Andres James Ortiz

Andres James Ortiz

Fighting to keep you in the U.S. legally
  • Immigration Law, Criminal Law
  • California
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Biography

Andrés Ortiz is one of California's top immigration lawyers and a foremost authority on the potential adverse immigration consequences of criminal convictions and plea deals (“Padilla Opinions”). Attorneys from across the nation consult Andrés on a regular basis for his expertise in how to resolve criminal cases without triggering deportation and removal.

A graduate of Loyola Law School, Andrés has been the recipient of numerous awards for his work. He was named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers and was Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy's pro bono attorney of the year for 2016.

Andrés handles cases in immigration court, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Immigration Section Executive Committee as well as an ICE Public Advocate Field Liaison.

In addition to Padilla Opinions, matters Andrés handles at Shouse Law Group include:

*Removal proceedings,
*Immigration appeals,
*Immigration bond hearings,
*Family based adjustment of status,
*Cancellation of removal for permanent residents, non-permanent residents and battered spouses,
*Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA),
*Inadmissibility Waivers,
*Post-conviction relief in state and federal court,
*Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA),
*Asylum,
*Withholding of removal,
*U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT),
*Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) claims,
*U and T Visas, and
*Other federal cases under the All Writs Act.

Education
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
J.D. (2011)
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University of Notre Dame
M.A. (2006) | Education
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Professional Experience
Founding Attorney
Andres Ortiz Law
- Current
Represent clients in removal proceedings, Immigration Court, post-conviction relief, Board of Immigration Appeals, petitions for visas, green cards and naturalization.
Immigration Attorney
Frangomen, Del Rey, Bernsen, & Loewy
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*Firm’s first dedicated removal defense attorney, primary role is to advise criminal defense attorneys who represent noncitizens of the immigration consequences of certain criminal convictions. *Represent clients in immigration court including Master Calendar and Merits hearings. *Represented clients before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Administrative Appeals Office, Federal District Courts, Superior Court of California, California Court of Appeals, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. *Manage a staff consisting of an associate attorney, paralegal, and law clerk. *Trainer for the firm’s pro bono unaccompanied minor refugee initiative and represent detained asylum applicants through Kids In Need of Defense
Loyola Government Fellow
Federal Public Defender
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Wrote memos to trial attorneys informing them of probable immigration consequences for their noncitizen clients if the clients pled to certain federal criminal charges. • Conducted research and prepared a memo advising the trial attorney the appropriate sentence enhancements for a client’s illegal reentry case.• Researched and wrote memos to trial attorneys to advise them of pleas that would likely permit clients to avoid immigration consequences as a result of their criminal cases.• Conducted client intake with the daily duty attorney.
Extern to Honorable Stephen Reinhardt
United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
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Wrote the factual, procedural history, and researched legal issues in immigration, civil rights and criminal cases, for bench memorandums that assisted the Judge in preparation for oral arguments.• Assisted in the research and drafting of Ninth Circuit opinions.
Extern
American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California
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Wrote a memorandum surveying the instances where Federal District Courts certified undocumented workers as part of their U-Visa application when civil or criminal claims were brought against their employers.• Wrote a memorandum explaining the mental health screening process for entering and particularly dangerous immigrants and discussed scenarios where these screening processes may be unconstitutional.
Law Clerk
National immigration Law Center
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Conducted research, cite checked sections, and wrote line edits for the plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction and other responsive pleadings for Friendly House v. Whiting.• Completed assignments to assist the attorneys in taking declarations from detainees for a case involving the Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Stipulated Removal procedures at the Mira Loma Detention Center; these tasks included translating portions of a questionnaire from English to Spanish, creating a “relief worksheet” for volunteers who were unfamiliar with immigration law, and interviewed a detainee.
Education Pioneers Fellow
Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF)
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Wrote a position paper discussing the negligible benefits of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence in and around schools, and the pernicious effects of this practice on both students and schools. • Drafted a series of parent advocacy letters and corresponding legal memoranda on behalf ofLimited English Proficient (LEP) parents, requesting language interpretation services for LEP parents during school functions.
Publications
Articles & Publications
Deferred Entry of Judgment and P.C. § 1203.43
CEB Criminal Law Journal, Summer 16, Vol. 16, Issue 3.
Same Crime, But Different Consequences
Daily Journal
Federal Immigration Controlled Substance Considerations in the Age of State Marijuana Laws
CEB Marijuana Blog
Pleas and Consequences: Attorneys Must Adequately Advise Noncitizen Clients of How a Criminal Plea Can Affect Immigration Status
Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine
Awards
Rising Star
Super Lawyers
Professional Associations
American Immigration Lawyers Association
Current
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Los Angeles County Bar Association
Executive Committee, ICE Liason
Current
Activities: Immigration Section
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
California
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Fees
  • Credit Cards Accepted
Practice Areas
Immigration Law
Asylum, Citizenship, Deportation Defense, Family Visas, Green Cards, Immigration Appeals, Investment Visas, Marriage & Fiancé(e) Visas, Student Visas, Visitor Visas, Work Visas
Criminal Law
Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Websites & Blogs
Website
Andres Ortiz Law
Contact & Map
Andres Ortiz Law
320 Pine Avenue
Suite 608
Long Beach, CA 90802
Telephone: (657) 243-3768