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Michael Gary Kohler

Immigration Attorney at Melville, NY

5.0   50 reviews
Virtual consultation available
Virtual consultation available
  • State Years
    New York - NY 24 years
    New Jersey - NJ 27 years
  • Licensed for 24 years
    State NY
    Acquired 1999
    Status
    Currently Registered No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 27 years
    State NJ
    Acquired 1996
    Status
    Resigned Without Prejudice No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Michael

Learn Michael’s areas of practice.

1
Practice area
  1. Immigration
    100%
    All areas of immigration law

    27 years

PERSONAL ATTENTION WITH INTEGRITY. ONE-TO-ONE ATTENTION AND ADVICE FOR YOUR UNIQUE SITUATION PROVIDED WITH HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND PROFESSIONALISM.

Put a 12-year government immigration attorney to work for you! 

 

Michael Kohler is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and is admitted to the bar in New York and New Jersey. He is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, and the District of New Jersey.

Mr. Kohler is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and past Chair of the Immigration Law Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Mr. Kohler began his legal career researching asylum law issues for the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. He was awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship in Public International Law and spent time at the Ministry of Justice in Israel researching and recommending mechanisms of dispute resolution in international law.

Mr. Kohler was hired by the U.S. Department of Justice through the Attorney General Honors Program as a law clerk for the Executive Office for Immigration Review at the U.S. Immigration Court in New York. In this position, Mr. Kohler interpreted new laws and regulations and drafted decisions for numerous types of immigration law applications and petitions.

Mr. Kohler spent 7 years as an Assistant District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service representing the government in administrative exclusion, deportation and removal proceedings. Mr. Kohler was responsible for all aspects of these hearings from case preparation to trial to appeal and also served as an integral member of the office's motions team.

With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, Mr. Kohler was selected to spearhead the creation of a new legal division within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement focusing almost exclusively on customs and other law enforcement matters. Mr. Kohler quickly became an expert in issues such as customs border search and seizure authority, specifically as it relates to the seizure and forfeiture of currency, monetary instruments, cultural property and intellectual property rights - violative merchandise.

Mr. Kohler advised on customs enforcement investigations relating to the misclassification of goods, undervaluation, transshipment/country of origin disputes, prior disclosure, NAFTA fraud, and more - and the fines, penalties and forfeitures related to such issues. The firm is equipped to assist you and your company if facing such an investigation and to ensure compliance with all laws relating to the import and export of merchandise from the United States.

Mr. Kohler is an accomplished speaker and frequently presented at continuing legal education classes, training conferences, at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and lectured on issues relating to the seizure of cultural property and antiquities at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archeology and Anthropology.

Please contact the Law Offices of Michael Kohler, PLLC to see how we can assist you

Awards

Silver Client Champion
Client's Choice 2022,2021,2019,2016,2013
Client's Choice
2022 2021 2019 + 2 ...

Contact Michael

Law Offices of Michael Kohler, PLLC
445 Broadhollow Road,
Suite 25
Melville, NY, 11747-4806

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  50 customer reviews
5 Star
 
