Pooja A Regmi: Immigration Attorney

I first met Pooja years ago when I served as a Minority Aide through the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions  (formerly known as the Office of Minority Student Affairs — OMSA) at Michigan State University.  At the time, Pooja was a first year student with strong aspirations of becoming an attorney.  While I attempted to serve as a resource for her, she demonstrated to me exactly what it means to exercise discipline EVERYDAY.  Additionally, Pooja has always been passionate about helping others fulfill their dreams, which she makes happen daily through her current work as an immigration attorney with Rodriguez, Stelmack, Park, & Regmi LLC.  Pooja takes pride in her Nepali heritage, and maintains strong ties with her immediate and extended family across the globe.  In spite of her busy schedule, Pooja was gracious enough to answer a few questions which helps shed light on why she became a work in progress.  Thanks Pooja!

1) What inspired you to pursue a career in immigration law?

My interest in pursuing immigration law was my own personal migration to the US. We arrived to the States in 1991 after receiving our green-cards. We were sponsored by my aunt for our legal status in the United States and benefited from the Family Reunification Program under US immigration laws.

We waited 10 years to receive our green-cards and when the letter came, my parents and I were living in Nepal. It was a very hard decision for my family because we had our home, families, careers, lives in Nepal and we knew we had to start from scratch. For my parents, it was an amazing sacrifice because they really did it for us, for their kids, in hopes that our futures would give us opportunities they never did.

My immigrant status was something I held great pride in and one that I never forget. It keeps me grounded and reminds me of the many, many generations that have struggled to make their lives better. I am part of that and I can proudly say my parents made that possible. – I joined an immigration practice in June 2009. Practicing in immigration law has been another opportunity to help clients achieve their immigration goals and one I take very seriously. Having migrated to the US and sponsored my husband for his status in America, I know the struggles individuals face with the immigration process in America. It gives me great satisfaction to make that dream a reality for the clients that hire me.

 

2) I can’t help but to think back to our days at Michigan State University working for the Office of Minority Student Affairs, Minority Aide Program. How do you think your role as a Minority Aide and Complex Coordinator prepared you for your career as an Attorney?

– Working at MSU as a MA had an amazing impact during and beyond my college years. It allowed me to experience the pulse of the many questions I had about American history and experience it for myself. I became a more informed citizen based on my exposure to different cultures, different people and experiences. It was such a rich way to learn about society and an experience that has traveled well with me into the working world.

 

3) ABC’s new drama series, ‘The Deep End’ follows the day-to-day struggles of 5 new associates of a prestigious Los Angeles law firm. What do you remember most from your first year in the practice?

My first year of practice was very trying! It was a difficult transition time, for a variety of reasons, but I don’t believe I had it as bad as corporate first year associates, what I envision the ABC drama will portray.

 

4) Many individuals cannot afford legal representation and find themselves navigating the immigration process on their own. Where can they find help?  

This is such a hard issue because while there are so many free organizations that offer legal help, many have restrictions on helping individuals without legal status in America. Prior to joining the firm, I worked for the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, a non-profit in Washington DC that assists immigrants, regardless of their status.

There are such groups, but they are difficult to find and the waiting time to speak to an attorney can be very frustrating. My advice is that no matter what, seek the advice of a credible attorney. There are too many people that are scammed out of life savings on the hopes of “quick path to a green-card.” In immigration, as unfortunate as it is, the old saying of “in life, very few things are free and easy” really is true.

5) Can you talk about the Immigration Forum your firm recently participated in?

Recently, I was invited by the Baltimore Area Nepalese Association  (BANA) to conduct a presentation on General Immigration Issues Affected the Nepali Community. I attended the session with one of my partners from the law firm, Laureen Park. As a Nepali-American residing in the greater Baltimore area, I was very touched by the opportunity. About 35-40 people attended and I conducted my presentation in Nepali, which in itself was a bit nerve-wrecking! However, the session went really well and I focused my presentation on topics of interest to the Nepali community – asylum, student visas, temporary work visas, green-card options, naturalization. There were great questions from the audience. The posting on the BANA website  has continued to bring great interest and calls from potential clients to our office.

To learn more about Pooja’s firm, visit the website:  Rodriguez, Stelmack, Park, & Regmi LLC

Do you know someone who is a ‘Work in Progress’?  Share their story here.