Shari Lisa Moidel

I am a US citizen. My husband originally came to the US from Central America with a student visa. Unfortunately, he eventually fell out of lawful status. But for the immigration law violation, he is in all ways law-abiding. However, he joined the millions of undocumented immigrants in the US, livin...g under very stressful conditions, always looking over his shoulder, worried about being deported. He could not leave the country, or he would be barred from returning; nor apply for a social security card; nor obtain a driver's license; nor work legally. I was completely clueless what it meant to be in a relationship with an illegal immigrant. Never having dealt with anything illegal, it was a slap in the face when I became aware of how restrictive his life really was and how it negatively impacted our relationship and my life. After being together a decade, we decided in 2008 to formally become a couple under law. Gay marriage wasn't yet legal but either a domestic partnership or civil union would give him most if not all the same opportunities as an actual marriage- at least in New York city. Once we were finally married, I reached out to GMHC and they provided me a list of gay friendly lawyers that specialize in immigration. I contacted every single attorney and interviewed each one asking about the overall process to sponsor my spouse; the timeframe to complete this; and the total cost. I listened to their responses and trusted my instincts, weeding out everyone I felt wasn't attentive to hearing my concerns, wasn't indicating they’d be pro-active and somewhat aggressive in getting us through this process as quickly as possible (and furthermore, some implied the process might drag on, thereby signaling that the cost for their services might grow to something I feared being unable to afford). Shari stood out from the crowd. I distinctly remember my initial conversation with her. She was very articulate, listened to our concerns and after vetting our history, explained the overall process, cost and expected timetable. She set fixed, competitive fees. At no point were surprises sprung on us financially. Shari has been with us every single step of the way for the multi-year process for my husband to adjust status to lawful permanent resident from being an overstay, to now being a full American citizen. Shari always kept us informed of developments and never left us floundering or wondering what's going on. She laid out the process in a clear and comprehensive way, and everything happened the way she explained it would. At one point in time, I had tax bills which I had to pay in full before she could help my husband apply for US citizenship. While it took some time, I paid off my outstanding debt for federal, state and city tax arrears- and now have my own sense of freedom. Shari is deeply caring and is by far one of the most honest, thorough and effective lawyers I've ever hired and stand by that statement 100 %.

I want to give the best comment for Ms. Moidel who solved my case in record time. I met Ms. Moidel when she was the main speaker for an Immigration seminar at the United Nations. My case was very complex because I had my US Citizenship and renounced to it due to my job. Ms. Moidel's expertise in th...is area of immigration law was extremely helpful. I retired 2 months ago and I had to reapply for legal residence. I am eternally grateful for her excellent service. She was great! Was willing to accommodate my late work schedule. She was extremely thorough, explaining every step of the process and even we were at her office for over 2 hrs at the initial consultation. We received the absolute highest quality of professional service we could ask for. Ms. Moidel gives personal service and responds promptly to messages. I remember one day that she was in Canadá and she just came to New York to prepare my case and she made me feel that I was important to her and she really was caring. Everything came out exactly the way she said. There were no surprises, no hidden costs or fees and everything went smoothly. I received my Green Card in 3 months. I do not hesitate to recommend her.

My partner and I are a bi-national couple who hired Ms. Moidel 4 years ago. She was helpful in outlining our then available options and expeditiously moved to help us with our Canadian filing. My partner had to return to the country of his birth after his employer terminated his position and his H1B ...visa in June 2012. Following the issuance of a writ of certiorari by SCOTUS for Windsor, she provided timely updates and reviews of various outcome implications. With the June 2013 decision, she worked with us to pivot and prepare our USA K1 (fiance) filing. She was organized, thorough, helpful, and responsive in the assembly and review of our submission. Thanks to her assistance, we were able to file our case with all supporting documentation summarizing our 17 year relationship by mid August. We had no requests for additional documentation or corrections. Our case proceeded basically exactly according to the timeline she relayed. Her counsel for the interview, spot on. Our fiance visa was approved in March, followed by return and our marriage. Shari was ready with the next steps, filings and advice for our joint interview. Green card in hand, we now may never need be separated again. Throughout Shari has been prompt, professional, and personable. Her fees are reasonable and fair. We recommend her unreservedly.

After our same-sex marriage in Quebec last year, my wife and I were very excited that DOMA was struck down and that she could now obtain residency in the US. We examined the process on our own and found it to be daunting. We had one major concern: my wife had been stopped and turned back at a por...t of entry several years ago. It was extremely important that we find the right attorney! It was our good fortune to locate Shari Moidel. She is licensed in both the US and Quebec. We contacted her at the end of December 2013, and now, five months later, my wife has a Green Card! Shari met with us in a series of painless steps to ensure we had all the required documents submitted accurately and in a timely manner, that my wife would quickly receive a work permit and Social Security card, and that we had sufficient proof of the validity of our relationship. She prepared us extremely well for the interview with the immigration official. She organized us with all the necessary information to prepare for our interview. Her fee requirements were very reasonable and spaced throughout the process. Shari presented with a gentle manner and sense of humor which kept us relaxed and confident that all would go well. And it did! We highly recommend Shari Moidel to anyone seeking residency in the US.

I have worked with Shari for four years. She turned potentially disastrous port of entry denial into a success, then later successfully into an extension allowing me to continue to work in the U.S. for the past 31/2 years. I will turn to Shari again when I require help obtaining a work or immigration... visa (Canada to the U.S.). She is easy to reach, fees are clear and fair - mostly she is someone I could talk to easily when it seemed my work life was coming apart.