Skip to main content

Bruce I. Yamashita

Immigration Attorney at Washington, DC

5.0   39 reviews

Licensed for 33 years

Free consultation

About Bruce

Learn Bruce’s areas of practice.

2
Practice areas
  1. Immigration
    90%
    I have successfully handled countless cases related to Family and Business Immigration, Citizenship, and Green Card Marriages.

    21 years

  2. Marriage and prenuptials
    10%
    I specialize in marriage-based immigrant visas or green cards.

    21 years

OVER 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN IMMIGRATION. FREE CONSULTATION, CALL 202-765-3412

Bruce I Yamashita, ESQ

Mr. Yamashita is the principal of the Law Office of Bruce I. Yamashita, PLLC, and practices Immigration & Nationality Law.  Born and raised in Hawaii, he came to Washington D.C. to complete a joint degree program: master’s in international affairs from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Before that, during college at the University of Hawaii, he spent a year abroad at International Christian University (ICU) in Japan.  After graduating from college, he returned to Tokyo for an additional four years where he had a variety of experiences:  teaching English, working at an import/export company; serving as the chief editor for a community newspaper; and working as a disc jockey for a national radio station. Mr. Yamashita is also a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves.

An experienced litigator, Mr. Yamashita represented indigent criminal defendants for 20 years at D.C. Superior Court.  Every four years, a committee of judges selected him to be a part of the U.S. Panel, an association of dedicated attorneys certified to represent indigent defendants. From misdemeanors to felonies, he was committed to protecting the constitution: the right of all to a fair and speedy trial.  Moreover, as many of his clients were non-citizens, he worked diligently to avoid or reduce any potential immigration consequences due to their contact with the criminal justice system. His priority: competent and compassionate representation. Mr. Yamashita now focuses solely on Immigration and Nationality law. 

Mr. Yamashita is licensed in Hawaii and the District of Columbia.  He is a member of the D.C. Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He is the recipient of the Japanese American Citizens League Civil Rights Award, and the Georgetown University Law Center Asian Pacific American Students Association Alumnus of the Year Award.  More recently, in 2014, he received the Trailblazer Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He has been the subject of a PBS Hawaii documentary, A Most Unlikely Hero. His book, Fighting Tradition: A Marine’s Journey to Justice, is published by the University of Hawaii Press.  In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, power walking, travel and mindfulness meditation.

Licensed for 33 years
State DC
Status Good Standing
Acquired 1991
Updated 06/08/2022
State HI
Status Inactive
Acquired 1989
Updated 03/23/2023

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

Contact Bruce

Law Off. of Bruce I. Yamashita, PLLC
1025 Connecticut Ave NW Ste 1012
Washington, DC, 20036-5417

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  39 customer reviews
5 Star
 
