Sabrina Damast, Founding Attorney
Sabrina Damast practices in the areas of immigration and nationality law and post-conviction relief. Before opening her own law practice, Sabrina served as a judicial law clerk in the Los Angeles Immigration Court and worked as an immigration attorney in private practice. As a law clerk, she conducted research and wrote more than two hundred decisions for dozens of Immigration Judges. She developed an expertise in all forms of deportation defense, including applications for asylum, permanent residence, NACARA, fraud waivers, and criminal waivers. As an attorney in private practice, she solidified these skills by representing clients threatened with deportation.
Sabrina is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, swing dancing, and musical theater, and she is the leader of a local Girl Scout troop. Sabrina is a member of the New York and California Bars and is admitted to the Central District of California, the Southern District of California, the Northern District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Western District of Arkansas, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. She frequently publishes articles, teaches CLEs, and gives presentations on immigration law. Sabrina is a California certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law.
Published Decisions
Umana-Escobar v. Garland, 69 F.4th 544 (9th Cir. 2023)
Gonzalez Martinez v. Garland, 11 F.4th 764 (9th Cir. 2021)
Melara v. Mayorkas, 663 F.Supp.3d 1158 (CD. Ca. 2021)
Publications and Presentations:
Vartelas v. Holder: The Revival of the Fleuti Doctrine, Immigr. L. Advisor, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr. 2013): http://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/ILA-Newsleter/ILA%202013/vol7no4.pdf
Los Angeles County Bar Association Lunch with the Experts: INA § 212(a)(9)(C): The Permanent Bar (Apr. 30, 2014)
Year in Review: Immigration and Naturalization Committee (Pt. IV.A), Int’l Law., Vol. 48 (2014): http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/uncategorized/international_law/immigration.authcheckdam.pdf
Isn’t It Safe Now? How to Reconcile Official Tolerance and the Emergence of LGBT Nightlife with your Client’s Fear of Returning Home, INT’L. L. News, Vo. 43, No. 4 (Oct. 2014): http://www.americanbar.org/publications/international_law_news/2014/fall/isnt_it_safe_now_how_reconcile_official_tolerance.html
Hot Topics: Obama’s Immigration Relief, Young Lawyers Interest Network Newsletter (Jan. 2015)
How to Define Your Particular Social Group: Case Developments after Matter of W-G-R- and Matter of M-E-V-G, Bender’s Immigration Bulletin (March 15, 2015)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Immigration Section Symposium on Family-Based Immigration: The Permanent Bar and Reinstatement: What are they, how are they related, and how can I avoid them? (Apr. 18, 2015)
National Lawyers Guild Fearless Lawyering Seminar: Particular Social Groups: The State of Case Law at the Board of Immigration Appeals and in the Ninth Circuit (Apr. 30, 2015)
AILA California Chapters Conference: Update on Waivers (Nov. 14, 2015)
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Immigration Law CLE: Hot Topics: Particular Social Groups (Jan. 14, 2016)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Lunch with the Experts: Make Westlaw Your Best Friend Again: Legal Research Refresher (Jan. 27, 2016)
Pincus Educational Professional Education Immigration 101: Consequences of Criminal Convictions for the Noncitizen (Feb. 19, 2016)
Pincus Educational Professional Education Immigration 101: Refugee and Asylum (Feb. 19, 2016)
Immigrants' List Civil Action Spring 2016 CLE: Navigating the Administrative Appeals Office, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and Motions to Reopen (March 18, 2016)
AILA Audio Seminar: Continuous Physical Presence for Cancellation of Removal (May 12, 2016)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Practicing Before the Los Angeles/Adelanto Immigration Courts (May 21, 2016)
Hernandez-Avalos v. Lynch: How a Family-Based Particular Social Group Gives New Hope to Central American Refugee Families, The Year in Review: Immigration and Naturalization (Pt. III), Int’l Law., Vol. 50 (2016): http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/uncategorized/international_law/_yir626.authcheckdam.pdf
Orange County Bar Association Immigration Section Meeting: Zealous Advocacy before Administrative Agencies (June 7, 2016)
AILA Annual Conference: The Modified Categorical Approach (June 23, 2016)
"Crimmigration" Update: Mathis v. United States, The Year in Review: Immigration and Naturalization (Pt. II), Int’l Law., Vol. 51 (2016): https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/international_law/_YIR723.authcheckdam.pdf
AILA Waivers Conference: 212(h) and 212(c) Waivers (Aug. 26, 2016)
Los Angeles County Bar Association CLE: Advanced Crimmigration: The Categorical Approach after Mathis (Oct. 27, 2016)
AILA California Chapters Conference: The Changing Categorical Approach (Nov. 12, 2016)
Pincus Educational Professional Education Visa Processing 101: Family-Based Immigrant Visas (Feb. 17, 2017)
