1. Home
  2. Find a Lawyer
  3. Wisconsin
  4. Madison
  5. Immigration
  6. Raluca Ottosen

Raluca Vais Ottosen

Immigration Attorney at Madison, WI

5.0   11 reviews

also known as Raluca Vais-Ottosen

Message
  • State Years
    Wisconsin - WI 11 years
    New York - NY 15 years
  • Licensed for 11 years
    State WI
    Acquired 2011
    Status
    Good Standing No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 15 years
    State NY
    Acquired 2008
    Status
    Currently Registered No misconduct found

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

Thorough and effective
Kim
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired Attorney
Search No More
Qiao
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired Attorney
Read more reviews

About Raluca

Learn Raluca’s areas of practice.

1
Practice area

I represent individuals and employers in matters regarding permanent residence (green card), naturalization and citizenship, temporary work visas (H-1B, L-1, TN, etc.), PERM and foreign labor certification, National Interest Waivers (NIW), physician national interest waiver, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, and other proceedings before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and/or U.S. consulates abroad, among others.

Having myself immigrated to the U.S. (from Romania), I can genuinely relate to my clients' needs and priorities and am therefore able to provide superior immigration legal services.

I have volunteered in several capacities at the Community Immigration Law Center in Madison, Wisconsin since 2009, as intake volunteer, pro bono attorney and member on the Board of Directors.

I am also a dedicated member of the Wisconsin community and I enjoy volunteering my free time to the Madison-area art and music scene, local music festivals and fundraisers that benefit after school programs for children, the neighborhood associations and community centers.

Contact Raluca

Similar lawyers nearby

DeWitt LLP
2 E Mifflin St
Ste 600
Madison, WI, 53703
Message Get Directions
Raluca Vais Ottosen
901 Marquette Avenue
2100 AT&T Tower
Minneapolis, MN, 55402
Message Get Directions
Raluca Vais Ottosen
13935 Bishop's Drive
Suite 300
Brookfield, WI, 53005
Message Get Directions
Hide locations

Reviews

Write A Review
5.0 / 5.0
  11 customer reviews
5 Star
 
100%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
0%
1 Star
 
0%
Posted by Kim | July 17, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Thorough and effective
We really need help navigating through the immigration process. Luca handled everything so professionally and expeditiously. I was very impressed and grateful!
Posted by Qiao | February 25, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Search No More
Have you ever driven in the thick fog hoping an experienced driver would show up in the front with blinkers on so that you can follow? Or have you ever gone into the wilderness hoping to encounter a wilderness expert so that you won't get lost? Or for at least one time, you were in an airport, just hoping someone would show up to lead you from the entrance straight to your plane seat? Luca is that experienced driver, that wilderness expert, or that airport person we've been looking for. My wife and I worked on obtaining a green card through marriage ourselves. With so many forms and support documents to prepare, we decided to hire Luca as our immigration lawyer after consulting with her. During the application process, she always responds to our questions very fast and straight to the point. She's professional, efficient, and trustworthy. Thanks to her expertise, the whole immigration process got approved very smoothly. We highly recommend her to anyone who's looking for an immigration lawyer. And she will be the first one we go to when we need professional help in the future.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | May 18, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best immigration lawyer in Madison
I hired Raluca to help with my citizenship application. I had applied for citizenship about 18 months earlier and my application had stalled. Due to COVID the situation was complicated. Raluca sorted it out very efficiently and managed to get the application moving to a successful conclusion. I would wholeheartedly recommend Raluca for immigration problems. She is very likeable, listens very well and is extremely knowledgeable. It was a pleasure to work with her. I felt very comfortable with her and she is very honest and remarkably efficient. She always replied to all my questions almost immediately and was extremely helpful.
Read less
Posted by Moritz | May 15, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Green cards for the whole family
Raluca helped us navigating the complicated green card process. She submitted the application for the whole family, which was then approved extremely quickly. Thanks to Raluca we avoided various potential problems. Raluca is friendly and very efficient and we recommend her highly.
Posted by David | January 11, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent help during my immigration process
My wife and I hired Raluca to help our through my immigration process as the spouse of an American. Raluca explained the process to us thoroughly, gave us actionable advice, remained responsive thorough the whole undertaking answering any questions we had to our satisfaction, prepared me for my interview, helped us make the right decision when the U.S. consulate gave me inaccurate advice, and after I immigrated she fixed with USCIS an error that CBP had made so I could get the IR1 that corresponded to my case instead of the CR-1 they had incorrectly assigned to me. The whole time we felt well taken care of and knew we could always count on her professionalism and responsiveness. I would hire again without thinking twice and as a matter of fact I most likely will hire her again when the time arrives for me to naturalize.
Read less
Posted by Jennifer | March 11, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Professional with great communication
My husband first met Raluca at a free consultation for students, and based on that positive interaction, we hired her to handle his immigration case. She was easy to work with, anticipated questions, prepared all documents in a timely fashion, and was very straightforward. She took time to explain everything thoroughly and responded to even our littlest questions promptly, even during evening and weekend hours. She and her team made what is a notoriously confusing, scary, and frustrating process as easy as possible. As we finished up successfully 4.5 years later, she also left the door open for future questions. We would enthusiastically choose her again for any immigration concerns that come up in the future.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | January 10, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
An Amazing Lawyer, above 5 stars!!!
Let me start by saying retaining Attorney Vais-Ottosen as my immigration lawyer is one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life! She has successfully assisted me in navigating this complex immigration system (2019-2020). She is what I believe every lawyer should be like. She is meticulous, she listens to you carefully before advising, and she ALWAYS responds in a timely manner. I have never had to worry about if she will get back to me soon. I was more shocked by how quickly she responds when I reach out to her. She will always tell you what the law states and not what "you want to hear", and that right there is the quality of a lawyer who wants the best outcome for your case. I highly recommend Attorney Vais-Ottosen for your immigration needs.
Read less
Posted by Julien | January 6, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent immigration lawyer
We were referred by a friend to Raluca to update my immigration status from a work visa to a permanent resident status after getting married to a US citizen. Raluca was professional, highly knowledgeable and very helpful to navigate the immigration process and different forms to fill up. As well as all the additional documentation needed to justify my change of status. We cannot thank her enough to have helped us through this long and difficult process. And could not have done it without her.
Read less
Posted by Alice | July 24, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Knowledgeable, clear, and professional
Raluca has represented me for the last several years. From the start, it was clear that my case was in the best hands. Raluca walked me through the process step by step, answered my many questions clearly (and sometimes multiple times), and was very knowledgeable. She is extremely detail-oriented and provided additional guidance when needed. Raluca and her assistant, Julie Wilcox, communicated promptly and professionally throughout the whole process. I have been recommending her for the last couple of years and am thrilled to continue to do so here.
Read less
Posted by Alex | February 21, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Communication
After consulting with several lawyers, Raluca was the stand out in her communication and confidence in taking our case and we were not disappointed in hiring her. She clearly laid out the process for us and responded to all of our questions and concerns thoroughly. Both her and Julie, the Legal Assistant, replied to emails quickly and guided us through each step, making us feel well valued. We would highly recommend Raluca to anyone with legal immigration needs.
Read less
Posted by Gabriela | August 24, 2014
very professional and efficient
Attorney Vais-Ottosen was very knowledgeable about my green card process and she was able to adequately explain the process at every step. She always responded to my inquiries on time and with great detail. I strongly recommend her and I will undoubtedly trust her with my immigration issues in the future. Thank you Raluca!!!
View all reviews
View less reviews

