This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Victoria Khaydar, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.

The purpose of this sponsored post is to introduce Victoria Khaydar, our brilliant new associate. We’re proud to have her! By way of introduction, here are a few questions to Victoria from the Pointy-Headed Boss.

PHB: How did you come to the practice of immigration law?

Victoria: This will sound cheesy, but I was definitely influenced by my own family’s immigration journey. Navigating complex immigration minefields as a child probably left me a few scars and anxieties. I want to lend others a helping hand, at least to the extent that I have figured this immigration thing out.

PHB: Why do you enjoy the practice of immigration law. (“Big assumption there!” – Ed.)

Victoria: I love that immigration law is a human-centered practice. An immigration case is basically a human interest story with a problem you get to solve. This was always my favorite part of law school casebooks before they got to the boring legal principles.

Plus, you get to meet people from all over the world! I have no data to back this up but immigration attorneys are very good at geography and language trivia.

PHB: What special skills and talents do you bring to the firm?

Victoria: Empathy is crucial not only for building trust with our clients but also for seeing them as the human beings they are. I find there is power in empathizing with our clients, as it makes us better advocates. As far as actual special skills, I am a native Russian speaker and have some elementary proficiency in Spanish and Farsi.

PHB: What prior experience did you have in law before joining the firm?