AILA Nevada Chapter Speaker Series: Ninth Circuit Appeals: From Building a Trial Record to Writing a Reply Brief (Feb. 20, 2017)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Immigration Bond Training (Apr. 20, 2017)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Immigration Bond Training (May 11, 2017)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Supreme Court Updates (July 13, 2017)
AILA Audio Seminar: The Categorical Approach Across Jurisdictions: A Step-by-Step Approach (Oct. 17, 2017)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Immigration Section Symposium on Family-Based Immigration: Immigration Attorney’s Roadmap for Representing Detained Clients (March 10, 2018)
AILA Annual Conference: Risky Naturalization: Bridging the Gap from Residency to Citizenship (June 14, 2018)
Updates on California Post-Conviction Relief Statutes for Immigrants, The Year in Review: Immigration and Naturalization (Pt. III), Int’l Law., Vol. 52 (2018): https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/international_law/yir_2018_cpy.authcheckdam.pdf
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Supreme Court Updates (July 19, 2018)
AILA Audio Seminar: How to File Winning Appeals with the BIA and AAO (Aug. 9, 2018)
AILA Midwinter Conference: CIMTs Meet Chevron: What’s the Future? (Jan. 25, 2019)
Removal Defense Corps Expert Track MCLE: Defending Former Defendants (Feb. 5, 2019)
Program for Torture Victims Seminar: Asylum Orientation Workshop (March 26, 2019)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Crimes & Immigration (Apr. 4, 2019)
Immigration Lawyers Podcast Episode 89: Interview with Crimmigration Attorney Sabrina Damast (Apr. 30, 2019), video available at https://immigrationlawyerstoolbox.com/podcast-page-6 and audio available at http://immigrationlawyerspodcast.libsyn.com/episode-89-interview-w-crimmigration-attorney-sabrina-damast
Immigration Lawyers Podcast Episode 94: Federal Court Mid-week Update with Immigration Attorney Sabrina Damast (May 29, 2019), available at https://jqklaw.blogspot.com/2019/05/full-94-federal-court-mid-week-update-w.html
Removal Defense Corps Expert Track CLE: Don’t Take Denied for an Answer: A Guide to BIA and 9th Circuit Appeals (May 29, 2019)
AILA Annual Conference: Filing a Petition for Review and Beyond: Battling in Circuit Court (June 19, 2019)
Removal Defense Training for Survivors of Domestic Violence & Crime: Motions Practice & Options for U, T, VAWA, I-751 & SIJS Applicants in Removal Proceedings (Aug. 15, 2019)
AILA California Chapters Conference: Fighting USCIS on Family Law in Court (Nov. 9, 2019)
AILA Midwinter Conference: Due Process in the Immigration Context (Jan. 24, 2020)
AILA Audio Seminar: Driving under the Influence: Consequences and Solutions for 2020 (Apr. 14, 2020)
AILA University Roundtable: Parolees and Arriving Aliens with Final Orders of Removal (June 26, 2020)
AILA Annual Conference: Can You ‘Do Good’ and ‘Do Well’? Tips for Pro Bono Success (July 23, 2020)
Licensing Nonlawyers to Practice Immigration Law will Harm Consumers, Daily Journal (Aug. 18, 2020)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Supreme Court Updates (Sept. 17, 2020)
AILA Chicago Chapter Midwest Regional Conference: I Fought the Law and I Won: Challenge ICE ERO (Oct. 9, 2020)
CEB: Continuing Education of the Bar: How to Work with Immigration Counsel (Dec. 1, 2020)
AILA Web Seminar: Litigating Your Way Out of Delay (Dec. 8, 2020)
The 212(h) Criminal Waiver: When Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You, Immigration Lawyers Toolbox Magazine, Issue 1 (Winter 2021), available at https://issuu.com/immigrationlawyerstoolbox/docs/ilt_magazine_issue_01_final/16
AILA Connecticut Chapter Meeting: Litigating in Removal Proceedings (Apr. 4, 2021)
Post-Conviction Relief: When the Solution to Your Immigration Problems is in Criminal Court, Immigration Lawyers Toolbox Magazine, Issue 2 (Spring 2021), available at https://issuu.com/immigrationlawyerstoolbox/docs/issue_02_final?fbclid=IwAR03LOFodP3w-i1YrTl1KV495Rw1nGeYSfyyaCyyoPPLpkUy0BGHnEW-jN8
AILA Annual Conference: Litigating Your First Federal Court Case: You Can Do It! (Part 1 of 2) (June 9, 2021)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Supreme Court Updates (Sept. 13, 2021)
Orange County Bar Association Seminar: Updates on Prosecutorial Discretion in Removal Defense (Sept. 14, 2021)
AILA Web Seminar: To Go or Not to Go: Strategic Considerations in Seeking Judicial Review (Nov. 17, 2021)
AILA California Chapters Conference: The Challenges (and Sometimes Ugly Side) of Removal Practice (Nov. 18, 2021)
Federal Case Corner, Immigration Lawyers Toolbox Magazine, Issue 4 (Fall/Winter 2021), available at https://issuu.com/immigrationlawyerstoolbox/docs/issue_4_combined
Guest Lecturer, Elon Law School: Waivers of Inadmissibility (Jan. 31, 2022)
AILA Chicago Chapter Midwest Regional Conference: Complex Inadmissibility and Deportability Issues in Adjustment of Status Cases (Mar. 11, 2022)
Pincus Educational Professional Education Crimmigration: Criminal Bars to Relief and Naturalization (Mar. 22, 2022)
Pincus Educational Professional Education Crimmigration: Conviction not Necessarily Required (Mar. 22, 2022)
AILA San Diego Chapter Meeting: Federal Litigation (Apr. 20, 2022)
Federal Case Corner, Immigration Lawyers Toolbox Magazine, Issue 5 (Spring/Summer 2022), available at https://issuu.com/immigrationlawyerstoolbox/docs/immigration_lawyers_toolbox_issue_5/49
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Supreme Court Roundup (July 19, 2022)