100%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
0%
1 Star
 
0%
Posted by Anjila | February 19, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
US Naturalization
I can’t thank Bruce enough for what he has done for me. He was very professional helped me step by step explained me things I didn’t understand. He always returned my calls or emails. Within 8 months, I was a U.S. citizen.
Posted by Chai | January 25, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
A great attorney. Highly recommended!
Bruce is a great attorney. Like everybody else, we were very frustrated with the USCIS processing time during the Covid years, and when we expressed our frustration, he calmed us down with his expert legal knowledge. He is also very dedicated with his clients. Whenever we ask him a question, he always gets back to us very shortly. He is a great lawyer and a great person. We are very lucky to have him as our lawyer. Thank you Bruce for all of your help.
Read less
Posted by Habi&Chad | October 3, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Green Card Application - EXCELLENT Service! Highly Recommend!!
If I can give 10 stars I would. I am very lucky our paths crossed. I spoke to a few lawyers, but Bruce's energy is different, I felt very calm & comfortable. I had a feeling right at the first time we met that I was in good hands. Bruce is a wonderful person: good listener, humble, truthful, honest, positive and respectful. His expertise in immigration law really helped me to get my green card status approved really fast. He always has answers for everything. He took care of my case really carefully and responsibly. A professional who would go an extra mile to get the best possible outcome for his clients. Thank you for delivering such excellent work. A daily mantra I leaned from Bruce that I am using in my daily life: "Choose Love not fear".
Read less
Posted by Gregorio | September 15, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
An outstanding attorney.
I was searching for an immigration attorney after having a bad experience trying to file for a green card myself and not knowing what I was doing. Then I found Bruce Yamashita and he took it from there and did a wonderful job filing all documents and made it seem easy although it wasn't. We got our green card and will always use Mr. Yamashita in anything he can help us with. .
Read less
Posted by Andrea | September 4, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Got my Green Card in less than a year
He was a nice, attentive professional. He helped us in the whole process to get my green card through marriage. It was successful, I couldn't have done it without him. Thank you Bruce.
Posted by anonymous | August 29, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent and very supportive – Highly recommended
Bruce is a brilliant and very professional lawyer. We made a great choice that we’ll never regret having him as our immigration attorney. Immigration process is so long and stressful, yet, he could always provide guidance and advice to us, making things less stressful and look easier than they are. He is so supportive of his clients. He is also on top of all communications, is very reliable, courteous and at the same time friendly. We recommend him highly. A plus for him is that his office is specialized in immigration making him very experienced in the area, and he takes care of everything himself instead of assigning some of your files to a paralegal. You cannot find better in the DMV area! We can never thank him enough!
Read less
Posted by Dina | August 13, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
#1 Lawyer in the world!!!!
Bruce is the best lawyer ever. He woks diligently, accurately and passionately with the case. He is honest, gentle, expert and extremely professional in every step he takes! He cares so much to the extent that he can even contact you on weekends if needed! He was able to convert a denied case to an approved one with his experience and professional statements. He is the best of the best! He is a life saver! I am so grateful to him and will always pray for him. God bless him.
Read less
Posted by Rawan Abdelatif | May 9, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly recommend- Amazing Lawyer
Bruce helped me with the petition to bring my fiancé application (form I-129F) and the adjustment of status (form I-485) once my fiancé came to the US and we got married. It was truly a pleasure working with him!! He made both the processes very easy, prepared us very well for all the interviews, and made sure we had all the proper documentation. He was vey responsive and was always there to answer any questions we had.
Read less
Posted by Alan | March 23, 2022
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
Accurate, Clear and Concise responses
I called Bruce to talk about my problem and he clearly replied and answered all my questions. I am really happy that I had this conversation with Bruce, otherwise, I might have gone in the wrong direction.
Posted by anonymous | March 15, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Immigration
Bruce is an excellent lawyer; he was detailed and involved all through my filling for a spousal visa. The process went by so smoothly, with no hiccups. He was very professional and friendly and was always available to answer our questions.
Posted by Kate | February 5, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Brilliant lawyer with excellent communication
I used a different lawyer for my K1 visa and was less than impressed. I then found Bruce and worked with him for my residency, and I am so pleased I did!! I wish I had found him sooner and used him to do my K1. Bruce was very easy to work with, his communication with me was EXCELLENT throughout the entire process. He knew exactly what was required and always had answers to my questions. When USCIS was requesting forms we didn't need, Bruce went above and beyond to get my application approved. I can't say enough good stuff about Bruce, I'm going to be using him for all of my immigration requirements. He will be my lawyer for as long as I'm in the USA - I'm so glad I found him!
Read less
Posted by Kiran | February 4, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Honest, humble, personable and helpful
Bruce is one if the most humble, honest, truthful, efficent, knowledgeable and supportive lawyer and human being we have met. We went through family based green card process and he was truly helpful and encouraging during this long journey and made it super fast for us. His fees is reasonable, he is very detailed, and ensures the application has best chance of success for you. If I could have given him 20 stars out of 5 we would have. 5 star is not representative to his services and support.
Read less
Posted by Enzo | October 22, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent lawyer
Bruce is an excellent lawyer and a humble person. He is very professional, knowledgeable about immigration processes and applications. Bruce is reliable and very helpful throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend anyone to hire Bruce
Posted by Elsa | August 30, 2021
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
The best
Mr. Bruce is a very professional lawyer and most important he is very humane. In our days it is very hard to find someone who listens to you and feels your pain and who will accept free consultation several times from several family members regarding same topic but he did. He is honest, truthfull and gives you all the possibilities that you have with the chances of winning. And he relieves you, he understands you. Mr. BRUCE I am really thankful. Best of luck in your career. You really deserve all the best. Thank You !!
Read less
Posted by Meng | August 16, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
I highly recommend Bruce to people seeking immigration advice and assistance
We hired Bruce as our immigration attorney to help with my spouse green card application. Because of the pandemic it has been a longer than usual journey for us (11 months in our case) and Bruce offered great help and support along the way. He well explained every step to us which greatly addressed our concerns. Whenever we left him a message we got a reply in the next couple of hours (we sometimes left messages around midnight and we got a response when we woke up next day). Plus Bruce is very detail-oriented which saved us from correcting or submitting additional documents which can take extra long time during the pandemic. I highly recommend Bruce to people seeking immigration advice. He is very professional and reliable.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | July 26, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
A great, friendly and supportive attorney who will go the extra mile for the client
Mr. Yamashita worked on our permanent residency case. From the start, he was very supportive, easy to talk to and quick to answer our questions. During the long, complicated process of acquiring a permanent legal residency, Mr. Yamashita was always there for us to answer any questions we had (even small, quick ones) and provided us solid legal advices on immigration matters. A solid, professional attorney who is very friendly, easy to talk to and will go to the extra mile for his client! Highly recommended!
Read less
Posted by Maie | July 7, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent Lawyer
Bruce was extremely supportive, professional, and was always available anytime we needed him. I got my green card only in 10 months and everything went very smooth through his continuous support and availability. He is well informed with the process and the required procedures, and his costs are quite affordable. I would recommend Bruce for everyone.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | June 26, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best Immigration Laywer in DC Area
My husband and I worked with Bruce on my marriage based green card application. I'm so thankful that we made the decision hiring Bruce as our attorney. Bruce is very knowledgeable, detail oriented and patient of every single question we had. He's extremely reachable - replying our email, phone call and text messages in a timely manner. I received my 2-year green card in less than one year which is very fast during the pandemic. We never got requested for additional evidence from USCIS. The whole process went very smooth thanks to Bruce's dedicated and excellent work. I would highly recommend Bruce!
Read less
Posted by Denis | April 1, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Bruce Yamashita Legal Services
Bruce did a great job with my wife's and I permanent resident application. I liked that Bruce met with us in person to get to know us first and then assisted us diligently with getting all the paper work together. Bruce was always available to answer any questions my wife and I had about the process. He gave us really good advice for our USCIS interview. If you are looking for legal services , I will recommend working with Bruce as he will take care of your legal needs and will guide you and assist you throughout the process. No worries about getting the paper work wrong as Bruce will guide you in the right direction to submit your application to the USCIS.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | March 15, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Just give him a call! and the truth will speak for itself
After searching for a lawyer for couple of days, we came across Bruce! We called him to gather basic information about his practice, and he immediately demonstrated that he was an experienced and trustworthy lawyer. He explained everything for about 45 mins without us paying him! After our positive experience and interactions with Bruce, my wife and I wanted to work with him. Before making any payment, we wanted to meet with him in person -he has available and as soon as he heard our story, he recognized the seriousness of the situation and immediately coordinated a follow up meeting with some required paperwork- He is always available weekends, nights, holidays, during his day offs new year even Christmas! Bruce is knowledgeable, responds quickly, and has great a system in place to connect with clients. He is also very kind and a great listener! We are grateful to have been able to consult with him regarding a marriage green card issue. I also exchanged several e-mails, text messages and phone conversations, as well as had a follow up meeting with him, where he prepared our paperwork without any error and finished it in couple of days, we were very impressed. My case was very complex since I have in USA since 2009 with 3 different status, if not his advice I would probably be deported today I am forever thankful to him. Also, His service is very cost-effective! It was 1600$ in 2020.
Read less
View less reviews

