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Area of emphasis

Colleges & Universities

Researchers & Artists

Education

J.D., Temple University Beasley School of Law

B.A., magna cum laude, American University

membership

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

Maria P. Elias is an Associate Attorney with the firm. She assists a variety of institutions and corporations who seek to hire and retain foreign employees, including outstanding researchers and professors; scientists, educators, and artists of extraordinary ability; and those foreign nationals whose work is in the national interest. Maria also assists foreign individuals who seek to self-petition for immigration benefits based on their extraordinary ability as a scientist, educator or artist, or based on their nationally important work. In addition, Maria has experience assisting individuals with personal matters, including family-based immigration matters, consular processing and naturalization.

Maria is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), including a number of roles in the organization’s Philadelphia Chapter: Co-chair, Annual Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Conference (2014); Co-chair, New Members Division (2010); Co-chair, Advocacy (2018-2020). 

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

  • Presenter, Life After Graduation: Temporary and Permanent Employment Based Options, University of Delaware, May 2016.

  • Co-author/Presenter, We Truly Are Family: Same-sex Marriages under the U.S. Immigration Laws post-Windsor: Your Employee’s “New” Family, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, April 2014.

  • Presenter, I-9, H-1B, and PERM Audits on the Rise!, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Social Equity & Human Resources Conference, June 2013.

  • Co-author, Foreign College and University Teachers: Special Recruitment Is Meant For You!, AILA's Guide to PERM Labor Certification (AILA, 2011).

  • Co-author, Employer-Related Issues to Spot Before Commencing a PERM, AILA's Guide to PERM Labor Certification (AILA, 2011).

  • Co-author, Labor Certification Theory and Practice for Physicians, The Physician Immigration Book (ILW, 2011).

  • Co-author, Take One Aspirin and a Zantac Before Proceeding: The Alien Labor Certification Process for Physicians, The Physician Immigration Book (ILW, 2011-2012).

  • Co-author, Family Based Immigration: An Overview, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Immigration Law Forum (2008).