AILA California Chapters Conference: Introduction to Federal Litigation (Nov. 10, 2022)
Consular Nonreviewability: 50 Years Since Kleindienst v. Mandel, AILA Law journal, Vol. 4, Num. 2 (Oct. 2022), available at https://www.aila.org/File/Related/19110103h.pdf
AILA Web Seminar: Patel v. Garland: Updates in Litigation and Strategies Moving Forward (Jan. 26, 2023)
AILA Federal Litigation Institute, “Oral Argument on Motions to Dismiss and Motions for Summary judgment; Final Points on Depositions,” (March 21, 2023)
AILA Annual Conference: Anatomy of a Removal Proceeding II (June 23, 2023)
Los Angeles County Bar Association Seminar: Supreme Court Roundup (Aug. 21, 2023)
9th Circuit allows 3rd country asylum-related transit ban to continue, Daily Law Journal (Sept. 18, 2023)
AILA Central Florida Chapter Conference: Federal Immigration Litigation 101 (Oct. 19, 2023)
AILA Central Florida Chapter Conference: Hot Topics: Doctrine of Consular Nonreviewability (Oct. 19, 2023)
AILA Rome District Chapter Conference: Back from the Dead? Latest Developments in Consular Non-reviewability (Oct. 27, 2023)
ASISTA Conference: Proceeding in Proceedings: Legal and Practical Strategies for Survivor-Based Removal Defense: Post-Conviction Relief for Survivors and Expert Roundtable (Dec. 14, 2023)
AILA New York Chapter: Federal Litigation CLE (Jan. 24, 2024)
AILA Removal Defense Section Quarterly Call (Feb. 24, 2024)
AILA Online Waivers Course (2024)
AILA Web Seminar, “Let’s Talk About Crimes”: CIMTs in a Nutshell
Awards and Honors:
Southern California "Rising Stars" (2016): http://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxrs16?pg=34#pg34
Southern California "Rising Stars" (2017): http://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxrs17?pg=35#pg35
Recognition of Service to the Community, Iglesia del Pacto Evangelico Eagle Rock (Apr. 2017)
Southern California "Rising Stars" (2018): http://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxrs18/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=34#pg34
Public Counsel Immigrants’ Rights Project Pro Bono Award (2018)
Southern California “Rising Stars” (2019): https://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxrs19/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=36#pg36
Southern California “Rising Stars” (2020): https://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxrs20/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=34#pg34
American Immigration Lawyers Association Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award (2020)
Southern California “Rising Stars” (2021): https://staging4.texterity.com/superlawyers/lxrs21/MobilePagedReplica.action?elq_mid=27172&elq_cid=102736&elq_ename=L_SL_SEM_9030682_LXRS21DigitalEditSLF_US_em1_20210607&cid=9030682&sfdccampaignid=7014O000001BR0nQAG&chl=Em&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eloqua&utm_campaign=L_SL_SEM_9030682_LXRS21DigitalEditSLF_US_20210607&utm_content=9030682&elqTrackId=627EFEDBE1A0478A1594DB549788A626&elq=ab9e077c8a3144d2a38ae446055cc49e&elqaid=27172&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=24545&pm=2&folio=36#pg36
Southern California, “Rising Stars” (2022): https://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxrs22/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=28#pg28
Southern California, “Super Lawyers,” (2023): https://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxsl23/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=90#pg90
American Immigration Lawyers Association Jack Wasserman Memorial Award (2023) (awarded to the AILA Amicus Committee)
Leadership Roles:
Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Southern California Chapter
Chair, Amicus Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Post-Conviction Relief Committee Member, Immigration & Nationality Law Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Troop Leader, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles Troop 10395
Co-Chair, Southern California Alumni Chapter, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Member, Alumni Executive Committee, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Co-Chair, 2022 California Chapters Conference, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Chair, Due Process Track, 2020 Annual Conference Planning Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Past Chair, Executive Committee, Immigration & Nationality Law Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Amy Lenhert, Managing Attorney
Amy Lenhert has practiced immigration law exclusively since becoming an attorney in 2003. She has expertise in a broad range of immigration matters and is certified as a Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
Amy has successfully litigated cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts of California, Nebraska, and Washington, D.C. In addition to her federal court practice, Amy represents clients in removal proceedings throughout the United States, assisting her clients in obtaining cancellation of removal for lawful permanent residents, cancellation of removal for nonresidents, waivers for fraud and criminal convictions, and applications for asylum. She has successfully represented clients with administrative appeals to both the Board of Immigration Appeals and the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office.
