PATTY CONSTANZA
Silver Spring,MD
Summary
Qualified immigration legal assistant with comprehensive background in immigration law. Adept at managing case files, preparing legal documents, and liaising with clients and government agencies. Demonstrated organizational and research skills, ensuring accurate and timely case management.
Experienced with managing complex immigration cases, ensuring compliance with legal regulations. Utilizes strong research abilities and organizational skills to maintain detailed case files and support legal processes. Track record of effective communication with clients and government agencies, ensuring smooth and timely case resolution.
Professional with strong background in immigration law, skilled in case management and legal research. Known for effective teamwork and adaptability in fast-paced environments. Expertise in document preparation, client communication, and regulatory compliance. Focused on delivering results and maintaining high standards in all tasks.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Immigration Paralegal
Johnson Law Office, PC
02.2020 - Current
- Conducted client intake interviews to determine client service need and eligibility.
- Assisted in the preparation of various immigration applications, increasing accuracy and reducing processing times.
- Created and managed processes and procedures to coordinate documentation for visa processing on immigrant and non-immigrant applications.
- Fostered strong relationships with clients through empathetic understanding of their unique situations and goals.
- Identified opportunities to expedite case processing times through strategic utilization of premium processing services when applicable.
- Prepared affidavits, waivers, translations, and asylum requests for ongoing cases.
- Contributed to client case file preparation and verified inclusion of required documentation.
- Filed correspondence and legal documents in correct client files and transmitted applicable documentation to courts and government agencies.
- Provided guidance to junior paralegals on best practices related to document preparation and case management techniques.
- Maintained a comprehensive knowledge of USCIS forms and requirements, ensuring complete application packages for clients.
- Managed a high volume of cases simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
- Met with clients to gather information, prepare documentation, and determine necessary actions.
- Interacted with telephone callers and answered questions about immigration attorneys' services.
- Compiled client application packets and included relevant documentation to present strongest case for successful outcome.
- Contributed to firm-client relationship building through professional interactions with clients during meetings or phone calls, conveying empathy while maintaining confidentiality.
- Prepared motions, and pleadings.
Immigration Legal Assistant
JONHSON IMMIGRATION LAW, PC
02.2020 - Current
- Meet with clients to collect documentation and data for preparation of immigration applications
- Participate with attorneys in regular conference calls with assigned clients
- Prepare and file various family and employment visa petitions with the United States Immigration Services ("USCIS")
- Prepare and file motions and supplementary evidence before the immigration court
- Prepare and file various consular process documentation before the Department of State (National Visa Center)
- Prepare SIJS cases to be filed with the circuit court of Maryland
- Meet with clients daily to gather case related documentation and data to complete immigration applications
- Research immigration and government regulations, case law and procedures in support of client cases
- Contact clients directly via phone or e-mail and act as a liaison between the clients and attorneys
- Draft supporting letters, reply to request for additional evidence "RFEs"), affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondence
- Case management
- Serve as interpreter and translator on initial and follow up on attorney-client meetings and consultations
- Works closely with Attorneys, as well as international and national clients to gather and organize supporting data and documents to prepare cases
- Prepare retainer agreements
- Prepare clients for immigrant and nonimmigrant visa interviews
- Schedule office appointments for current and prospective clients
- Maintain and monitor Immigration Services and Immigration Court rules
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF LEONARD TOBER, ESQ.
