speaker, "Immigration Options for Abused Immigrants", Shepherd's Door (Domestic Violence Resource Center) Open House (April 2019)
- Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association National USCIS California Service Center Liaison Committee (2019-2020)
- Pro-Bono Liaison, American Immigration Lawyers Association So Ca Chapter (2018-2020)
- CIS Asylum Liaison, American Immigration Lawyers Association So Ca Chapter (2016-2018)
- Award: Los Angeles County Bar Association Hispanic Heritage Month Honoree 2018: Melissa Wong
- Speaker, "Current Issues in Immigration Law", Bruin Professionals (UCLA Alumni Association), Larsen O'Brien (Downtown LA Office), July 2018
Get to
Know Melissa:
Did you know? Melissa is a competitive swimmer and still teaches kids how to swim in her spare time. She was a member of the NCAA Division I Swimming Program and a Scholar Athlete Award Recipient in college. She also hits the slopes with Heather on her snowboard.
Contact Melissa:
email: melissa@humanrightsattorney.com
(877) HUMAN-RTs (486-2678)
Attorney Melissa Wong Shepard with Congresswoman Judy Chu at Shepard's Door Event after Attorney Melissa's Speaking Engagement on VAWA relief for abused immigrants
Attorney Melissa Wong Shepard speaking to new immigration attorneys as part of the Orange County Bar's "Bridging the Gap" CLE for newly admitted attorneys (Feb 2019)
Immigration Attorney Melissa Wong Shepard with Attorney Heather L. Poole, Speakers for OCBA Attorney Training on I-601 Inadmissability Waivers (2019)
Alisa Daubenspeck is Of-Counsel to and is a Senior Attorney working in our firm. She previously worked as a Managing Attorney for many years at CARECEN, the Central American Resource Center non-profit in Los Angeles, CA, that aids indigent and low income immigrants. Before joining us, Alisa and Attorney Heather trained other immigration attorneys together speaking on bar association panels on complex abused spouse and VAWA cases.
Alisa has a long history of working in the non-profit field with complicated family immigration issues involving ageing out children, violence survivors, and green card issues. She currently works with our clients who are abuse survivors, those applying for conditional green card waivers, and those facing fraud and unlawful presence waivers.
Prior to joining our firm, Alisa also worked as a Supervising Attorney for the Immigration Center for Women and Children (ICWC) and was a Staff Attorney for Neighborhood Legal Services, where she regularly worked on VAWA (abused spouse) cases.
Sought out for her expertise, she has conducted specialized training on U Visas, Abused Immigrant, and other Violence Against Women Act issues for immigrants for community organizations and law enforcement agencies including the Los Angeles Police Department, the LA City Attorney's Office, the Department of Child & Family Services, and the USC School of Social Work. She has also trained other attorneys on specialized green card, conditional green card, child and family immigration, deportation, and DACA issues for organizations including Asista, the Immigrant Legal Resources Center, CLINIC, Federal Bar Association, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Alisa is fluent in Spanish.
She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Alisa is a graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio and earned her law degree from UCLA School of Law. She's been practicing family-based Immigration Law since 2007.
She is admitted to practice law in the State of California and represents client in federal immigration proceedings.
Contact Alisa:
email: alisa@humanrightsattorney.com
(877) HUMAN-RTS (486-2678)
A Business of Caring - Who We Are
Our firm believes we must stand up for what is right in the face of opposition, reach out to others in their hour of need, and work passionately at making a difference in our clients' lives and in the world community.What You Can Expect From Us & Should Know
You'll be dealing with Experienced & Knowledgeable Professionals.
At Heather L. Poole, PC, Professional Law Corporation, we focus our practical experience and key knowledge of the law in obtaining fianc'e visas and family, marriage and employment-based green cards and eventual citizenship for our clients.
We are often able to aid even those with seemingly unwinnable cases or in extremely difficult circumstances. We also focus our efforts in obtaining green cards and citizenship relief for immigrant survivors of domestic violence and crime.
You will have the confidence of knowing what's going on with your case and how recent immigration changes affect you.
You'll always receive the highest level of care and attention.
We recognize how difficult it is for you to come forward about your sensitive immigration matters and then to speak with a complete stranger about your concerns. We enjoy taking the time to know the concerns and lives of our clients, and how an immigration option or course of action may affect you, your family,and your life. To us, you are seen as a person, not merely a number on a client file.
If you don't receive the close personal attention you want, nothing else matters. When you're our client, you become part of our family. And we guarantee you'll receive the best we offer.
How can we provide such personal and consistent service to our customers? Unlike other firms, we do not try to sign up as many cases as possible to maximize the bottom line. We are highly selective of which cases we take on. This provides us with the ability to provide each of our clients with this high level of personal service that our clients deserve.
You'll be prepared.
Well assist you in preparing, understanding, and collecting vital key components to your case with extensive, detailed start-up packages, available for each type of case.
We will always provide cost-effective service to you as our client, with the aim of minimizing your costs.
We understand that you have a work and personal life aside from your immigration concerns. That's precisely why our day-to- day practices are centered around saving you time. When you schedule a Case Evaluation appointment with a qualified and compassionate attorney, we will try our best to work around your schedule, including scheduling the Case Evaluation appointment during your lunch break or in the evening, if necessary.
When you become our client, we will continue to work to save you time, throughout the time we work together on your case. After all, one of the reasons you hire an attorney to steer you through the complicated and time-consuming visa process is so you don't have to figure it all out yourself, which would take time and energy that you could devote to your education or your family or the rest of your life. That's why we offer our clients many convenient ways to work with us, including in-person meetings, working over the phone, through email, or by fax, as well by overnight delivery.
Our legal services are reasonable and affordable.
We customarily charge flat fees rather than hourly fees, so clients know the total cost of our services in advance. We accept major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express & Discover), cash, money orders and checks for payment of legal fees. We also aim to work within our clients' financial reality, often provide payment plans to make our services affordable.
Furthermore, the fee for the service that we quoted you will not change. No one likes financial surprises. Once we quote a fee, we stick to it, no matter what. You can depend on it.
When Experience & Ethical Reputation Matters.
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- 99% Approval on all Citizenship Cases
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- 100% Approval on Conditional Green Card Waivers
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- 100% Approval on Joint Petitions to Remove Condition on Permanent Residency (green cards)
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- 99% Approval on Abused Spouse-based Immigrant Visas/Green Cards
- 99% Approval overall on all Family-Based Immigrant Cases*
CALL US TODAY to arrange
YOUR ATTORNEY CASE EVALUATION APPOINTMENT: 877.486.2678
