Helena Hadeed Astolfi

Helena Astolfi began her legal career in Alexandria, Virginia in 1995 representing individuals and businesses in all aspects of immigration law.  In May 1997, Ms. Astolfi joined the Labor and Employment Group of Pepper Hamilton LLP in Philadelphia PA where she concentrated in business immigration law.  By 2003, she was a senior associate with the firm and helped manage the firm's growing immigration practice.  

Ms. Astolfi has represented multinational and domestic corporations, their employees and private individuals in matters before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Consulates.  Her employment-based practice includes professionals in engineering, biotechnology, medicine and business, as well as software developers and information technology professionals at large corporations and consulting companies.  She handles immigration matters involving employer sanctions, immigrant visa processing and non-immigrant visa processing, including consular processing, H-1B professionals, intra-company transferees, NAFTA professionals, outstanding researchers, business visitor visas and Investor Treaty/Trader visas.  Ms. Astolfi has presented business immigration training seminars to corporate clients and technical recruiters.

Ms. Astolfi uses her experience in immigration law, including her knowledge of administrative litigation, criminal convictions, family-based immigration, asylum/refugee processing and naturalization, in pro bono matters, as well.  She currently provides pro bono immigration services to several organizations.  Ms. Astolfi has also spoken on numerous immigration panels and has also written on various immigration topics.

Ms. Astolfi is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), where she has served as co-secretary of its Young Lawyers Division and has served as a member of the planning committee for several regional conferences.  She is currently a member in the Philadelphia Chapter of AILA  and has served as its membership chairperson and was a member of it's Department of Labor Liaison Committee and Vermont Service Center Liaison Committee.

Ms. Astolfi received her J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 1995, and a B.A. in International Studies from George Mason University in 1989.  Ms. Astolfi is a member of the Virginia bar (she is not admitted in Pennsylvania).