Robert Lewis

Founder and principal of the firm, Mr. Lewis is a former Judicial Law Clerk for the San Francisco Immigration Court.  He has exclusively practiced immigration and nationality law since 1994.  Prior to beginning his career as an immigrant advocate, he worked for the U.S. Cuban-Haitian Resettlement Program, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Mr. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, and the degree of Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco.  In addition to his native English, he speaks Portuguese and Spanish.

He is admitted to the bars of the Supreme Court of the State of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

lewis@immigrantdefense.com

Marcelle A. Rice

Ms. Rice's handles much of the firm's appellate practice, and represents clients before the Los Angeles and San Francisco Immigration Courts.

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Prior to joining the firm in 2005, She was an intern at the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, an organization supporting those seeking protection from gender-related persecution.  Her work with the Center resulted in the publication of "Protecting Parents: Why Mothers and Fathers Who Oppose Female Genital Cutting Qualify for Asylum," Immigration Briefings, Vol. 04-11, Nov. 2004.

Ms. Rice holds a Bachelor of Arts in theater from the University of California, Los Angeles, and the degree of Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.  She has studied at the University of Oslo, Norway.  In addition to her native English, she speaks Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and conversational French and Spanish.

She is admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of California and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

rice@immigrantdefense.com

Kevin M. Crabtree

Mr. Crabtree also joined the firm in 2005.  He began his career in immigrant advocacy as an administrative assistant with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco.  While studying law, he worked as a law clerk at the International Institute of the East Bay and the East Bay Sancutary Covenant, in connection with asylum and permanent residency applications.  He was also a law clerk at the Eviction Defense Collaborative and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Mr. Crabtree holds a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley, and the degree of Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College.  He studied hispanic linguisitcs at the University of Barcelona, Spain.  In addition to his native English, he speaks fluent Spanish and conversational Catalan and French.

He is admitted to the bars of the Supreme Court of California, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

crabtree@immigrantdefense.com

Cristina Caratachea

Ms. Caratachea is Senior Paralegal with the firm, which she joined in 2002. She holds the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature from the University of California, Berkeley and has studied abroad in Italy, Spain and Mexico. She is a native English and Spanish speaker.

 

 

 

caratachea@immigrantdefense.com

Marisol Magaña

Ms. Magaña holds the position of paralegal.  She first joined the firm as an administrative assistant during high school.  Following completion of a bachelor of arts degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, she rejoined the firm in her current position.

A native of Nicaragua, Ms. Magaña has lived throughout Central America, Mexico, Brazil, and Italy.  In addition to her native Spanish, she speaks fluent English and Portuguese.

magana@immigrantdefense.com

Carmen Hare

Ms. Hare joined the firm in 2006 and holds the position of paralegal. Beginning in August 2009, she will take a one-year leave of absence to complete a Master in Laws program at U.C. Hastings College of the Law.

A native of Pertu, Ms.  Hare holds the degree of Bachiller en Leyes from the University of Lima.  Following completion of her degree, she lived in the Netherlands.  She is a native Spanish speaker.

hare@immigrantdefense.com

Eliana García

Ms. García holds the position of paralegal and joined the firm in July of 2009.  An alumnus of the University of California at Davis, she holds the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a dual major in Spanish and Chicano Studies.  She also studied Latin American studies at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

garcia@immigrantdefense.com

Jeffrey Escamilla

Mr. Escamilla joined the firm in May of 2009.  In his position as office assistant, he provides clerical support to attorneys and paralegals, files submissions with the Immigration Court and U.S. Court of Appeals, and serves as a backup receptionist.

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Mr. Escamilla lived many years in El Salvador.  He is pursuing studies in early childhood development and has worked with children in an afterschool program with the Office of Parks and Recreation of the City of Oakland.  He is a bilingual speaker of English and Spanish.

Connor Coombs

Mr. Coombs joined the firm in July of 2009.  In his position as legal technician, he assists in preparation of forms, translates documents, interprets client interviews, and provides reception for the office.

Mr. Coombs is a native of Santa Barbara, California.  He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a dual major in Global Studies and Spanish, and a minor in Portuguese.

He studied Spanish at the University of Havana, Cuba, the University of the Americas in Santiago, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina and Portuguese at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.  He is a native speaker of English and a fluent speaker of Portuguese and Spanish.