Katya Stelmakh

Katya Stelmakh

also known as Kate Stelmakh

4.9
Rating: 7.8

Licensed for 20 years

Immigration Lawyer at Seattle, WA
Practice Areas: Immigration

12535 15th Ave NE, Suite 218, Seattle, WA

About Katya

Biography

Practice Areas

1

Practice Area

Immigration 100%

Katya Stelmakh represents a broad variety of domestic and international clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 100 companies and startup businesses. Focus on work, transfer, and investor visas for tech, real estate development & services firms.

20 years | 163 cases

100%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in Pennsylvania for 20 years

State: Pennsylvania

Acquired: 2006

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in New Jersey for 19 years

State: New Jersey

Acquired: 2006

Administrative - Not Authorized to Practice

No misconduct found

Location

Stelmakh & Associates, LLC

12535 15th Ave NE, Suite 218, Seattle, WA, 98125

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Katya Stelmakh's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

91 Client Reviews

Showing 31 - 35 of 91 reviews

Posted by anonymous | May 17, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

Exceptional immigration law services

I had the pleasure of working with Katya Stelmakh on my EB1A petition, and I can confidently say she is one of the most knowledgeable and strategic immigration lawyers I’ve encountered. From our very first conversation, I was struck by her deep understanding of both immigration law and the nuances of... the tech industry. Her ability to grasp the technical aspects of my background and translate them into a compelling legal case gave me immediate confidence in her approach. Katya’s and her junior attorney Sanjana Bellam’s guidance was clear, thorough, and always tailored to my specific profile. They anticipated potential challenges, addressed them with precision, and helped craft a strong petition that ultimately led to my EB1A approval. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment throughout the process were outstanding. I highly recommend Katya to anyone looking for an attorney who not only understands immigration law but also knows how to present complex technical achievements effectively.

Posted by anonymous | May 15, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

Strongly Not Recommended – a Complete Waste of Time, Money, and Peace of Mind

I spent a long time debating whether to leave this review, but ultimately decided that if my experience can spare even one person from going through the same disappointment — then it’s worth it. When you pay a substantial amount for legal services, you naturally expect professionalism, responsiven...ess, and work that matches the fee. Unfortunately, in my case, I received none of that. What I experienced was complete neglect, lack of communication, and the clear sense that no one actually cared about my case. They would ignore emails for weeks or even months — and seemed to consider this perfectly normal. Multiple staff members were included in email threads, and yet none of them would follow up. When signing the agreement, I emphasized that time was critically important to me. They assured me the case would be prepared within two months. The reality? Seven months, even though I provided all supporting documents and evidence from the very beginning. During this time, I had to chase them through every possible channel — email, phone, messages — just to get any kind of reply. And when I did get responses, they were rare, vague, and unhelpful. In the end, I did most of the casework myself. Around 95% of the documents were prepared by me personally — and to this day I don’t understand what exactly I paid for. The final petition was weak, poorly written, lacked strategic focus, and didn’t include any additional documents to strengthen the case. As I later discovered, there were numerous weaknesses that they simply failed to address. When I received an RFE, it became clear: if I didn’t take full control, the case would be lost. I ended up preparing almost the entire response on my own. Had I waited for them, I would have lost several more months and probably the case altogether. Interview preparation was a disaster as well. These attorneys clearly do not understand the specifics of EB1/O1 visas, and from what I experienced, they don’t seem to know why consulates deny applicants. Everything related to interview strategy, key talking points, and proper preparation was either ignored or handled superficially, without any understanding of what truly matters. In conclusion: If you're looking for genuine legal support from a team that truly understands their area of practice — look elsewhere. With this firm, you’ll lose time, money, and peace of mind, and be left with a result you’ll regret.

