Alison Yew

Alison Yew

Immigration Attorney at San Jose, CA

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Best lawyer I've met so far

I've worked with multiple lawyers in the past for my immigration issue, and none of them compare with the precision, care and competence as Alison. The first lawyer actually caused my family to lose our legal standing in America, giving birth to our immigration issue in the first place. The lawyer I worked with before I met Alison was extremely pessimistic and did not have a heart to help. I paid him for all the work he did on my case, but towards the end of it he refused to turn in the final application, saying he would not a work on a futile case. When I gathered my files and documents from him, there was a copious amount of information that was missing or invalid. My case would have been without a doubt a failure if I had continued with him. My family and I wasted too much time and money on incompetent lawyers that placed us in a worse situation before their 'professional help'. Thankfully, a mutual friend introduced me to Alison. She was extremely friendly and helpful from the beginning. Despite all of the confusing mis-information on my files due to the previous lawyers, she finished my case within mere weeks. She works extremely quickly so you'd better be prepared to keep up with her speed! She probably would have been done even faster if I hadn't procrastinated haha. She kept me informed of important dates and new laws that pertained to my case even after we were done working together. She really has a heart to help people, whereas so many other lawyers are indifferent to your situation and only seek the compensation we offer. I am extremely grateful to have met her, and would definitely recommend her to anyone!

Honest, efficient, very straight forward, most important! worth every $ spent

Alison helped me a lot, she is very knowledgeable, from immigration law to business law. She go knows exactly what she is doing. She helped me with writing business agreement, sales contract. most important, she saved my business from an vexatious litigant, who wasted me and my company a lot of my money and time. I called other victims, and none of their lawyer actually can make judge grand the motion to make this guy a vexatious litigant. which means, this loser (he doesn't have money, so he got all fees waived and he sued 20+ companies randomly) can keep wasting our time and money until someone like Alison stopped him. thank you! Alison.

About Alison

Learn Alison’s areas of practice.

Practice area

Immigration

100%

I practice all aspects of immigration law. I enjoy working with my clients to find creative solutions to their immigration issues so they may work and live in the United States lawfully.

30 years

ALISON YEW WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE COMPLEX IMMIGRATION SYSTEM WITH INTEGRITY AND PROFESSIONALISM.

I am a California State Bar Board Certified Legal Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law. I have 25 years of legal experience. I founded this 100% immigration law practice in San Jose in 2013. Because of our laser focus in this ever-changing legal field, we are deeply experienced and have a diversed immigration law practice, including employment immigration, family immigration, and citizenship through naturalization. Some of our cases include representing US-based companies hire highly skilled foreign workers through employment immigration and permanent work visas, including PERM processing, I-140 petitions under EB-1, EB-2, I-129 petitions for H-1B and L-1 visas, and other treaty visas such as TN visas. I've counseled many foreign investors on how to obtain a green card through the EB-5 investor visa program.

The most fulfilling achievement is being able to unite families through family immigration visas or green cards.

I bring a personal understanding of the immigration experience to my work. I was born in Hong Kong, and my family and I came to the U.S. when I was a child. My husband is a naturalized US citizen who came from Egypt.

Education

Alison received her undergraduate degree (B.A.) in Psychology from the University of California in San Diego, in 1988. After working a few years at a law firm in San Francisco, Alison attended the University of San Francisco School of Law and obtained her Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1994.

Professional Qualifications and Other Experience

Alison has been a member in good standing of the California State Bar since 1994. She has been admitted to the Northern and Eastern U.S. Federal District Courts of California. She is also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a national organization of lawyers who practice and teach immigration law and who are dedicated to promoting justice, advocating for fair and reasonable immigration policies and law, and providing quality immigration and nationality legal services.

While in law school, Alison was active with the university’s Criminal Law Clinic, tutored other students through the university’s Academic Support Program, and taught general law education to 8th grade students through the university’s Street Law Program. In her last year, Alison was a student judicial extern for the Honorable Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar at the California Court of Appeal. Justice Werdegar is now on the California Supreme Court bench.

Photos and videos

Licensed for 28 years

State CA

Status Active

Acquired 1994

Updated 11/28/2022

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

Contact Alison

Yew Immigration Law Group, a. P.C.

