Katya Stelmakh

Katya Stelmakh

also known as Kate Stelmakh

4.9
Rating: 7.8

Licensed for 19 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


Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in Pennsylvania for 19 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

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Katya Stelmakh's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

90 Client Reviews

Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Posted by Alexander | February 13, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Limited Liability Company (LLC)

EB-1

Taking a shot at immigration to America initially seemed like a crazy and completely unattainable idea to me. The thought of immigrating to other countries didn't seem as daunting and appealing. I delved into the requirements for the talent green card (EB-1) in the States and realized that I actually... met many criteria. That's when I knew I needed a lawyer. So, I reached out to several top-rated lawyers on Avvo. They responded, and I was taken aback by the prices. Katya’s fees, considering her high rating, turned out to be the most reasonable, and we decided to work together. Katya analyzed my initial data and set a task to "fill in the gaps“ based on the criteria. It's not a quick process, but step by step, I started closing them. Besides meeting the criteria for the case, there were many other things I didn't even suspect. I had to establish an LLC in the United States, preregistering the EIN there, and create a business plan. The goal was to make it clear to the officers reviewing the case that I intended to continue working in America, not just relying on taxpayers. Katya also helped me with all this, providing instructions in addition to closing the criteria. After 10 months of work, we filed the case. The most nerve-wracking part for me began when we received a request for additional evidence (RFE). The officer nitpicked every detail. In a panic, I started detailing where, what, and how things were proved, even though I shouldn't have. But the anxiety had nowhere to go, turning into a detailed response to each of the officer's claims. I sent this document to Katya as the basis for drafting an official response to the RFE. I was pleasantly surprised when I received Katy’as version. While I emphasized cause-and-effect relationships and provided factual evidence in my defense, Katya’s version simply dismantled the officer's claims. As it turned out, 99% of these claims were completely illegitimate. The officer would write, "You provide these pieces of evidence, but they don't fit; give others." In my version, I would provide other evidence, and Katya would write that according to the law, these pieces of evidence are suitable, and the officer is incompetent and exceeding their authority—naturally, in very polite terms. We won the case! Thanks to Katya and her team for excellent work, achieving the desired result, and for patiently handling my avalanche of worries—this is also very valuable, especially when your fate is literally in the hands of your lawyer. PS: Payments can be split into parts. The path seems insurmountable only at the beginning. But after the first step, each subsequent one becomes more and more realistic. If someone had told me a year ago where I would be now, I wouldn't have believed it. Your inner saboteur is your enemy, and he’s lying. Just write to a lawyer and find out how things are—there's no harm in asking. I wish you good luck!

Katya Stelmakh

Replied last February 13, 2024

Alexander, thanks so much for your kind and thoughtful review! It has been a pleasure for my team and me to get to know you and help you move close to your American dreams! We are wishing you and your partner best of luck in the United States!

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

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution