Michael is a founding partner of the law office of Lehach Filippa. Michael has spent over a decade committed to reuniting families and helping clients to pursue opportunities to live and work in the United States. Since 2004, he has been advocating and litigating for clients on almost every type of immigration issue including complex asylum and waiver cases, artist visas, green cards, family petitions, criminal-immigration cases, as well as appeals and Federal petitions for review. Michael is at ease in the courtroom and has presented oral arguments on precedent-setting cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In 2011, Michael merged his immigration practice with that of his partner Alejandro Filippa to form an immigration law firm focused on facilitating artist visas and residence applications for creative professionals. Today, Lehach Filippa is one of the most recognized and fastest growing law practices for immigration and nationality law in New York.

Michael earned his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Florida, and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. Michael is proficient in Mandarin and completed further studies at Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan and also at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, China. Outside the office you can likely find Michael spending time with his family and friends or playing the guitar, bass or the drums.

Alejandro is a founding partner of the law office of Lehach Filippa. Alejandro has spent over a decade focused exclusively on immigration law. He began his career working with the New York Association for New Americans, a non-profit dedicated to providing legal services to the most underserved immigrant communities in the city. Later, Alejandro consulted for a few private law offices in Midtown Manhattan where he learned the inner workings of business immigration and first dreamed of starting his own office.

By 2006, Alejandro was in business for himself, continuing his passion for immigration law and narrowing his focus to facilitate work visas for creative professionals seeking to share their artistic talents in his hometown of New York City. In 2011, Alejandro partnered with fellow colleague and immigration attorney, Michael Lehach, to form an immigration law firm focused on facilitating artist visas and residence applications for creative professionals. Today, Lehach Filippa is one of the most recognized and fastest growing law practices for immigration and naturalization law in New York. Alejandro earned his undergraduate degree in history and political science from New York University and his Juris Doctor from New York Law School. When not in the office you can find Alejandro spending time with his family at their home in lower Manhattan or brushing up on his Muay Thai martial arts moves.

Silvia Gacina has over ten years of experience in immigration law. She focuses on advising clients on complex areas of work authorization and immigrant visas, including employment-based and family-based immigrant visa petitions, as well as non-immigrant visa services for individuals with extraordinary ability in the arts and creative fields. Silvia’s legal career includes practicing at several New York-based boutique and mid-sized law firms in the areas of immigration, intellectual property, employment law, and entertainment law. She also served as Legal Counsel at a talent management company in New York, where she led the company’s legal department and handled a wide array of issues including contract negotiation, employment matters and immigration compliance. She also represented talent and company employees in business immigration and employment issues before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of Labor, and at U.S. embassies/consulates around the world.

Silvia received her law degree from the Faculty of Law of The University of Rijeka in Croatia, as well as Master of Laws from Fordham University School of Law in New York where she specialized in intellectual property and entertainment law studies. She is admitted to practice in New York.

Xixi is an associate attorney at Lehach Filippa who is dedicated to advocating for her clients in immigration law. Xixi earned her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University and her Juris Doctorate from New York Law School and is certified in Alternative Dispute Resolution Skills. During her time at NYLS, Xixi served as a student attorney in the Immigration Law and Litigation Clinic where she represented juveniles before the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Prior to joining the firm, Xixi interned for MFY (Mobilization For Justice) Legal Services, the Safe Passage Project, the District Attorneys Office in Queens County, and for the Honorable Deborah Monica-Stevens. During her free time, Xixi enjoys traveling, photography, and exploring the best cuisines in the City.

Ms. Bali’s practice is dedicated to employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions representing clients in all stages of the administrative proceedings. Ms. Bali has extensive experience in preparing PERM applications in employment-based green card petitions before the Department of Labor. She has experience filing numerous I-140 and I-485 applications in EB-2 and EB-3 categories before USCIS, and H-1B petitions before USCIS in a wide range of occupations. She is well-versed in many areas of immigration law, including but not limited to: O-1 Aliens with extraordinary ability, E-1 Treaty trader, E-2 treaty investor, L-1 and J-1.