(844) 535-9387 Office

1155 N. FIRST STREET

#111

San Jose, CA, 95112

yewlegal.com/

Message Get Directions

Reviews

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5.0 / 5.0

23 customer reviews

5 Star

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4 Star

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1 Star

Posted by Jay | March 11, 2015

Best lawyer I've met so far

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Posted by Vincent | August 5, 2013

Honest, efficient, very straight forward, most important! worth every $ spent

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Posted by Tim | August 25, 2022

Support for retrunting to US with non-resident family

After living abroad for many years, it became time to move back to the US as soon as possible and get immigrant visas my non-citizen wife and child to take care of aging parents. Responses from law firms recommended online for the immigration process varied from low responsiveness, to poor clarifications, to more focused on a high-budget customer group. Alison and Yew Immigration Law Group stood out as the one, highly recommended team who answered immigration questions clearly; set realistic expectations on timing and process; laid out what would be required of us and what we could do ourselves; provided clarifications of steps, goals and costs, and importantly, was generous with smart perspective. Her input, from the first call, shed light on an understandable green card application process. After choosing to start the process myself, I realized that the substantial work of assembling the required documents, history, records, translations etc. was on us either way, but the skill of navigating the process was only going to be effectively done through good legal support. With Alison and team working on our case, the process picked up speed, pushed through stalls, and considerately addressed outside-US adoptions. Guidance was clear and thoughtful, and support was readily available through all steps. As a result, we received permanent residence feeling support and excitement but little stress, both important for a family move. I would gladly work with Alison and Yew Immigration Law Group again.

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Posted by Yanpeng | April 6, 2022

Very helpful!

Alison and her team are very professional, capable, efficient, and helpful. I knew her about five years ago by one friend when another lawyer failed my L1 case. Alison successfully helped me get my L1 visa and the renewal one year later. Recently, one of her team member, Michael also helped my wife, nearly 60, successfully get her status from B1 to F1 under very tough situation. Highly recommend!

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Posted by anonymous | March 14, 2022

Best immigration lawyer

I highly recommend Alison and her legal team. They have provided me with world-class legal support on two immigration-related issues. I cannot express my gratitude enough for Alison and team for the professional help they provided to me and my family.

Posted by Kunal | December 22, 2021

Highly Recommend

I don't usually write reviews, but the support I had received from the firm was exceptional. My case was regarding change of status to Permanent Resident. I referred to them by a friend in late 2020 during peak COVID, with all the uncertainties around us. We got our petition approved and could not be happier :) Alison and her team were extremely helpful during the process. 1) Responsive: I received timely response to all my queries and Alison took time to explain certain nuances even though she did not need to 2) Knowledgeable: She and the team clearly have grasp on the law and how it evolves. For example, I received a particular RFE which would have required me to gather lot of documents - putting additional stress. Alison informed me of a changing law and that we should wait. We followed her advice and next week received a letter informing not to respond to RFE. 3) Organized & detailed: I liked that everything was organized on their online folders etc. They also caught few errors as I was providing my info. Overall, I highly recommend her and the team.

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Posted by Monique | October 18, 2021

Alison YEW = Mrs Top Efficiency!

'Efficiency' indeed is the exact word that characterizes Alison YEW of YEW IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP, a P.C. - I approached her firm in order to obtain a Green Card. First, very clearly the whole procedure was explained to me, all documents were soon gathered, verified and submitted. It was then just a question of 'waiting' during which, at regular intervals, based on the various stages of the USCIS requirements, Alison kept in touch ... to finally announce to me that my 'so desired' Green Card was on its way to my home. It is amazing how a First Class Immigration Lawyer can simply transform what could be a 'paperwork nightmare' into a 'total peace of mind accomplishment'. Thank you so much Alison!

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Response from Alison Yew November 16, 2021

Thank you for your feedback. We much appreciate your time to complete the review. We wish you all the best!

Posted by anonymous | October 7, 2021

Highly recommend!

I came to Alison and Yew Immigration after receiving a request for evidence following my naturalization interview. This was the third attorney I had contacted for help with my case, and none of them were able to give me advice about my specific situation. Alison immediately found a route we could take and was extremely helpful and responsive as we built the case. I was ultimately successful in getting citizenship and I owe it all to them!! Highly recommend working with them as they truly care and will guide you through what can be a very stressful process.

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Response from Alison Yew November 20, 2021

Thank you for your feedback! We love solving problems! We wish you all the best! ”

Posted by Phuong Tran | April 2, 2021

Best attorney!

I write this review to attorney Yew and her team, including Michael and Veronica, for their professionalism and good law service that they provide. Attorney Yew helped me to response to a change of status case of form I-539 during Covid time when all the timeline and deadline were messed up. My case was approved in 7 days, super fast compared to most cases. She helped me for my non-immigration visa case with USCIS, in which most law offices did not take in the case. I would highly recommended attorney Yew.

