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Christine Marie Contreras

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Avvo Rating7.6
  • Chicago, IL
  • Licensed for 18 years
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About Christine

I have practiced law for over fourteen years and am certified to practice before the state and federal courts in Illinois. I have handled hundreds of different types of family based immigration matters, successfully advocating on behalf of my clients primarily with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as well as the Department of State and U.S. consulates abroad. I have presented and successfully argued hundreds of extreme hardship waivers of different types (unlawful presence, fraud, smuggling, criminal) with USCIS. I continue expanding my knowledge in immigration law and am an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois. As the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and having personally experienced the immigration process from an immigrants perspective, I am extremely dedicated and committed to assisting the immigrant community in a compassionate and professional manner while providing quality legal representation.

 

My current caseload is focused on handling family based immigration matters including residency cases, adjustment of status and consular processing, marriage based and fiancee visas, visas for victims of domestic violence (VAWA), U visas for victims of certain crimes, citizenship and naturalization, deferred action, waivers for unlawful presence, fraud, smuggling, and criminal, provisional waivers, motions to reopen, and appeals.

 

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Practice areas

Immigration
  1. Immigration: 100%

    Family based immigration matters including: residency; consular processing; marriage based and fiancée visas; U visas; citizenship and naturalization; VAWA petitions for victims of domestic violence; deferred action; waivers - for unlawful presence, fraud, smuggling, and criminal; provisional waivers and appeals,

    19 years

Languages spoken

Spanish, English

Photos and videos

1022995 1427572612

1022995 1427572646

Contact

Law Office of Christine Contreras

3058 W. Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL, 60618

    Resume

    License
    StateStatusAcquiredUpdated
    ILActive And Authorized To Practice Law200303/13/2021
    We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.
    Avvo Contributions
    Legal answers7
    Legal guides0
    Work Experience
    TitleCompany nameDuration
    Owner and Attorney at LawLaw Office of Christine Contreras2014 - Present
    Supervising Attorney/ Vice PresidentMid Size Law Firm2008 - 2014
    Associate Attorney/ Junior PartnerCalmec Global Law Group2007 - 2008
    AttorneyLora, Chanthadouangsy andCastellanos LLC2006 - 2007
    AssociateLaw office of Mary L. Sfasciotti2003 - 2005
    Associations
    Association namePosition nameDuration
    Hispanic Lawyers Association of IllinoisMember2014 - Present
    Illinois State Bar AssociationMember2008 - Present
    American Immigration Lawyers AssociationMember2003 - Present
    Education
    School nameDegreeGraduated
    DePaul University College of LawJD - Juris Doctor2000
    DePaul UniversityBA - Bachelor of Arts1997
    Legal cases
    Case nameOutcome
    Unlawful presence waiverA client's waiver was approved by USCIS (Immigration) and I successfully proved that his wife would face extreme emotional, social, familial, financial and medical hardship without him here in the US.

    Reviews

    (7)
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    Review Christine Contreras

    Totalmente agradecida

    Posted by

    Primero agradecer a Dios por aver puesto en nuestro camino a una abogada maravillosa Christine Contreras, gracias a ella logramos odtener la Visa "U" y ahora la recidencia, mi esposo y yo estamos muy agradecidos por que lucho por lograrlo a pezar de tantos ostaculos que se presentaban,es una persona maravillosa,muy profecional y comprometida en su trabajo,siempre nos mantenia al tanto de todo nuestro caso,Siempre fue honesta nunca nos mintio y es algo que no todos los abogados tienen nunca hubo cargos por llamadas o hidas a su despacho si pudiera marcar 10 estrellas en esta pagina lo haria y si la recomiendo y la seguire recomendando por que ya hay muy pocos abogados como ella,Gracias Christine Contreras.
    This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
    Hired attorney

    Couldn’t ask for a better Immigration lawyer! A+++

    Posted by

    Hiring a lawyer to help us handle our immigration process was the best decision we made! Christine was very professional, knowledgeable, thorough and helpful. She made everything easier considering the distance we had and the time zone difference. She’s always available when we needed her, prompt to answer enquiries no matter how small, communicates constantly and was simply there every step of the way. You need a lawyer of her caliber to your side. She was overall outstanding and is now a family friend. We’re extremely grateful to have worked with her. We absolutely recommend her to anyone seeking immigration assistance. Oh and she’s beautiful too!
    This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
    Hired attorney