Amy also regularly represents individuals in connection with family-based visa petitions, unlawful presence waivers, applications for naturalization, and complex citizenship claims.
Beyond litigation and family immigration, Amy’s employment-based experience includes representation of large healthcare companies with hundreds of immigrant visa petitions for Registered Nurses under the Schedule A category, as well as assisting with TN visa matters for Registered Nurses. She has successfully litigated erroneous denials of employment-based petitions in federal court.
Amy believes strongly in the importance of giving back, and regularly provides pro bono legal services through a variety of organizations. She serves on the advisory committee for the Los Angeles office of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), an organization dedicated to ensuring that no child appears in immigration court without legal representation.
Amy received her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School Los Angeles in 2003. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Executive Committee for the Immigration Section of the Los Angeles Bar Association (LACBA).
Selected Speaking Engagements & Publications
Speaker, Supreme Court Roundup (LACBA Immigration Section, 2022)
Co-author, Who is a “Child” for Purposes of Automatic Acquisition or Derivation of U.S. Citizenship, AILA’s U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Law Toolbox
Speaker, Evidentiary Issues in Immigration Court, (AILA Annual Conference, 2021)
Speaker, Supreme Court Updates, (LACBA Immigration Section, 2021)
Speaker, Federal Court Demystified, (LACBA Immigration Section, 2020)
Discussion Leader, Trends in Business Litigation, AILA California Chapters Conference (2019)
Speaker, Federal Court Updates (AILA Annual Conference, 2019)
Speaker, Exploring Habeas Corpus and Remedies in Federal Court (Removal Defense Corps, April 2019)
Speaker, A Guide to Federal Litigation (LACBA, November 2018)
Discussion Leader, Introduction to Federal District Court Litigation (AILA Federal Court Conference and Webcast, September 2018)
Speaker, Citizenship Through Parents: California Gold Rush (AILA Annual Conference June 2018)
Speaker, AILA Business Litigation Conference (September 2017)
Speaker, Overcoming Naturalization Delays and Denials (AILA Teleconference March 2016)
Speaker, After the Dust Has Settled: The Current Status of the CSPA (AILA Annual Conference June 2015)
Speaker, Litigation at the Ninth Circuit (AILA Southern California Chapter Meeting 2015)
Speaker, Child Status Protection Act (2014 Rocky Mountain Immigration Law Conference)
Speaker, Filing Your First Non Immigrant Waiver (AILA Southern California Chapter CLE Event 2014)
Speaker, Child Status Protection Act, Retaining Your Sanity (AILA Teleconference 2014)
Education & Court Admissions
Loyola Law School (2003), J.D.
University of California at Santa Barbara, B.A. (1999)
Supreme Court of the United States
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States District Court, Central District of California
United States District Court, Eastern District of California
United States District Court, Nebraska
United States District Court, District of Columbia
Estrella Delgadillo, Paralegal
Estrella has more than 20 years of professional experience in the immigration field, including extensive experience preparing family-based immigration cases, both stateside and through U.S. consulates worldwide. This includes preparations of family-based petitions, affidavits of support, and applications for adjustment of status, immigrant visas, advance parole, and employment authorization. She is also well versed in preparing applications for DACA, cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, and asylum. Estrella strives to provide excellent customer service to our clients. Estrella is fluent in English and Spanish.
Estrella is a Los Angeles native, and an alum of Huntington Park High School. When she’s not working, she enjoys running with the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners and Running Mamis.
COMING SOON….
Diego Alferez, Legal Assistant
Ivan Ninsiima, Paralegal