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Client's Choice 2022
Client's Choice
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by Ramish | September 9, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Exceptional , persistent and professional!
I highly recommend Mr. Michael Kohler as a lawyer. Throughout my case, he provided invaluable assistance and guidance. He took the time to explain every detail to both me and my wife, ensuring that everything was handled meticulously and professionally. Mr. Kohler's patience and willingness to address our numerous questions were truly exceptional. He went above and beyond to expedite the process, which was a refreshing experience compared to my previous encounters with other lawyers. With his expertise, Mr. Kohler successfully guided me out of removal proceedings and secured my green card. He devoted considerable time to preparation, displaying flexibility by accommodating late-hour calls to suit my availability. Given his outstanding service, I have no doubt that I'll turn to him when the time comes to navigate the citizenship process. Highly recommended!
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Posted by Thamana | April 23, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly recommend Mr. Kohler
Michael is fantastic to work with. He keeps it real, and gave us genuine advice. He was very patient with my husband and I. He was always available to answer questions and clarify any enquiries. Very professional, knowledgeable and thorough. I got my permanent residency in less than year, he is just great! We highly recommend him!
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Posted by Glenda | February 27, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Exceptional/ best out there!
My mother had a very complicated immigration case when trying to petition for her green card. Mr. Kohler went above and beyond to allow my mother to finally became a legal resident of the US. Please don’t hesitate hiring Mr. Kohler he will work very hard for you. He also has great patient/ client communication. We are extremely satisfied. If you’re looking for an immigration don’t look else where Mr. Kohler is there for you!
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Posted by Anabell | November 3, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
My Green Card
I highly recommend Michael Kohler, he's a great experienced attorney. I was down and out in the mud, I contacted him and he made my biggest dream come true, and that is the greencard. Michael knows how to navigate through the paperwork in a realistic time. Other lawyers promise you the world but Michael is honest and produces. I'am truly grateful for his fine work ethics and understanding of the problems that I faced. Thanks Michael Kohler.
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Posted by Jagos | June 22, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Amazing Service
Mr. Kohler is first of all amazing human being, who was not there just to guide and help with the whole process, but also was there to check on our well being, and to make sure eveything was going smoothly. Nothing but great words, and definitely recommend it to anyone out there seeking similar help. Will use his services in the future if needed for sure!
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Response from Michael Kohler June 28, 2022
Thank you so much! Very happy for the two of you. Best of luck!
Posted by MT | March 2, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Persistent, professional and personable
Michael has been working on my immigration case for over a decade. Throughout the process Michael has always displayed enthusiasm and optimism; despite the unpredictable nature of USCIS/ICE proceedings Michael has consistently proven his deep understanding and knowledge of the law and its complexities. Michael is a very personable and responsive attorney who cares deeply about his clients and it shows in the thoroughness of his filings and preparation. Over the course of the past decade working with Michael he has always proven himself to be a diligent, caring, fair, and a consummate gentleman. I am elated with the results he has manifested through his hard work and look forward to continuing the rest of this journey with him.
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Response from Michael Kohler May 16, 2022
I couldn't be happier for you and your entire family. You should be proud of yourself for making it through this long, arduous process and for all you accomplished. Best of luck always!
Posted by Ryan | February 24, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Glad me and my wife chose Michael
Michael throughout our immigration process helped me and my wife though a complicated K1 Visa, marriage, and green card/residency proccess with ease. Any questions, issues, or problems we had Michael was quick and resolute in finding the best solution. I cannot stess enough how thankful both me and my wife are for his help along our journey.
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Response from Michael Kohler February 24, 2022
It was a pleasure working with you as well. Best of luck!
Posted by Janice | January 24, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
A case that other Lawyers mess up.
My case was mess up by many other Lawyers I came to Michael Kohler with a negative mine and he took my case and explain everything that he was about to do this Lawyer came through for me I am writing this with tear in my eyes I got an approval all the way for my son words and review is just not enough for an excellent Lawyer like Michael Kohler I would recommend this Lawyer to the world who has an immigration case Mr. Kohler made the impossible possible God bless you I can now sleep much better at nights and no longer have to worry. A big thank you Mr. Micheal Kohler.
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Response from Michael Kohler January 24, 2022
You are very welcome, Janice. I'm very happy for your entire family!
Posted by anonymous | January 19, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Simply the best immigration attorney in New York!
I am sincerely grateful to Michael for all his support. I had in-depth discussions of our case with at least five attorneys in NY and one in NJ. Michael is the most knowledgeable attorney I discussed our case with. Also, in contrast to the majority of other attorneys, he always works on all cases himself, without the assistance of paralegals. For his clients, it means that they can always rely on a thoughtful professional opinion instead of guesses and suppositions so that they can make the right decisions in a timely manner. Eventually, his clients get a much higher chance for the best possible outcome, which exactly happened in our case. I'd like to add one more important thing. Michael always makes the outcome of the client's case his first priority and the business a secondary. Highly recommend!
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Response from Michael Kohler January 24, 2022
Thank you very much. This country will undoubtedly be a better place with you and your family here. All the best.
Posted by Marco | December 25, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent legal counsel
Michael helped us in the application for residency. He helped us through every step of the process so that there were no surprises. With him, everything was very straightforward. Hiring his counsel was very worthwhile. I would highly recommend.
Posted by Nataliia | December 8, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly recommend !!!
The best lawyer in New York! Real expert in immigration law! Thank you Michael for the help !!! Highly recommend.
Posted by anonymous | December 2, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
MARRIAGE BASED AOS CASE BEST FAMILY IMMIGRATION LAWYER
We retained Michael for our marriage based aos case, he was always easy to get in touch with, friendly and always explained everything very thoroughly. He prepared and sent in everything very detailed and organized. He made sure we were well prepared for our interview and came with us there. We recommended him to few of our close friends and the feedback is always the same smooth and easy.If your on Long Island and want a solid immigration lawyer that will handle your case and make sure everything goes smoothly Mike is the right guy.
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Posted by Muhammad | July 23, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Muhammad Ajmal
Thank you very much Michael Cohler for your dedication and professionalism. We retained him with our Green Card process and was awesome. He responds in a timely manner. Michael Cohler is extremely honest and amazing. I would 100% recommend him.
Posted by Jason | June 15, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Michael is GOAT!
Michael is great decision maker and detail planner,thank him to make thing happen!
Response from Michael Kohler June 16, 2021
LOL, I'm not sure I'm the GOAT, but I'm really excited for you. Glad everything worked out!
Posted by May | June 15, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
We are glad that we came to Mr. Kohler
Mr. Kohler was referred to us by a friend and we are glad that we came to him at the beginning. After talking with him, we made a decision that my husband was going to stay in the US and file for a change of status instead of going back to our own country. During the whole process we felt we were in good hands — our application was submitted in a timely manner, our communication with Mr. Kohler was efficient. We always got timely response and the advice we received were useful too.
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Posted by Cristian P. | May 8, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent Lawyer
He obtained our permanent resident status (my wife and me), but previously he did my wife’s employment authorization. The best lawyer that we met. Totally recommendable, everything excellent.
Response from Michael Kohler May 10, 2021
Thank you very much Cristian! I'm very happy for the two of you.
Posted by Sushma | October 26, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Family based application
I highly recommend the Law office of Michael Kohler. My experience with this law office has been outstanding. Michael respond to your questions and concerns in a timely manner. He is so encouraging , supportive and he is providing great advises during the entire process. He fights and stand up for his clients. Thank You Michael Kohler for making one my dreams a reality. if you Need the best family based immigration lawyer feel free to hire Michael Kohler. You won't regret it.
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Posted by anonymous | February 26, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
We lucky got him
We lucky found Michael Kohler to help us out with our marriage based immigration case. We were worried the case may cost time or needs more supporting documents because we got a little issue in our case. But Michael got us sorted out after just a couple of meetings. He can always clear out the point and make us less worried. I’d hire him again.
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Response from Michael Kohler February 27, 2020
Very happy for the two of you. Best of luck in the future!
Posted by Yaroslav | December 23, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
The professional who gets the job done!
A few years ago my company was looking for an attorney for my green card case and luckily we found Michael. He assisted thought out the process in a very attentive and professional manner with a successful result for both my spouse and me. With zero doubts I can recommend Mr. Kohler as the best professional in the area. Definitely deserves a 5-star rating on Avvo!
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Response from Michael Kohler December 28, 2019
Thank you very much. It was a pleasure working with you as well. Best of luck.
Posted by anonymous | November 19, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly Recommended!!
Mr. Kohler is an excellent lawyer. He is kind, precise, and very knowledgeable. He made the process for our case such a breeze. He is very attentive and thoroughly explain the immigration process, he reassured us every step of the way. I highly recommend Mr. Kohler for all of your immigration needs! Thank you for all of your help, Mr. Kohler, you're the best!
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Response from Michael Kohler November 20, 2019
Thank you so much!
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Cost