Posted by Joe Hamman | May 12, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

Delivered exceptional service that exceeded my expectations

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Katya Stelmakh and her team at Stelmakh & Associates delivered exceptional service that exceeded my expectations. Their expertise was instrumental in helping me successfully navigate the complex O-1A visa application process. From our first consultation, Katya demonstrated exceptional knowle...dge of immigration law and provided clear guidance on what would be needed to build a strong case. Throughout the process, her team was responsive, professional, and thorough. They helped me organize my documentation effectively, prepared me for potential challenges, and kept me informed at every step. What impressed me most was their attention to detail and commitment to presenting my qualifications in the best possible light. Thanks to their dedicated work, my O-1A visa was approved, and I've been able to pursue my professional goals in the United States. If you're looking for immigration legal support, especially for specialized visas like the O-1A, Stelmakh & Associates should be your first choice.

Posted by Aravinda Bommareddy | May 01, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

EB1A approval

I'm thrilled to share my positive experience with Stelmakh Law regarding my EB1A petition. After consulting with several lawyers, Stelmakh Law stood out by thoroughly explaining which criteria were the strongest, convincing me of their expertise in identifying a strong candidate for EB1A. I am deeply... grateful to Dmitry and Katya for their strategic approach in presenting each criterion. They requested various pieces of evidence and guided me in strengthening my petition, ensuring that each criterion was clearly and effectively communicated in the support letter and final merits argument. The process took six months, during which every item was meticulously reviewed multiple times. They skillfully crafted my final petition letter, connecting all the dots with great technique. Ultimately, my efforts were rewarded with the approval of my petition in just 11 working days. I highly recommend the Stelmakh Law team for anyone seeking an effective petition.

Posted by Renhao | April 13, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

NIW petition

I am deeply grateful to Katya and her team at Stelmakh & Associates for their support and professionalism throughout my NIW petition process. Katya took the time to carefully assess my strengths and offered invaluable guidance in building a strong and compelling petition. I truly couldn’t have don...e it without her help. She and her team were always responsive to my questions and consistently produced high-quality documents. There was a minor delay in filing due to some staffing shortages, which coincided with the holiday season. Hopefully, that was a one-off issue. Fortunately, everything went smoothly in the end—my NIW petition was approved, and I sincerely appreciate the team’s dedication and effort. If you're looking for a professional, approachable, and committed team that genuinely cares about your success, I highly recommend Stelmakh & Associates.

See All Client Reviews

Katya Stelmakh's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Katya
Maxim Alexandrovich Voltchenko headshot
Maxim Voltchenko

Immigration lawyer | May 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Jonathan Agins Grode headshot
Jonathan Grode

Immigration lawyer | Mar 07

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Katya and I have worked together on many cases. She is a professional in the truest sense of the word. She is a great lawyer, honest, caring and dedicated. She has a vast knowledge of business immigration and family immigration law. I fully recommend and support her work in the community and on behalf of immigrants across the country."

View All Endorsements
Michael B Galletch headshot
Michael Galletch

Corporate and incorporation lawyer

Jonathan Agins Grode headshot
Jonathan Grode

Immigration lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.8 (Very Good)

Honors

2021

Top 10 Emerging Immigration Law Firms, Manage HR Magazine

2004

CALI Award for Excellence in Comparative Employment Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

2003

John M. Adams Award for Excellence in Constitutional Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

2001

Winner - Belarus national round, Oralist - international round, The Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition

Work Experience

2008 - Present

Owner and Managing Director, Stelmakh & Associates, LLC

2008 - 2008

Contract Attorney, Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP

2005 - 2007

Attorney, Marks & Sokolov

2004 - 2004

Legal Intern, World Bank

2003 - 2003

Legal Intern, Bailey Cavalieri, LLC

Associations

2008 - Present

American Immigration Lawyers Association

Member

Education

2005

Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

N/A

University of Geneva – Duke Law School in Switzerland

Certificate

Speaking Engagements

2024

International CleanTech Meets U.S. Capital Conference EMPOWERING CLEANTECH. Immigration Strategies for Global Innovators

2012

ANNUAL RSPN BUSINESS TRENDS FORUM Entrepreneurship in 2012: Survival or Growth?

Publications

Languages

Russian

Ukrainian

Belarusian

English

Avvo Rating

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