Sharif Silmi

PRO

Sharif Silmi

5.0
Rating: 6.5

Licensed for 11 years

Immigration Lawyer at Catonsville, MD
Practice Areas: Immigration, Personal Injury

5707 Calverton Street 2A, Catonsville, MD

Virtual Consultation Available

About Sharif

Biography

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

Immigration 90%

12 years

90%
Personal Injury 10%

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2026 2025 2024
...
+ 5

Licenses

Licensed in District of Columbia for 11 years

State: District of Columbia

Acquired: 2014

Good Standing

No misconduct found

Location

Silmi Law

5707 Calverton Street 2A, Catonsville, MD, 21228

silmilaw.com/

Online Presence

Other places you can find Sharif online.

Sharif Silmi's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

88 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (88) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 8 reviews | Compassion

Posted by ABU RUMAISA | July 26, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

The Best EB1A Lawyer – Truly Exceptional and Outstanding

I can say with absolute confidence that Silmi is the best EB1A lawyer you could ever hope to have on your side. From day one, he demonstrated an extraordinary depth of knowledge, a strategic mindset, and an unmatched commitment to my case. Silmi doesn’t just prepare a petition . he builds a winnin...g case. He took the time to deeply understand my background, extract my most compelling achievements, and present them in a way that made my petition stand out. His meticulous attention to detail, persuasive writing, and step-by-step guidance gave me confidence throughout the entire process. A special mention also goes to his incredible team — Sima and Gabriela , who were instrumental in making this journey smooth and stress-free. They were always responsive, organized, and ensured that every document and deadline was perfectly managed. Together, they form an exceptional team that truly goes above and beyond for their clients. What sets Silmi apart is not only his legal brilliance but also his genuine care for his clients. He and his team were always accessible, patient, and proactive. At every stage, I knew I had advocates who truly believed in my case and fought for it like it was their own. Thanks to Silmi, Sima, and Gabriela’s expertise and dedication, my EB1A petition was approved quickly and without any complications. I have no doubt that their approach made all the difference. If you are looking for the very best EB1A attorney and team ,combining deep expertise, strategic thinking, and a personal commitment to your success. Silmi and his team are unmatched. They are simply outstanding.

Posted by Jae | July 19, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

THE FIRST CHOICE for any US visa including EB1A!

I successfully received my EB1A green card thanks to Sharif and the wonderful team at Silmi Law. I'm now happily settled in California, living out the next exciting chapter of my life. I previously left a review right after my EB1A petition approval in 2022, but having finally moved to the U.S. an...d experiencing my new life firsthand, I felt compelled to write an updated review out of immense gratitude. My journey with Sharif began in early 2021. At that time, I was running an online business in South Korea offering TOEFL-like English exam preparation courses. Initially, I wasn't sure if my career would qualify for an EB1A. However, Sharif methodically walked me through the USCIS's 10 criteria, clearly explaining how to strategically meet each requirement. Rather than simply elaborating on these criteria, Sharif expertly outlined how defining my field of expertise could significantly influence which criteria mattered most, guiding me based on his extensive experience and deep understanding of the process. As someone who thoroughly enjoys strategizing and "gaming the system," I immediately felt confident that he was the right attorney for me. Unlike attorneys who rush to start drafting petitions after a quick fee collection, Sharif advised patience and careful preparation. He meticulously guided me through an extensive period—nearly one year—of building solid evidence to support my qualifications. When we finally filed my petition in late 2021, it was incredibly robust and resulted in a smooth approval. Afterward, the Silmi Law team provided invaluable support through the consular processing and interview preparation phases. The team's detailed guidance and reassuring advice significantly eased my anxiety about the visa interview, ensuring that I went into it confidently and naturally. I particularly want to highlight Marylaine Viernes’s responsiveness and kindness. Sometimes Sharif wasn't immediately available due to the qualitative and strategic nature of his work, which required deeper reflection. During those nerve-wracking periods, Marylaine consistently reassured me and promptly addressed my concerns. Looking back, those periods of reflection actually benefited my petition, but naturally, the high stakes involved made me particularly anxious, making Marylaine’s supportive presence invaluable. Ultimately, despite the lengthy processing times at USCIS and NVC, I successfully received my immigrant visa in early 2024 and moved to Southern California in July. I've settled comfortably into my new life and even fulfilled my long-held dream of co-founding an AI startup earlier this year. Experiencing the American dream firsthand, I've never felt more grateful. Currently, I'm consulting Sharif about a friend and employee who also hopes to immigrate to the U.S. from Korea. In my experience, Sharif is unquestionably the best when it comes to U.S. immigration law—there's simply no second choice. It feels incredibly meaningful to go from applicant to referrer, all thanks to Sharif and his remarkable team. I'm truly grateful to the entire Silmi Law team for enabling me to begin this new chapter of my life. To anyone reading this, I sincerely wish you the same wonderful results and the opportunity to live your own next life chapter! The following link, for reference, is to my original review from immediately after my petition approval in 2022: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zqWHUaaixfdNe3Hh7