03.2019 - 01.2020
- Consistently prepared, reviewed, file, managed and monitored a large caseload of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa petitions to be filed before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") and the Department of State (National Visa Center) under supervision of the immigration attorney
- Leaded and participated with attorneys in conference calls with assigned clients
- Informed clients of visa bulletin progressions and retrogressions
- Researched immigration and government regulations, case law and procedures to support client cases
- Advocated and communicate extensively with clients regarding requests for information, and case status
- Contacted clients directly via telephone or e-mail and act as a liaison between the clients and attorneys
- Trained new legal assistants regarding the preparation and filing of various petitions and applications
- Prepared, maintained and managed legal documents for immigration petitions, response to RFEs
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, legal documents, and correspondences
- Managed and maintain attorney's calendar
- Maintained and monitored Immigration Services/Immigration Court rules, procedures and filing fees to ensure proper document preparations and filings
- Filed documentation with the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) and DHS
- Worked closely with Attorneys, as well as international and national clients to gather and organize supporting data and documents to prepare cases
- Served as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter
- Scheduled regular Infopass appointments before the local immigration agencies in Baltimore and Virginia
- Collaborate with government liaisons, such as senator's offices to address problems related to cases
- Experience using: Microsoft Office Word
- Organized visa paperwork, asylum requests, translations and affidavits
- Collected information from clients, completed paperwork and determined initial strategies
- Updated officials at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with the latest case information
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF LUIS SALGADO/ESPERANZA SERVICES, INC
12.2013 - 11.2018
- Prepared and filed various nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions to the United States Immigration Services ("USCIS") and the Department of State (National Visa Center) and other immigration related agencies under the supervision of the immigration attorney
- Met with clients on a daily basis to gather case related documentation and data to complete immigration applications
- Researched immigration and government regulations, case law and procedures to support client cases
- Contacted clients directly via phone or e-mail and acted as a liaison between the clients and attorneys
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondences
- Case management
- Maintained attorney's calendar
- Maintained and monitored Immigration Services/Immigration Court rules
- Served as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF PISHEVAR AND ASSOCIATES
02.2013 - 10.2013
- Completed clients' cases from initial client consultation: interviews, screening, information intake, gathering of supporting evidence, drafting applications forms and filing
- Prepared cases for attorney to review such as one-step-petitions, I-601A waivers, H-1B, U-Visa, VAWA, N-400, NVC Processing, Citizenship Petitions, DACA, Work Permit Petitions, Travel Documents, Motions, Etc
- Prepared for master calendars and hearing on the merits by performing tasks such as collecting documentary evidence from clients and organizing exhibits
- Filing with the Immigration Courts and Office of Chief Counsels
- Executed a variety of responsibilities: preparation and filing of various immigration petitions, preparation of affidavits
- Participated with attorneys in regular conference calls with assigned clients
- Met with clients to collect documentation and data for preparation of immigration applications
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondences
- Mailed, faxed, or arranged for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses and court officials
- Made photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter
- Maintained attorney's calendar
- Served as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF JAY MARKS
02.2006 - 04.2007
- Participated with attorneys in conference calls with assigned clients
- Met with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case
- Prepared, reviewed, filed, and managed a wide range of nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") and the National Visa Center ("NVC")
- Prepared for master calendars and hearing on the merits by performing tasks such as collecting documentary evidence from clients and organizing exhibits
- Filing with the Immigration Courts and Office of Chief Counsels
- Executed a variety of responsibilities: preparation and filing of various immigration petitions, preparation of affidavits
- Participated with attorneys in regular conference calls with assigned clients
- Met with clients to collect documentation and data for preparation of immigration applications
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondences
- Mailed, faxed, or arranged for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses and court officials
- Made photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter
- Maintained attorney's calendar
- Served as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter
Immigration Legal Assistant
LAW OFFICE OF DAN PARK
12.2004 - 01.2006
- Met with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case
- Leaded and participated with attorneys in conference calls with assigned clients
- Consistently prepared, reviewed, file, managed and monitored a large caseload of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa petitions to be filed before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") and the Department of State (National Visa Center) under supervision of the immigration attorney
