Esma Onal

Esma Onal

5.0
Rating: 6.5

Licensed for 10 years

Immigration Lawyer at New York, NY
Practice Areas: Immigration

49 West 37th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY

About Esma

Practice Areas

1

Practice Area

Immigration 100%

All types of affirmative applications/petitions before USCIS. All types of applications/reliefs before EOIR. All matters before ICE. Appeals before the BIA.

11 years

100%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 200-300 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in District of Columbia for 3 years

State: District of Columbia

Acquired: 2023

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in New Jersey for 10 years

State: New Jersey

Acquired: 2015

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Frenkel, Hershkowitz & Shafran LLP

49 West 37th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY, 10018

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Esma Onal's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

42 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (42) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 13 reviews | Professionalism

Posted by anonymous | February 13, 2026 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

ASYLUM GRANTED - RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

Esma recently won my asylum case. I am from a county in the Middle East and I was persecuted there because I am an atheist person. Esma won my case against all the odds. I also suffer from various medical and mental conditions. Esma used a highly qualified expert reports for my case and made them ava...ilable for testimony and even did a mock practice with them so that they testify consistently with the reports that were provided. DHS opposed on all grounds, but my judge wrote a long decision explaining why she believes I met my burden. Special thanks to Attorney Onal for winning my case against all the odds. I will forever be grateful to her for changing my life and giving me a hope for a safe and sound future.

Posted by Karamo Sidibe | February 12, 2026 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

She has amazing writing skills and pays attention to every detail

I chose this lawyer based on her skills and credibility, and I have been very satisfied since I started working with her on my case. I am delighted to have found a competent, honest, and credible lawyer like her to handle my case, and I recommend that anyone looking for a competent and credible lawye...r to try and meet with Attorney Esma Onal because she has the skills , the knowledge, and abilities required to handle your case effectively and efficiently. She perfected my affidavit by asking me a series of questions and meeting me multiple times until she was satisfied with the last version of my affidavit we now have. She also sat down and went over each piece of my supporting documents with me and pointed out the issues that needed to fixed. I had a former attorney before her, and that lawyer had done a horrible job on my case. With Attorney Onal by my side, I am confident that we will win my case. Thank you so much for being my lawyer.

Posted by Kenan | February 09, 2026 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

asylum and green card

I started working with Ms. Esma in 2020, and from day one until today, she has always been my lawyer. She is truly professional in her field and manages the process well. I received my green card in January 2026. She even managed the delivery and shipping process of my green card to my home with utmo...st care. I would definitely recommend her as a lawyer.

Posted by Ibrahima k sow | August 14, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Outstanding Support and Professionalism

I would like to thank my lawyer for his professionalism, availability, and continuous support since the beginning of my case. He always takes the time to listen to me and clearly explain each step, which gives me confidence. His dedication and attention to detail reassure me as we move forward. I’m t...ruly grateful to have such a competent and caring lawyer by my side.

Posted by Ferzana | June 26, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

5 Stars – Professional, Supportive, and Truly Caring

I’m incredibly thankful for the support we received from Esma Onal during my son’s immigration interview process. While she didn’t handle his full green card application, she stepped in during a crucial stage and guided us through what turned out to be a complicated case. Her expertise and professio...nalism made all the difference. She helped Umar prepare thoroughly for his interview and assisted with the preparation of his testimonial, ensuring everything was clear, well-organized, and accurate. Throughout the entire process, she was patient, supportive, and always available to answer our questions. What stood out most was her genuine care and dedication. She made a stressful situation much more manageable, and we truly felt like we were in good hands. I highly recommend Esma to anyone needing experienced and compassionate immigration legal support. She’s truly someone you want on your side.

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Esma Onal's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Esma
W. Paul Alvarez headshot
W. Alvarez

Immigration lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"It is my honor and pleasure to endorse Esma. She is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about what she does, which translates into how dedicated and determined she is to effectively represent her clients and the difficult issues they face with immigration. Esma has incredible writing skills which are a result of all the hard work that she puts into everything that she does. She is very detail orientated and makes sure to go far and beyond to best represent her clients. I strongly endorse Esma as she has an extensive knowledge of immigration law."

View All Endorsements
W. Paul Alvarez headshot
W. Alvarez

Immigration lawyer

Afsha Rangwala headshot
Afsha Rangwala

Immigration lawyer

Experience

Rating:  6.5 (Good)

Honors

2015

Civil Liberties Winifred Sobie Pasternack Memorial, Winifred Sobie Pasternack

2015

Pace Post-Graduate Fellowship Award, ELIZABETH HAUB SCHOOL OF LAW AT PACE UNIVERSITY

Work Experience

2019 - Present

Senior Immigration Litigation Attorney, FRENKEL, HERSHKOWITZ & SHAFRAN, LLP

Associations

2018 - Present

American Immigration Lawyers Association

Member

Education

2015

Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

JD - Juris Doctor

Languages

Turkish

English

Avvo Rating

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