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Response from Alison Yew November 20, 2021

Thank you for taking the time to send your feedback. We wish you all the best! ”

Posted by Zhuo | January 26, 2020

Thank You Allison!

I needed to consult with an immigration attorney to fight my deportation order. After meeting with Allison Yew, I know my case is in good hands. Allison is very knowledgeable about immigration and criminal law. She is looking for all the possible way she can help me. I had many attorney for my case before. Allison is the kindest and smartest one of them all. If you are looking for someone to fight for your immigration right. I highly recommend having Allison as your attorney.

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Response from Alison Yew November 20, 2021

Thank you for your feedback. We wish you all the best!

Posted by Clyde | July 15, 2018

Incredible Immigration Lawyer

Alison is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and communicative. Under the current administration, immigration VISA is often subject to excessive scrutiny, and every petition has become an uphill battle. I have received two RFEs that are difficult in different ways, and Alison helped me get approved in both cases. She has an in-depth understanding of not only how immigration laws and regulations work but also the inner-workings of USCIS. Alison has a calm personality and always responds to my questions quickly, making difficult moments a lot less stressful. I can not thank her enough and I can not recommend her highly enough. FIVE STARS!

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Posted by Lisa | August 6, 2016

Alison Yew is a SUPER STAR attorney

I cannot recommend Alison Yew’s talent and expertise highly enough. She is simply one of the very best lawyers you could ever be fortunate enough to have chosen, and you can wholeheartedly feel assured that once you have chosen Alison as your attorney, you will feel 100% confident that she will move heaven and earth to see your case through with no stone left unturned. Her diligence, perseverance, and detailed knowledge about my case was stellar and impressed me over and over, time and time again. I know of no other person I would have entrusted to have helped me through the extremely stressful and difficult time my legal case presented to me. Although my situation was outside of her normal focus, which is immigration, and had to do with an unlawful rental situation I was involved with as a plaintiff, she heroically offered to take my case on a contingency basis, allowing me to pursue a legal course of remediation I otherwise would not have had the means to pursue. She came to me as the guardian angel she in fact IS, offering to help me, and she saw me through to the very end. I can never thank Alison enough. Again, her knowledge and persistence, her invaluable assertiveness, timeliness, and commitment to my case were instrumental in achieving an optimal outcome. Her personal support throughout the ordeal was as equally appreciated. She is not only an expert litigator, she is also one of the very nicest and most compassionate people you could ever know, and her integrity and faithfulness to my cause were unceasing. She repeatedly gave me renewed hope whenever I started feeling frightened or defeated, and I not only felt that I had an exemplary lawyer supporting me, I also felt that I had a real and trusted friend who cared deeply and sincerely about my welfare. Someone like Alison, who can see us in our most vulnerable and fragile states and continue to provide encouragement all along the way, is alone worth her weight in gold. Legal issues are frequently not merely technical; they often carry some deep and painful corresponding emotions. Alison was the cure for both, a reliable and trusted captain steering us both capably through the dark and stormy legal waters. I would recommend this woman to anyone and everyone. She is a shining star, and will most likely be your lucky star.

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Response from Alison Yew May 22, 2018

Thank you, Lisa, for your unqualified endorsement. I am always humbled by the comments I read on the effect I had on my clients. I am happy to have served you.

Posted by Gazelle | February 28, 2016

I became a citizen 10 days ago thanks to Alison.

Alison accepted my citizenship case after I had submitted the form 400. My case was kind of tricky because I had 2 long stays out of the US, and I was pretty much worried that my case got rejected. Meeting with Alison was kind of relief for me. She was by my side for all the journey I had with her great ideas. she helped me to put together some documentation and was present in my interview session. I recommend Alison if you have an immigration case and need a good support!

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Response from Alison Yew August 6, 2016

Thank you for your review. It was my pleasure to have worked with you. Thank you for entrusting me with such a personal journey.

Posted by Regina | December 15, 2015

GREAT LAWYER!!

Alison, thank you so much for being the angel I was looking for. In December 2014 I hired a different attorney and started the process of my citizenship. A few months after my interview I received a letter saying my citizenship was denied. The denial was because an error in one of the documents which the attorney didn’t catch. The attorney told me there was nothing left to be done and all I could do is renew my Green Card. The attorney even said I was never going to be able to be a citizen unless the laws would change. I was devastated, I cried almost everyday, I couldn’t eat/ sleep. I had one month to figure things out because I was not going to sit down with my arms crossed even though the attorney said I had no chance. I contacted many lawyers/attorneys and to be honest none of them were able to give me a concrete answer. Luckily, I found Alison’s office information randomly searching online. She had great reviews, so I sent her an email. I met her two days after in person and she was indeed the angel I was looking for. She said I had good chances to appeal and become a US citizen if I was able to prove with the correct documents that it was an error. I hired Alison right away and she started the process of my appeal. She was great at getting back to me via email and phone. She was even working on July 4th to make sure everything was submitted in time since I had little time before the denial decision was final. I became US citizen a week ago and I couldn’t be happier and more thankful. Thank you very much, Alison. I highly recommend Alison as an attorney especially if you have troubles with your application.

