Melissa Jane Chavin
About Melissa
Biography
Based in London, UK, Chavin Immigration Law Office helps visitors come to the United States for work and leisure. She assists businesses bringing employees to the US and helps individuals obtain US visas and evidence of US citizenship. Melissa Chavin is the sole practitioner at Chavin Immigration Law Office, and she maintains an office address in the US. She is fluent in Russian and served companies in Moscow and around the world for many years at the international firms Clifford Chance and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP. Her current practice areas: advice for students and visitors to the US, US citizenship, entrepreneur/ investor visas, and marriage based immigrant visas.
Practice Areas
1
Practice Area
Fees and Rates
Cost
Always
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Connecticut for 26 years
State: Connecticut
Acquired: 1999
No misconduct found
Licensed in New York for 30 years
State: New York
Acquired: 1995
No misconduct found
Licensed in Texas for 27 years
State: Texas
Acquired: 1998
No misconduct found
Location
Chavin Immigration Law Office
707 Skokie Bl, Ste 600-6026, Northbrook, IL, 60062
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Melissa Jane Chavin's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
5 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Posted by Family’s Visitor Visa Delay Resolved Quickly | October 18, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Immigration
Family’s Visitor Visa Delay Resolved Quickly
Highly recommend. Our B1/B2 visas went into administrative processing after the interviews, with a risk of going into a long and opaque 2 year process. Melissa's advice was to expediently follow up with the Embassy and send them additional information - she was very fast to put together a letter and ...
Posted by anonymous | July 18, 2017 | Immigration
Brilliant immigration advice
Melissa assisted me with getting a spousal visa and did a fantastic job. She was very thorough reviewing my documents and gave great advice. She also suggested a few extra documents to bring to the interview at the embassy which were not included on their Required Documents list, which were in fact a...
Posted by Danica | October 11, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Immigration
Great immigration lawyer
Ms. Chavin greatly helped me get through a tough situation regarding my immigration status. She made everything simple and explained the necessary steps I had to take in order to obtain my visa. She assisted in every step and answered every question I had, no matter how small. She was amazing and I r...
Posted by anonymous | April 29, 2009 | Immigration
great service at reasonable cost
the title said it all: I strongly recommend her to any business that has immigration issues. She did two assignments: in one my company needed to find a way to legally bring a person to work for us, and the second was to get a visa for a person already in the country. Both times we were successful.
Posted by anonymous | January 23, 2008
Great Immigration advice
Recommend Melissa! Knowledgeable and trustworthy, she will make time to listen to you and will come up with great solutions tailored to your particular situation. Would definitely use her again
Melissa Jane Chavin's Lawyer Endorsements
"Attorney Melissa Jane Chavin is one of the best speakers on current legal immigration updates. She is refined and knowlegeable practitioner with a passion to make a difference for her immigration clients."
Ethics and professional responsibility lawyer | Apr 29
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Melissa Chavin has organized wonderful ethics CLEs for immigration lawyers. Her efforts have been very valuable to the immigration bar and consequently redound to the benefit of clients."
Immigration lawyer
Experience
Honors
2019
Robert "Bob" Heiserman Memorial Award, American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District Chapter-EMEA)
1991
Silberberg Scholarship, University of Connecticut School of Law
Work Experience
2016 - Present
Of Counsel, Heller Immigration Law PLLC, the law practice of Steven D. Heller
2007 - Present
Principal Attorney, Chavin Immigration Law Office
1998 - 1999
Associate, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
1996 - 1998
Associate, Clifford Chance
1994 - 1995
Moscow Based Legal Advisor, Urban Institute
Associations
2022 - Present
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)Executive Committee Member
2025 - 2026
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)Chapter Chair
2021 - 2024
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)ExCom Liaison and Chair, Government Liaison Committee
2018 - 2020
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)Chair, Membership Relations Committee
2015 - 2016
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)Member, Fall Conference Committee
2014 - 2015
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District Chapter)Chair, Ethics & UPL Committee
2013 - 2014
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)Member, Practice Management Committee
2013 - 2018
American Immigration Lawyers AssociationMember, AILA national Ethics Committee
2012 - 2013
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Rome District chapter)Member, Ethics & Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
2012 - 2014
Munich Bar AssociationMember
2007 - 2012
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Chicago chapter)Chair, Ethics & Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
Sample of Legal Cases
Approval Soon After Denial
Education
1994
JD - Juris Doctor
1990
MA - Masters
1990
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2025
The Russians Are Not Coming?: Communicating with Consular Posts and the National Visa Center
2025
Conference Introduction and Hot Topics
2025
2024
Weird and Wonderful B’s: Less Common Visitor Visas for Business
2024
What You CEAC Is What You Get: The Consular Electronic Application Center
2024
Out of Africa: Updates and Experiences with Consular Posts in Africa
2024
2023
Ethical Issues that Arise with Immigrant Visa Processing
2023
Taking Flight Bound for the US - Immigration Advisory Program in the United Kingdom
2023
Joint Representation and Conflicts of Interest: What to Do When Your Clients Break Up (Ethics)
2022
Working or "Just Visiting"? B-1 Law for Multinational Employers to Gig Workers
2022
Mind the Gap: Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas
2022
Identifying and Ethically Handling Fraud in Marriage Cases
2021
The Impact of COVID on Practicing Immigration Law
2021
Strategies for Returning Residents
2020
2019
How Has Your Practice Changed Since President Trump Took Office?
2019
Travel Ban: When Does It Apply in Visa Applications
2019
2019
Navigating the Ever-Changing Consular Processing Maze
2018
2018
2017
Current State and Future Outlook for the EB-5 Programme
2017
2017
Mysteries of the DS-160 and other consular communication secrets in the age of Technology
2017
2017
2016
2016
Application of Model Rule 1.2(d) to Immigration Practice
2015
AILA Ethics Compendium LIVE
2015
2014
Engagement Letter: General Contract Clauses
2014
Ethics - When Can [a Lawyer] Go Too Far?
2014
Use of Technology in the Modern Immigration Practice
2013
Practicing Abroad: Opening Bank Accounts & Managing Client Money
2013
2012
Engagement Letters: Dual Representation Clauses
2012
Ethical Considerations for Small Firms Practicing Abroad
2012
Client Trust Accounts: New Rules in Illinois
2012
Ethics Honky Tonk Jam Session
2011
Professional Ethics for New Immigration Lawyers: A Tasting Menu
2011
Ethics of Limited Representation & 3rd Party Payors in Immigration Practice
2011
US Citizenship: The Next Step After Green Card
2011
After Termination of Representation: Clients Rights & Attorneys Responsibilities
2011
Engagement Letters: Scope of Representation & Basic Contract Terms
2011
Advances for Fees & Retainers: Four Years after Dowling
2010
2010
Ethical Issues in Immigration Practice
2010
Round Table - Full Group Q & A
2010
Attorney Speech in Social Media
2009
Dual Representation in the Business Immigration Context
Publications
2017
2017
2016
2016
2015
2015
2014
2014
2012
2011
2011
2011
2009
Languages
Russian
English
German
Activity
Legal Guides