    Very Happy and Satisfied Client with A++++++ Service

    Posted by

    First of all I want to thank God for guide me to immigration attorney Christine Contreras, getting the right attorney is not an easy task as you may know, specially when there are so many. Mrs. Contreras is very professional, knowledgeable and up to date with the constantly changing immigration laws and procedures, she handled my case which by the way was complicated because of my entry and stay in the U.S. I was basically banned from getting a change of status, I knew I needed to go through the provisional waiver applications process but I also knew my chances of getting approved were low, luckily Mrs. Contreras has a lot of experience in this field, she used everything she could find in my favor, always kept me informed and answer every question I had, she helped me every step of the way, I was seeing application after application being approved and prepared me for the big day, the interview with an immigration officer back in my country, everything ran smoothly. Now I'm very happy and thankful that I made it back to the U.S. as a legal permanent resident, it was a long process but was worth it. I highly recommend Mrs. Christine Contreras as an immigration attorney. Thank you
    This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
    Hired attorney

    A+ Service

    Posted by

    Christine's services were overall outstanding. Her guidance and continuous effective communication made my naturalization process very easy to follow. I am very likely to utilize her services once again in the future, if needed, and I would certainly recommend her to family and friends. Her quality level of services makes one feel in good hands.
    This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
    Hired attorney

    DACA Recipient

    Posted by

    If you are looking for a knowledgeable and trustworthy attorney who knows how to get things done right, and in a promptly manner, Christine is the one for you. When it comes to seeking legal representation, finding the right attorney is half the battle. As inexperienced clients, we all question attorneys’ motives, priorities, and flinch at their high fees. However, when it comes to hiring legal representation, one thing is for sure, one gets what one pays for. A mutual friend referred me to Christine back in 2013. Since, she has successfully helped me with my DACA renewal and is currently working on my citizenship status. In my experience, whenever I have questions or concerns in regards to specifics of my case, Christine is always a simple call away. I have dealt with my share of attorneys in the past and this is not something I can say about most of them. The fact that Christine makes herself available and can answer complex questions in a way that I can understand the answers is the reason why I have stuck with her and will continue to do so in future immigration dealings.
    This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
    Hired attorney

    A++++ Excellent Immigration Attorney!

    Posted by

    Ms. Contreras took my husband's case from fiancé visa all the way to US citizenship. It took 5 years from fiancé immigration to US citizenship and Ms. Contreras stuck with us through thick and thin. We are happily married together in the US because of her work on our case. I highly recommend her for your immigration concerns. She is pleasant, personable, responsive and easy to work with. If not for Ms. Contreras' guidance, advice, and careful attention to detail, my husband and I would not be calling the US home. We are now looking to utilize her services to assist in bringing my husband's father and family to the US. She will continue to be our one and only immigration attorney. You will be very satisfied in utilizing this lawyer and her firm. A++++ all the way!

    A Very Satisfied Client!

    Posted by

    Christine assisted my husband and I through the process of temporary resident and permanent resident. She was very professional through the process and constantly kept us informed. The process seemed daunting and complicated; yet, she explained it In a way that was easy to understand. Whenever we had any questions, she immediately made herself available to assist. She actively listened to our concerns and needs.

    Attorney endorsements

    (6)
    Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

    Dedrick Gordon, Immigration Attorney on Dec 17, 2014
    Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

    I endorse this lawyer. She is a highly skilled immigration attorney, and provides the upmost dedication and professionalism in representing her clients.

    Angela Spalding, Immigration Attorney on Dec 10, 2014
    Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

    I endorse this lawyer. I have known Christine since law school, and have known her to be ethical and hardworking. She is smart and can be trusted to do a fanstastic job for any matter she works on. I refer immigration clients to her knowing that she has the expertise to succeed and provide a positive client experience.

    Lisa Nosek, Immigration Attorney on Dec 10, 2014
    Relationship: Co-worker

    I endorse this lawyer. Christine is knowledgeable and thorough. She is meticulous and diligent in her work.

    Jeffrey Middlesworth, Immigration Attorney on Dec 4, 2014
    Relationship: Worked for lawyer

    I strongly endorse Christine Contreras. She is extremely knowledgable and does not make mistakes. She is one of the top immigration attorneys in the Chicagoland area. Christine takes on, and wins, complicated cases that other attorneys cannot handle.

    Ana Guzman, Immigration Attorney on Oct 23, 2014
    Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

    I have known this attorney professionally for over 10 years, and I consider her to be an excellent immigration attorney. She provides excellent legal representation and counsel, and also practices law with the highest levels of integrity and professionalism.

    Bradley Schencker, Immigration Attorney on Nov 1, 2012
    Relationship: Co-worker

    I endorse this lawyer because of her high level of professionalism she displays and her depth of knowledge. If I were not an American by birth I would demand someone as exceptional as Christine Contreras advocating for me.