Kolken & Kolken is a full-service U.S. immigration law firm handling cases in all 50 States.Immigration, Deportation Defense, Waivers, Family and Employment Based Visas, and Asylum
Matthew L. Kolken has served as an elected Director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association's (AILA) Board of Governors. He is a trial lawyer with experience in all aspects of United States Immigration Law, and has been an AILA member since 1997.
Mr. Kolken has received the highest AV peer rating by Martindale-Hubbell, has been named a "Super Lawyer" in Upstate New York by Super Lawyers magazine, was listed by Business First of Buffalo as being among the “Legal Elite of Western New York," and has received a "Superb" rating and "Client's Choice" award on Avvo.com. The New York Law Journal has recognized him as a "Lawyer Who Leads by Example" for his work providing pro bono legal services to unaccompanied refugee children.
Mr. Kolken has appeared nationally on FOX News, MSNBC and CNN, and his legal analysis has been solicited by the Washington Post's Fact Check of the immigration statements of Secretary Hillary Clinton, Presidential candidate Donald Trump, and the immigration status of First Lady Melania Trump's parents. His opinions on immigration issues have been published in Forbes Magazine, Bloomberg, Business Insider, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and FOX News among others. He has been an invited speaker at AILA's annual conference on grounds of removability, and is the author of the Deportation and Removal Blog on ILW.com, where he is a member of the advisory board of the Immigration Daily, an online immigration news periodical with more than 35,000 readers. He is also a prominent immigration reform activist having been ranked as the most influential person on Twitter in the area of Immigration Law. You may follow him at @mkolken.
Practice areas
Languages spoken
English
Kolken & Kolken
135 Delaware Avenue
Suite 101
Buffalo, NY, 14202
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
NY | Currently registered | 1997 | 06/05/2022 |
Legal answers | 116 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
Best Lawyer - Immigration Law | Best Lawyers in America | 2019 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2018 |
The Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award | Marquis Who's Who in American Law | 2018 |
Legal Elite | Buffalo Law Journal | 2018 |
Client's Choice | Avvo | 2018 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2017 |
Client's Choice | Avvo | 2017 |
Legal Elite | Buffalo Business First | 2017 |
Champion of Justice - Immigration Law | Erie County Bar Association | 2017 |
Top Rated Lawyer in Immigration Law | Martindale-Hubbell | 2017 |
Top Rated Immigration Lawyer | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2016 |
Clients' Choice | Avvo.com | 2016 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2015 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2015 |
Clients' Choice | Avvo.com | 2015 |
Lawyers who Lead by Example | New York Law Journal | 2015 |
Legal Elite | Buffalo Business First | 2015 |
Peter J. Murrett Pro Bono Award | American Immigration Lawyers Association (Upstate New York Chapter) | 2015 |
Pro Bono Champion | American Immigration Lawyers Association | 2014 |
Clients' Choice | Avvo.com | 2014 |
Pro Bono Guardian | American Immigration Lawyers Association | 2013 |
Super Lawyer | New York Super Lawyers | 2013 |
Clients' Choice | Avvo.com | 2013 |
Legal Elite | Buffalo Business First | 2013 |
IMMI | Nation of Immigrators | 2013 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Immigration Lawyer | Kolken & Kolken | 1996 - Present |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
American Immigration Lawyers Association | Member | 1997 - Present |
Bar Association of Erie County | Member | 1997 - Present |
New York State Bar Association | Member | 1997 - Present |
Federal Bar Association | Member | 2015 - 2016 |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
The Guardian | Defense contractors shouldn't be in the childcare business. Must that be said? | 2018 |
Fox News Corp | Why Isn’t President Obama Protecting Refugee Children With A Stroke Of His Pen? | 2014 |
Fox News Corp | President Obama’s Immigration Wait And See Looks To Maximize Political Impact | 2014 |
Fox News Corp | On Immigration Reform, President Obama Is Betting On The Guys In The Black Hats | 2014 |
Fox News Corp | A Special Path To Citizenship Is Not Necessary | 2014 |
American Immigration, LLC (ILW.com) | Caught Between a Deportation Impasse and a Hard Place | 2014 |
American Immigration, LLC (ILW.com) | Rep. Gutierrez Advises Individuals to Visit His Office for Immigration Advice | 2014 |
Fox News Latino | The Legacy of the DREAM 9 | 2013 |
Forbes | President Obama: Deporter-In-Chief | 2012 |
LA Times | Obama immigration plan: Advocates offer mixed reactions | 2012 |
The Christian Science Monitor | Allowed to stay, Miami student becomes face of Obama immigration policy | 2012 |
The Cato Institute | Saying the Law Is the Law Isn’t Enough | 2012 |
The Huffington Post | Americans Married To Immigrants Push For Reform | 2011 |
Christian Science Monitor | Are Obama deportations truly aimed at 'criminals'? | 2011 |
The Daily Beast | Immigration Lawyers Say Enforcement of Deportation Memo Falls Short | 2011 |
ABC News | A Military Wife's Rock and Hard Place | 2007 |
CBS News | Missing Soldier's Wife Faces Deportation | 2007 |
