Jeang
By Evie Jeang, Managing Partner, Ideal Legal Group, Inc.
Politics have played a large role in pushing immigration reform, however many people still don’t know the hard facts about immigration, making legitimate and longstanding reform more difficult to achieve. I regularly represent illegal immigrants seeking to gain U.S. citizenship, and know firsthand the complexities and contradictions of immigration laws. In the coming years, immigration will be a prime issue for both political parties. I think we will see simplified paths to green cards and U.S. citizenship for educated and informed immigrants.
I believe the tides are beginning to turn in favor of the large undocumented immigrant population in the U.S. I find that many of my clients are less afraid of being deported and more willing to take ownership of their citizenship through the proper legal channels. However, I also believe there is still much work to be done. The pressure remains on Congress to pass legislative reform and address the growing concerns of those citizens documented and undocumented alike.
I hold positions on the board of the Alhambra Educational Foundation and the Asian Youth Center, where I am actively involved with Asian and Latino youth and community-building projects. Recently I was the first place recipient of the ARAG Helping Hands Sponsorship, earning my firm money to provide a free legal clinic for our 2013 Law Day event, “Realizing the Dream: Equality for All.” The event will be held in Los Angeles’ Chinatown area and will counsel residents on how to prepare for the naturalization process.
I started my own practice with the goal of establishing a firm environment where diverse attorneys take a hands-on approach to the law, working with their clients face-to-face and having an impact in the community. My commitment to helping immigrants permeates through all aspects of my firm’s business model, down to the cases I select and the attorneys I hire. To be the best, U.S. companies need to be able to hire the best employees, regardless of where those employees are from. As the founder of my own business, I would rather consider the skills of my employees instead of their nation of origin.