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Response from Alison Yew August 6, 2016

Thank you so much for your honest review and feedback. I couldn't do my work were it not for clients such as yourself, who are brave enough to fight on and take the road less traveled. If you had given up on this fight, no attorney, no matter how vigilant they may be, could have helped you. Thank you for the opportunity to walk this road with you.

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Posted by Julie | November 11, 2015

Thank you Alison for not giving up on my case!

If you're looking for a lawyer who's outstanding, knowledgable with great work ethic, I'd highly recommend Alison. Among many lawyers I had consulted regarding my complicated naturalization case, ONLY Alison told me not to give up, and ONLY Alison went out of her way to find out the correct answer for my case. On top of that, beyond my imagination, she did not ask me to pay for her time & efforts, which you must know is a rare thing in this immigration "world". I am incredibly grateful to Alison for saving my citizenship application. My oath ceremony wouldn't have happened without her help. Thanks again Alison!

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Response from Alison Yew November 23, 2015

Thank you, Julie!

Posted by Adam | September 11, 2015

Excellent Immigration Attorney

I hired Alison 9 months before my permanent resident card was about to expire to help me become a naturalized citizen. She was great to work with every step of the way from the time we first met to discuss my history in the country through the interview. I would highly recommend hiring Alison if you have any doubts or concerns in applying for citizenship, she was very knowledgable and seemed to have experience with any question I had for her. During the interview at the immigration offices she was able interject on certain areas which I believe had a huge benefit. Overall I give Alison 5 stars!

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Posted by Nasir Rasul | August 28, 2015

Thorough and efficient

I hired Alison to process my green card application. She was very through. She asked me a bunch of documents, which took 2 weeks to prepare, but the result was that I had my green card in 3.5 months. I gave her my application on 15th Feb, and had my green card on Jun 7. She reviewed and made sure all the required documents were there, and correct the first time around. We went with the one step application, so everything was submitted togather. I know of people who self filed, and took significantly longer to have their applications processed. Her efficiency, thoroughness and professionalism impressed me. I will use her again if the need arises. I already trust her judgment to ask for referrals for legal matters which she does not deal in.

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Posted by Cheri | July 24, 2015

The stars were in our favor

I was tired of all the misinformation I was getting from different people about immigration rights and such. I went online and told my story. The stars were in my favor. Alison Yew got my message and helped me and my husband of 19 yrs finally get his work permit and we are now working on his green card. Alison is great and very easy to talk to; she is very compassionate and the best Lawyer anyone could ask for. I would give her 10 stars if it was possible. I would recommend her to anyone having problems with immigration. When it was time to go to the Immigration office for our appt, Alison went with us. I felt it was like going into combat and I had the best weapon available in the world. It was Alison Yew. She is the best Lawyer and friend anyone could ask for. Thank You.

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Posted by Alina | February 5, 2015

Excellent!

If we could give Alison 10 Stars, we definitely would! We recommend her to anyone looking for someone who can get the job done. She is incredibly professional, passionate about what she does, she went the extra mile to make sure everything got done, she got back to us quickly whenever we called or sent her a message, she reminded us of things that we needed to get done, all in all - we don't know what we would have done without her. As my husband and I were talking about the way Alison works, we said that we haven't seen someone working with such excellence in a long time.

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Posted by Romeo | June 27, 2014

Topnotch lawyer

Alison was very helpful and reassuring. She helped me with my naturalization application. She was very patient during whole process of my application. I called her up many times and she would respond promptly even if it was after office hours. She's very professional :)

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Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 8.5 (Excellent)

Work Experience

CEO and Owner
Yew Immigration Law Group, a. P.C.
2013 - Present

Partner
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith
2005 - 2013

Associate
Vogl & Meredith, LLP
2000 - 2005

Research Attorney
Superior Court Of Santa Clara County
1998 - 2000

Associate
Jeffrey J. Chang and Associates
1994 - 1998

View all work experience

Education

University of San Francisco School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1994

University of California - San Diego
BA - Bachelor of Arts
1988

Legal Cases

In Re R.H.
Decision of denial reversed (naturalization approved)