- Informed clients of visa bulletin progressions and retrogressions
- Researched immigration and government regulations, case law and procedures to support client cases
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondences
- Advocated and communicate extensively with clients regarding requests for information, and case status
Immigration Legal Assistant
LAW OFFICE OF LUIS GONZALEZ
03.2004 - 10.2004
- Prepared, reviewed, filed and managed a wide range of nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") and the National Visa Center ("NVC")
- Participated with attorneys in conference calls with assigned clients
- Informed clients of visa bulletin progression and retrogression
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondence
- Maintained and monitored Immigration Services/Immigration Court rules
- Ensured proper document preparations and filings
Legal Assistant
LAW OFFICE OF JOHN O'LEARY
11.2000 - 02.2004
- Met with clients to collect documentation and data for preparation of immigration applications
- Participated with attorneys in regular conference calls with assigned clients
- Completed clients' cases from initial client consultation: interviews, screening, information intake, gathering of supporting evidence, drafting applications forms and filing
- Prepared cases for attorney to review such as one-step-petitions, I-601A waivers, H-1B, U-Visa, VAWA, N-400, NVC Processing, Citizenship Petitions, DACA, Work Permit Petitions, Travel Documents, Motions, Etc
- Consistently prepared, reviewed, file, managed and monitored a large caseload of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa petitions to be filed before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") and the Department of State (National Visa Center) under supervision of the immigration attorney
- Prepared for master calendars and hearing on the merits by performing tasks such as collecting documentary evidence from clients and organizing exhibits
- Filing with the Immigration Courts and Office of Chief Counsels
- Executed a variety of responsibilities: preparation and filing of various immigration petitions, preparation of affidavits
- Drafted supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits, other legal documents, and correspondences
- Mailed, faxed, or arranged for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses and court officials
- Made photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter
- Served as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter
Receptionist/Secretary
LAW OFFICE OF JOHN O'LEARY
06.1999 - 11.2000
- Greeted clients
- Prepared and served coffee/ to clients
- Directed clients by maintaining employee and department directories
- Maintained reception area tidy and safe
- Answered and managed multiple phone lines
- Managed attorneys' calendars
- Organize office special events and gathering
- Contributed to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed
- Assisted legal assistants in the gathering of clients' documentation and data for the completion of immigration application forms
- Prepared and filed basic immigration application forms such as G-639, I-765, I-131, and I-90
- Made photocopies and saved archived documents in clients' physical files
- Assisted in the preparation of supporting letters, response to RFEs, affidavits and other legal documents and correspondences
- Filed I-130 petitions in person at the Virginia office when the 245 (i) filing window was open in April of 2001
- Served as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter
Education
Trinity College
01.1998
High School -
Cardozo High School
01.1994
Skills
- Immigration case file strategies
- Visa applications
- Client relations skills
- Immigration inquiries
- Client communication
- Deadline management
- Document preparation
- Visa processing
- Appointment scheduling
- Cultural sensitivity
- Case support
- Case management
- Interview preparation
- Visa procedures
- Visa classifications
- Petition drafting
- Strategy preparation
- File organization
- Document filing
- Attorney support
- Administrative support
- Interviewing witnesses
- Document drafting
Hobbies and Interests
- Spending time with my children
- Working out
- Reading and writing poetry
- Listening to music
- Dancing
- Traveling
- Attending concerts
- Walking my dog
- Cooking
- Baking
- Cleaning houses
- Gardening
- Swimming
- Holistic medicine
- Natural oils, herbs, and teas
- Meditation
- Home decoration
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Interests
- Avid Reader
- Enjoying the art of baking and pastry-making, experimenting with recipes
- I enjoy helping others and giving back to the community
- Volunteering
- Gym Workouts
- Cooking
- Dancing
- Baking
- I like working with my hands and fixing things
- Participating in local clean-up initiatives
- Documenting and sharing travel experiences
- Animal Welfare Advocacy
- Food Blogging
Timeline
Senior Immigration Paralegal
Johnson Law Office, PC
02.2020 - Current
Immigration Legal Assistant
JONHSON IMMIGRATION LAW, PC
02.2020 - Current
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF LEONARD TOBER, ESQ.
03.2019 - 01.2020
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF LUIS SALGADO/ESPERANZA SERVICES, INC
12.2013 - 11.2018
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF PISHEVAR AND ASSOCIATES
02.2013 - 10.2013
Immigration Paralegal
LAW OFFICE OF JAY MARKS
02.2006 - 04.2007
Immigration Legal Assistant
LAW OFFICE OF DAN PARK
12.2004 - 01.2006
Immigration Legal Assistant
LAW OFFICE OF LUIS GONZALEZ
03.2004 - 10.2004
Legal Assistant
LAW OFFICE OF JOHN O'LEARY
11.2000 - 02.2004
Receptionist/Secretary
LAW OFFICE OF JOHN O'LEARY
06.1999 - 11.2000
High School -
Cardozo High School
Trinity College
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