Posted by Nielet | July 02, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

From Strategy to Success with Confidence, Clarity, and a Positive Outcome

I had the privilege of working with Attorney Silmi and his team on my immigration petition, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience. From the very first consultation through to the final approval, Atty Silmi demonstrated a rare mix of strategic clarity, subject matter expertise, and genuin...e care for the outcome of my case. What truly sets him apart is how thoughtfully he approaches each step of the process. During our roadmap call, he laid out not just the legal strategy, but also how we’d collaborate to tell a strong and authentic narrative. That gave me confidence both in the law and myself. A special mention to Sima, who was an exceptional partner. Her attention to detail, ability to shape the petition, and constant encouragement kept me focused and motivated throughout. The team behind the scenes — Maryline, Gabriela, and Mayrod were incredibly responsive, organized, and helpful in managing every moving part of the filing. The Silmi Law team delivered on all fronts. They helped me stay grounded, hopeful, and proactive. Ultimately, we got the approval we were working so hard toward. One thing I will mention: as a client, you do need to stay hands-on and apply some project management skills to your case. That’s what makes for a truly successful collaboration with their team. If you’re looking for an immigration attorney who brings deep expertise, strategic thinking, and a strong, collaborative team, I highly recommend Attorney Silmi and his practice.

Posted by Godric | December 06, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

The lawyer who helped my mom win EB2 NIW

I am the son of one of Atty. Sharif Silmi's many, many past successful, happy and forever grateful clients. My mom applied for our green cards under the EB2 NIW category back in 2018 and in just a year's time we already got our green cards and now living the American Dream and we owe it forever to At...ty. Silmi. I would listen to my mom then speak to so many different people and even other paralegals and lawyers. Many of them would either say she had no potential without even reviewing her background while the others would over-promise (in exchange for a crazy amount of cash) but somehow their advice did not seem right even if she was not a legal expert. Through God's blessing we found Atty. Silmi who told her two important things that confirmed that he was the right lawyer: 1. In applying for an employment-based green card, you cannot be out of status. This was a very important piece of advice because two other lawyers just wanted to take our money but never told us that we can never adjust status in the USA if we did not have a valid non-immigrant status; 2. He honestly evaluated my mother's information and told her outright that she would not qualify for EB1-A, but had higher chance to pass with EB2 NIW and every single thing he said was right and every step he predicted based on insight and experience happened for us! This is very important because 2 other law firms told my mom she would easily qualify for the very high EB1A standards if she paid them already, and yet they could not even provide convincing insights like a strategy or the timeline. Compassion toward me and my mother was the most valuable aspect throughout the journey and I owe my astoundingly amazing life in the USA to Attorney Silmi. My mom and I would never live our best lives without the help of Atty. Silmi! Thank you, Silmi Law.

Posted by Prathusha | September 10, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

Highly recommend Sharif for EB1A: Process Oriented, Methodological, Organized. In plain terms: Lawyer with Extraordinary ability

Based on recommendation from many of our friends, we reached out to Mr. Sharif (Shah Peerally group) about our EB1A case. We have done extensive research and spent many years hunting down the options just to understand if my profile makes  a good eligible EB1A case or not. Other lawyers reviewed my r...esume (Not my profile) and suggested that I go with other categories (Eg: NIW EB2) or get a PhD or more citations. None of that sounded reasonable and we definitely backed out on the EB1A idea until we spoke to Sharif. Honestly, we were a little speculative in the beginning (Based on our bitter experience with other lawyers). Sharif did not give us any false expectations just to get us onboarded. He reviewed my profile, took time to understand and evaluated my field of endeavor in-depth before he commented on the chances of approval for my EB1A case. He is process oriented and I believe that is the key behind his success rate. He explained in detail and guided us all along. He is very collaborative, considerate and spent a great deal of time to make sure that my case satisfies the outlined statutory guidelines and presented every single evidence to prove the same to the government. My case was received by USCIS on 06/25/2020 and got Approved on 07/02/2020. I couldn't believe how quick that happened. EB1A means a lot to any individual and their family and approval takes a lot of stress out. God bless Sharif for caring deeply about his clients and helping many families in this regard. Despite being exceptionally talented he is humble, honest and open for suggestions and critiques. Please consult sharif or associate with him on your EB1A case. He knows immigration law inside-out and his outstanding record of success speaks for itself. 

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Shah Peerally headshot
Shah Peerally

Immigration lawyer

Experience

Rating:  6.5 (Good)

Associations

2016 - Present

American Immigration Lawyers Association

Member

2016 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

Education

2013

McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific

JD - Juris Doctor

Languages

Arabic

Spanish

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