Founding attorney Evangeline M. Chan has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of immigration law. The breadth of her practice includes everything from non-immigrant visas to the more complex and highly technical intersection of criminal and immigration law. With her tenacity and personalized approach to each individual case, Ms. Chan has earned a reputation amongst her clients and peers as not just a seasoned professional but a compassionate advocate.
The story behind Ms. Chan’s chosen path is one that attorneys and immigrants alike can relate to. Ms. Chan began her legal career as a commercial real estate and finance attorney for one of the world’s most prominant law firms. It was not until she represented on a pro bono basis a victim of domestic violence seeking immigration status in this country did she find a way to inject her career with a new purpose and meaning. As a second generation Chinese-American, dedicating herself to a career in immigration–the very system that made it possible for her parents to emigrate here and provide a better life for her family–resonated with her on a personal level. It was at that pivotal point in her career when she began to transform herself into an advocate for immigrant rights.
Ms. Chan is passionate about immigration issues. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and CUNY/NYC Citizenship Now! Volunteer Corps. She lobbied with AILA on Capitol Hill for immigration reform in 2012, 2013 and 2017, educating members of Congress and their staff on the current issues with our immigration system. She regulary conducts media and community outreach, writing and speaking about various issues in immigration to raise the public awareness. She has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Law Journal.
Ms. Chan sees teaching as another opportunity to give back and share her passion for her profession. She is a faculty member of Marino Legal, providing lectures on immigration law to attorneys. Ms. Chan is also an adjunct assistant professor of Immigration Law at CUNY School of Professional Studies and Hunter College. She mentors undergraduate and graduate students interested in a career in the law or immigration.
Ms. Chan is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.