Cost

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Contact for Details

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Partner, Immigration Attorney
  • DeWitt LLP
  • 2015 - Present
  • Attorney
  • Murphy Desmond S.C.
  • 2012 - 2015
  • Law Clerk/Attorney
  • Lopez Law Group, LLC
  • 2011 - 2012
  • Law Clerk/Attorney
  • Dan M Scheuermann Law Firm
  • 2004 - 2012
  • Research Assistant
  • Paul M Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University
  • 2004 - 2004
View all work experience

Education

  • Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University
  • LL.M - Master of Laws
  • 2004
  • Spiru Haret Univeristy Law School
  • LL.B/JD - Juris Doctor
  • 2002
  • Petru Rares National College
  • BS - Bachelor of Science
  • 1997

Associations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (Wisconsi
  • Treasurer
  • 2023 - Present
  • Big Oak Childcare Center
  • Board of Directors
  • 2018 - Present
  • Community Immigration Law Center
  • Secretary
  • 2013 - Present
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 2012 - Present
  • Dane County Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2012 - Present
  • Community Immigration Law Center
  • Board of Directors
  • 2011 - Present
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (Wisconsi
  • Secretary
  • 2022 - 2023
  • Literacy Network
  • Board of Directors
  • 2016 - 2020
  • American Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2014 - 2018
  • Community Immigration Law Center
  • Volunteer Attorney
  • 2009 - 2011
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • Romanian

Honors and Awards

  • 2018 Pro Bono Honor Society
  • Wisconsin Access to Justice
  • 2019
  • 2017 Pro Bono Honor Society
  • Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission
  • 2018
  • Jack DeWitt Pro Bono Attorney of the Year
  • DeWitt Ross and Stevens SC
  • 2017

Publications

View all publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Attracting Global Talent Webinar: Employers’ Guide to Understanding & Navigating US Work Visas
  • Work Visas
  • 2022
  • Our immigration system is broken! How did we get here, and where exactly is here?
  • Immigration law
  • 2021
  • Pitfalls For The Specialized Lawyer – Ethical And Practical Implications
  • Ethical Implications for Specialized Lawyers
  • 2016
  • Law School Guest Speaker/Instructor
  • I-9 Employer Sanctions
  • 2016
  • James E. Doyle American Inn of Court
  • Pitfalls For The Specialized Lawyer – Ethical And Practical Implications, Panelist
  • 2016
  • Law School Guest Speaker/Instructor
  • Start-up Visa Options
  • 2015
  • Hispanic Heritage Month, Immigration Q&A Panel
  • Immigration Law and Updates
  • 2014
  • Public presentation
  • I-601A Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver
  • 2013
  • Continuing Legal Education
  • I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
  • 2013
  • Public presentation
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
  • 2012
View all speaking engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (3)
Given (2)
Endorse Raluca
David Eli Larson headshot
David Larson
Immigration Attorney | Aug 13
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Ottosen is experienced, is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and limits her practice to immigration matters."
Gini L. Hendrickson headshot
Gini Hendrickson
Immigration Attorney | Oct 16
Relationship: Co-worker
"Raluca is an excellent attorney. She is knowledgeable, dedicated, and well-respected. She zealously advocates for her clients and achieves great results. I highly recommend her."
Christian K. Lassen II headshot
Christian Lassen
Unknown Attorney | Aug 31
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."
Lindsey M. Anderson headshot
Lindsey Anderson
Divorce and separation
Gini L. Hendrickson headshot
Gini Hendrickson
Estate planning
Madison Immigration Lawyer Raluca Vais Ottosen
Raluca Vais Ottosen
Immigration Attorney
Madison, WI
Licensed for 15 years
Message