As a Chinese immigrant in the United States, Hongfei Gao experienced the difficulties of immigration issues and understands the needs of her clients. Ms. Gao has extensive experience in immigration services for various enterprises and their alien workers, including PERM procedure (EB-2 and EB-3 Employment-based Immigrant Visa), O-1 non-immigrant visa for aliens with extraordinary ability, H-1B non-immigrant visa for specialty occupation workers, etc. She also provides customized immigration services for high net-worth individuals or individuals who have risen to the top of their industries, including but not limited to EB-1A visa for aliens of extraordinary ability and NIW petition. During her free time, Hongfei enjoys painting and traveling.

Chelsea Burnett is a Law Clerk at Lehach Filippa, where she works with individuals and businesses seeking to obtain a variety of immigration benefits. She has experience in O-1 visa applications for foreign nationals of extraordinary ability in the creative industries, as well as experience with employment-based and marriage-based Green Card applications, and matters involving Adjustment of Status and Naturalization. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in a variety of legal fields including corporate and securities, corporate litigation, intellectual property, entertainment law, commercial real estate, and employment law.

Chelsea received her Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and her Juris Doctorate from New York Law School, where she was selected to participate in the Nation’s first Cyber Harassment Clinic, dedicated to representing victims of online harassment. During her free time, Chelsea enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking, and creating art.

Shushana has over 20 years of experience in the immigration field, and she specializes in adjustment of status, immigrant visas, citizenship, and removal of conditions, among other areas of immigration. She completed her undergraduate studies in business studies and finance at Central London College. Shushana enjoys immigration law as it allows her to work with clients from all over the globe. When not in the office, her interests include geopolitics, world history, reading and watching soccer & tennis.

Chelsea is a Senior Paralegal who has been working in immigration since 2014. Prior to joining the firm in 2017, she was working at an immigration firm where she worked on marriage-based green cards and H1B filings. Chelsea earned her Bachelor's Degree from St. John's University in Queens, NY, with a focus in Pre-Law. During her free time, she likes to travel, attend concerts and entertain for friends and family.

Matt Berry is a paralegal at Lehach Filippa. Prior to working the firm, he lived in Paris for 3 years and studied at Paris III La Sorbonne for a semester. Matt graduated from Lafayette College with a degree in Government & Law focusing on the Constitution and a degree in French Language and Literature. Beyond work, he enjoys performing in choirs and musicals around NYC, as well as attending every Broadway musical he can.

Olivia is a creative professional who recently made the move to NYC from Maine. She has a Masters of Fine Arts in Theater from the University of Hawaii Manoa, and a BA in Theater and Film and Media Studies from Lafayette College. She loves working with other artists and helping them achieve their artistic goals. Outside of the law firm her secret love is in building and performing puppets and seeing as many Broadway shows as she can!

Dilcia Gutierrez is a paralegal at Lehach Filippa. Prior to her current role, Dilcia was an administrative assistant to a fast growing team of real estate agents in Brooklyn, NY. Dilcia earned her undergraduate degree in business management and administration from the Southern Vermont College, a liberal arts college in Bennington, Vermont. During her free time, Dilcia enjoys spending time with family and friends, or finding the next binge worthy TV show.

Monika is a paralegal, working on O1 visas. She got her B.P.S. in Arts in Hospitality Management from New York Institute of Technology. Before working here she was Director of Sales at an international boutique hotel group. When not in the office, she likes to spend time with her family, traveling, and hiking or any other outdoor activity.

Lillian is the office manager at Lehach Filippa, providing administrative oversight, office maintenance, and customer assistance since 2019. Before joining the firm, she worked as a professional test administrator at a third-party testing company and provided volunteer administrative assistance to several small local museums. Lillian earned her undergraduate degree in Japanese at Vassar College. Outside of the office, Lillian enjoys sewing, freestyle embroidery, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.