Legalpad is excited to welcome Katya Stelmakh to our attorney network!
An immigrant herself, Katya first moved to the United States from Belarus on a student visa, after winning the US Department of State scholarship for the undergrad exchange program at The Ohio State University. After a brief return to Europe to complete her undergrad, Katya returned to the OSU to obtain her law degree and Masters in Slavic Languages. She went on to practice law in Philadelphia on an H1B visa for international law firm, where she helped manage business immigration for applicants throughout Eastern Europe. She became an American citizen in 2013.
Katya’s own immigration journey to the United States is what inspired her to help others do the same. She has spent the last 14 years representing foreign entrepreneurs, investors, and professional workers, including O visas and EB-2 National Interest Waiver petitions.
“The most amazing aspect of my job is when someone calls me from abroad to tell me they want to bring their talent or business to the United States or build a new US startup from scratch”, Katya says. “I get to be there from the beginning to help them pursue their immigration and business journey.”
At Legalpad, we’re incredibly excited to have Katya joining our team. Our mission has always been to connect talent with opportunity and Katya’s expertise will be pivotal in our initiative.
“The US immigration process is complicated and difficult to navigate,” Katya says, who has spent the last six years in Seattle with her husband, also an immigrant. “It’s possible. We made it. You just have to be determined. This is a country of opportunity. I love helping people get here and pursue their dreams.”
Welcome to the team, Katya!