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Contact for Details

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Owner
  • Law Offices of Michael Kohler, PLLC
  • 2008 - Present
  • Associate Legal Advisor
  • U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
  • 2003 - 2008
  • Assistant District Counsel
  • U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service
  • 1997 - 2003
  • Law Clerk
  • Executive Office For Immigration Review
  • 1996 - 1997
View all work experience

Education

  • Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 1996
  • State University of New York, Albany
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 1992

Associations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • 2008 - Present
  • Nassau County Bar Association, Nassau Academy of Law
  • 2008 - Present
  • Nassau County Bar Association, Immigration Law Committee
  • Past Chair
  • N/A

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Client Champion Award
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2023
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2022
  • Client Champion Award
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2022
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2021
  • Client Champion Award
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2021
  • Client Champion Award
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2021
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2020
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2019
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2018
  • Client Rating
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2017
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2017
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2016
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2015
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2014
View all awards

Publications

  • Nassau Lawyer
  • Is the DREAM Over? What Counsel Must Know
  • 2018
  • Nassau Lawyer
  • The ICE-Man Cometh!
  • 2017
  • Nassau Lawyer
  • Choosing the Right Temporary Work Visa
  • 2016
  • Nassau Lawyer
  • "The Silent Raid:" Employment Eligibility Verification
  • 2014
View all publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Annual Conference
  • May I See Your Papers? Post-Entry Verification and Documentation Issues
  • 2014
  • Annual Conference
  • Can They Do That To Me? Dealing with Port-Of-Entry Searches and Seizures
  • 2010
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • Port of Entry Search & Seizures
  • 2010
View all speaking engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (3)
Given (1)
Endorse Michael
Immigration Attorney | Jun 23
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I have known Michael for over a decade. We worked together at ICE before each of us entered private practice. He's a great lawyer who knows the law and takes great care of his clients."
Immigration Attorney | Feb 13
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Immigration Attorney | Dec 03
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Michael is a fantastic immigration lawyer! He is extremely knowledgeable about complex immigration laws. Having previously worked with the government, he has a keen sense of what to expect in a given immigration situation. Because of his previous experience, Michael is able to think from the opposing view, whereas many private immigration lawyers only think from the defense side. Michael’s ability to view a case from the government’s side is a significant benefit to his immigration clients, because the clients get a more thorough view of their case. Michael is also incredibly generous with his time for colleagues when they have questions, as I know from personal experience. He is always ready to help and give thorough advice. His clients are truly lucky to have him as their immigration lawyer! I highly recommend Michael!"
Melville Immigration Lawyer Michael Gary Kohler
Michael Gary Kohler
Immigration Attorney
Melville, NY
Licensed for 27 years
Virtual consultation available