USA Today | Green card for missing soldier's wife | 2007 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
Western Michigan University - Thomas M. Cooley Law School | JD - Juris Doctor | 1996 |
University of the Pacific | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1993 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Removal For Experts | Removal Ground and Defenses | 2013 |
Hard Line Talk Radio | Immigration Reform | 2013 |
AILA Education Department Seminar | Seeking Remedies from ICE Post-removal Order | 2013 |
ILW.com Seminar Series | Comprehensive Immigration Reform | 2013 |
AILA Media Training | Ethics and Professionalism Questions When Dealing with the Media | 2013 |
Huffington Post Live | More Immigrants, Please | 2012 |
AILA's Annual Conference | Grounds of Inadmissibility | 2009 |
Case name | Outcome |
---|---|
Deportation Prevented for Missing Soldier's Undocumented Wife | Deportation prevented, Green Card issued. |
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Carl Shusterman, Immigration Attorney on Mar 7, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Matt Kolken is a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney. He stands up for the rights of immigrants and is unafraid to challenge the Federal Government when they wrongly deny an immigration benefit to one of his clients. I strongly endorse him.
Charles Kuck, Immigration Attorney on Mar 7, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Matt Kolken has distinguished himself as a tenacious, eloquent and clear thinking attorney who is unafraid to take on the federal government in the most difficult of immigration matters. He is a fierce defender of our constitution and exactly the type of lawyer you will need at your side when ICE wants to deport you. I am proud to call him a colleague and a friend.
Elliot Rahimi, Immigration Attorney on Dec 12, 2018
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Molly Full, Unknown Attorney on Jul 18, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Sunil Patel, Immigration Attorney on May 26, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Matthew Borowski, Immigration Attorney on Aug 22, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I proudly endorse Mr. Kolken for his excellent work fighting for the rights of immigrants. I respect him for all the hard work he puts into giving back to the community, from taking on pro bono matters to standing up and crying foul when immigration authorities exercise their powers in unjust ways. Mr. Kolken is an asset to the immigration bar in Buffalo.
Sean Cleary, Immigration Attorney on Apr 24, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. A brilliant and highly respected attorney in the legal community.
John Fotopoulos, Immigration Attorney on Oct 16, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Brad Micklin, Administrative law Attorney on Sep 2, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Matthew Lindsay Kolken is an experienced attorney whose participation and comments in Avvo show his commitment to serving clients as well as his level of experience. He is an excellent attorney that I recommend wholeheartedly.
Susan Bond, Immigration Attorney on Jul 16, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Matthew is very well respected by the legal community, is an excellent immigration attorney and contributes a great deal to our practice area both as an outstanding member of the bar and a mentor.
Tatiana Kadetskaya, Unknown Attorney on Jul 4, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Excellent lawyer. Very well respected.
Joshua Lippes, Immigration Attorney on May 29, 2013
Relationship: Friend
I have known Matt for many years, he has always conducted himself as a knowledgeable professional. I refer all my clients with immigration matters to him. I endorse Matthew Kolken.
Neil Lewis, Immigration Attorney on Mar 21, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Matthew Kolken is leader among immigration lawyers. His grasp of the law and regulations is incredible.
Susan Pai, Immigration Attorney on Mar 21, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Attorney Kolken is a passionate advocate for his clients and has a national reputation for excellence. He is at the forefront of cutting edge immigration issues.
Ana Schwartz, Immigration Attorney on Mar 21, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Extremely knowledgeable, hard working, and effective immigration attorney.
Pieter Weinrieb, Immigration Attorney on Mar 6, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Wendy Whitt, Immigration Attorney on Jan 18, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Matthew is a sharp, hardworking and caring attorney. He is a zealous advocate for his clients and the immigration law professional as a whole.
Scott Pollock, Immigration Attorney on Jan 14, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Meredith Brown, Immigration Attorney on Jan 10, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. It is hard to find attys who really go to bat for their clients, but Matthew is one of those lawyers.
Laurel Scott, Immigration Attorney on Jan 10, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. Matt is personable and professional at the same time, in addition to being highly comptent on immigration matters. He is respected in the community and is asked to speak at conference and write in professional publications. Matt's passion for immigrants' rights is well known.