In Re R.H.
Lawful Permanent Residence approved

Associations

Provisors
Member
2016 - Present

American Immigration Lawyers Association (Northern California chapter)
Member
2011 - Present

State Bar of California
Member
1994 - Present

BNI Business Network International
Vice President
2015 - 2017

BNI Business Networking International
Member
2015 - 2018

View all associations

Languages Spoken

Cantonese

Honors and Awards

Moot Court Best Brief
University of San Francisco School of Law
1994

Publications

Yew Immigration Law Group Blog
Beware of Old Deportation Orders
2018

O visas for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement
O visas for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement
2018

P VISAS: TEMPORARY VISAS FOR RECOGNIZED ATHLETES AND ARTISTS
P VISAS: TEMPORARY VISAS FOR RECOGNIZED ATHLETES AND ARTISTS
2018

High demand for limited number of H-1B visas expected
High demand for limited number of H-1B visas expected
2018

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2017

Website
What is the EB-5 Investment Visa Program
2013

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Speaking Engagements

Right to Thrive
DACA Eligibility
2018

Provisor's San Jose II Meeting
What's new in immigration for 2018
2017

Mike's Meet Up - Networking
Immigration Basics
2017

BNI San Jose Highrise Chapter
Marriage-Based Green cards
2016

BNI San Jose Highrise Chapter
Naturalization basics
2016

BNI San Jose High Rise Connections Meeting
Immigration Law Governance Basics
2015

BNI San Jose High Rise Connections Meeting
Visa Basics
2015

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Attorney endorsements

Received (14)

Given (8)

Endorse Alison

Moumita Rahman

Immigration Attorney | Aug 19
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Kathy Hensley

Immigration Attorney | Apr 19
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Alison Yew is one of those lawyers to whom you don’t hesitate to refer clients. Not only is she knowledgeable about immigration law, but she offers creative solutions in cases that offer special challenges. Her communication and rapport with clients is exceptional –she keeps clients updated on case developments and is quick to respond to any questions. With every aspect of her practice, Alison shows that she really cares about her work and her clients."

Ruben Ruiz

Immigration Attorney | Aug 04
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked with Ms. Yew in the past and she is an excellent attorney. She is a fierce advocate for her clients and has a proven record of success. I recommend her for any matter involving immigration."

Keri Avellini

Immigration Attorney | Sep 25
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I can absolutely speak to the high quality of service you will receive from Alison. Not is she only a smart and meticulous attorney, she truly cares about helping her clients. If you have an immigration issue, you will be in good hands with Alison."

Candice Hamant

Immigration Attorney | Sep 10
Relationship: Co-worker

"I've known Alison Yew for 18 years. Alison is an exception attorney! She leaves no stone unturned when examining options for her clients. She has integrity, passion and a sense of fairness. I highly recommend Alison."

Winnie Yeung

Litigation Attorney | Jun 27
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Ms. Yew is very approachable, personable, reliable, and knowledgeable with respect to all aspects of immigration law. Above all, her court room presence and oral advocacy skills surmount her peers. You can always count on Ms. Yew to properly evaluate your issues and provide an honest opinion about the outcome. I would highly recommend Ms. Yew for any legal issues beyond those pertaining to immigration."

David Little

Litigation Attorney | Jun 10
Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse Alison Yew as a litigator. She is smart, ethical, and compassionate. I worked with Alison at a prior firm for approximately four years and have no complaints."

William Buranich

Immigration Attorney | Jun 10
Relationship: Co-worker

"Alison has a great working knowledge not only of the law, but of the legal system- a combination that allows her to provide the highest quality representation for her clients."

William Housley

Immigration Attorney | Jun 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Talented and well respected in legal community."

John O'Brien

Immigration Attorney | Jun 04
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"An extremely talented and well respected attorney in the legal community, I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a lawyer who knows the law and truly cares about protecting the rights of her clients and getting them the most favorable result possible."

Michael Eng

Litigation Attorney | Mar 13
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Without reservation, I endorse Alison. She is a very accomplished attorney who possesses the unique qualities of intellectual prowess and compassion in advocating for her clients."

Christian Lassen

Unknown Attorney | Oct 26
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."

Otto Lee

Litigation Attorney | Aug 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I wholeheartedly endorse this outstanding lawyer for her utmost integrity and professionalism. I have known her personally for over twenty years and she has two decades of litigation experience and I will trust her with the most complex type of cases. I give her my strongest recommendation."

Barbara Williams

Immigration Attorney | Jul 27
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Alison is an extremely competent litigator as well as immigration attorney. I highly recommend her as a colleague for even the most complex of cases."

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