We Are Dedicated To Immigrants Because We Are Immigrants
Meet Your Immigration Advocate
Immigration is one of the most controversial, complex issues facing society today. Choosing the right immigration attorney can be a challenge — it is essential to work with a professional team who understands the law and is invested in your story.
At Taghavi Immigration Law, our team comes from unique and diverse cultural backgrounds, which underscores our extensive knowledge of the United States immigration system. We believe in building connections with our clients to further empathize with their immigrant experience and make them feel at home.
Representing clients around the world.
Our firm operates out of two offices in Richmond, VA, and Washington, DC. Our East Coast presence allows us to serve clients in every corner of the country. Our commitment to customized, cutting edge solutions through virtual casework allows us to serve clients internationally, including those who have family members fighting their case and seeking bond at the United States southern border.
Meet Soulmaz Taghavi
Email: soulmaz@tilimmigration.com
Phone: 804-408-3522
Soulmaz Taghavi is the Principal Attorney and Founder of Taghavi Immigration Law located in Richmond, VA, and Washington, DC. Taghavi’s law firm focuses on all areas of immigration law, focusing on removal defense (asylum law) and employment-based cases (NIW).
Soulmaz is a long-standing member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and serves as the Congressional Liaison for Congresswoman Spanberger. She has argued before the Fourth Circuit Court and has had work published in a law journal regarding the right to Counsel in removal proceedings.
Background
Soulmaz’s family emigrated to the United States from Iran in the 1980s, which in part, helped cultivate her desire to use her education to help individuals and families navigate our legal system efficiently and effectively.
Education
A native of Richmond, Soulmaz, received her bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Economics from Virginia Commonwealth University, and subsequently received a masters degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Virginia. She graduated with honors from the North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, N.C. Soulmaz also spent a summer abroad at American University in Cairo, Egypt, where she studied Arabic and International Business.
Work Experience
Today, Soulmaz has immense experience in litigating defensive relief before Immigration Courts and Board of Immigration Appeals, including, Asylum, Cancellation of Removal, Prosecutorial Discretion requests, Convention against Torture, I-212(h) Criminal and Inadmissibility Waivers, and I-601A/I-601 Provisional Waivers.
Soulmaz was chosen as Superlawyer’s Rising Star in 2022, has won the Virginia Business Legal Elite for Immigration Law 4 years in a row, and has recently been awarded the Pro Bono Service HonorRoll Award and Pro Bono Investment Champion by the Virginia State Bar for her pro bono work with Afghan women during the US withdrawal of Afghanistan in 2021.
Well-versed in state and federal appeals, Soulmaz single-handedly gave oral arguments before a three-panel judge at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, arguing for procedural due process rights in a contested alleged immigration marriage fraud case in Bassam Hanna v. Loretta Lynch on March 21, 2016.
Publications & Awards
- Washington DC Modern Luxury’s Dynamic Women 2024
- Law Journal Publication
- Winner of the Legal Elite Award, 2019 & 2020
- What Rescinding DACA Means for Young Immigrants
- Understanding the Impact of ICE Starts Here, at the Arboretum
- Deportation Threat Strikes Fear in County’s Growing Latino Population
- Superlawyers Rising Star Award, 2022
- Pro Bono Service Honor Roll Award, Virginia State Bar, 2022
- Pro Bono Investment Champion
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2023 “Up & Coming Lawyers” Award
Memberships
Languages
- English
- Persian
- Dari
- Spanish
Meet Our Team
Our team is as multifaceted as the immigration process. Each staff member is bilingual or multilingual, which deeps our communication with — and understanding of — clients.
Narina Sayadova
Director of Operations
Fluent in: English, Russian, and Spanish
Fatoumata “Kaira” Balde
Paralegal
Fluent in: English, French & Fulani
Lily Díaz
Paralegal
Fluent in: English & Spanish
Shamsi Taghavi
Business Administrator
Fluent in: English & Persian/Dari
Adriana Perez
Marketing Manager
Fluent in: English & Spanish
Simon Manotas
Client Support Specialist
Fluent in: English & Spanish
Alejandro Paris
Intake Specialist
Fluent in: English & Spanish
Ben Heath
Administrative Assistant
Fluent in: English & Spanish
Mohsen Ghodsi
Administrative Support Specialist
Fluent in: English & Persian
Taking a holistic, multi-faceted approach to every case.
Empathy is essential
It is not enough to have extensive knowledge of our nation’s immigration system — to be a good advocate for clients, we believe it is essential to have empathy and understanding of their situation, background, and personal journey. We stress maintaining open communication and building connections with clients.
Comprehensive training
We offer our clients the resources and support they need to succeed during and long after their legal proceedings. Each member of our team has completed domestic violence and gender sensitivity training to ensure we protect the legal interests of survivors or those facing sexual assault or domestic violence. Additionally, our office has alliances with nonprofits and organizations that provide mental health resources.