Cost

Rates
  • Free Consultation 30 minutes
Payment methods
Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Attorney-at-Law
  • Law Office of Bruce I Yamashita PLLC Washington D.C.
  • 1994 - Present
  • Attorney
  • Law Office of Paul H. Toyozaki Honolulu, HI
  • 1991 - 1994
  • Summer Associate
  • Yanagida Law Offices Tokyo Japan
  • 1986 - 1987

Education

  • Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
  • M.S.F.S.
  • 1988
  • Georgetown University Law Center
  • J.D.
  • 1988
  • University of Hawaii
  • B.A.
  • 1979

Legal Cases

  • Assault with Deadly Weapon
  • Not Guilty
  • Possession with Intent to Distribute
  • Hung Jury
  • Green Card: Same Sex Marriage
  • Petition Granted
View all legal cases

Associations

  • NAPABA Solo & Small Firm Network
  • Co-chair
  • 2019 - Present
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 2001 - Present
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2001 - Present
  • D.C. Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 2000 - Present
  • NAPABA Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp
  • Co-chair
  • 2018 - 2019
  • Asian Pacifc Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project
  • Advisory Board
  • 2015 - 2017
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • Japanese
  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Trailblazer Award
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
  • 2014
  • Alumnus of Year Award
  • Georgetown Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
  • 1995
  • Civil Rights Award
  • Japanese American Citizens League
  • 1994

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp
  • Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp
  • 2019
  • Panel Discussion
  • Veterans & Diversity in the Legal Profession
  • 2015

Attorney endorsements

Received (2)
Given (2)
Endorse Bruce
Immigration Attorney | Jun 19
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Bruce is an excellent lawyer who knows the ins and outs of immigration law. He's my go-to person for immigration law questions. He's also very friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to."
Immigration Attorney | Feb 11
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I'm pleased to endorse Bruce. He is a top-notch immigration lawyer and a zealous advocate for his clients. A highly recommended attorney."
Criminal defense
Washington Immigration Lawyer Bruce I. Yamashita
Bruce I. Yamashita
Immigration Attorney
Washington, DC
Licensed for 33 years
Free Consultation