Ashley Byers is an experienced immigration lawyer who is fluent in Spanish and certified as a specialist in immigration law by the State Bar of California. She has successfully defended undocumented immigrants in immigration courts throughout the United States in cases ranging from custody redeterminations to asylum, withholding of removal, NACARA, registry, cancellation of removal, and waivers. She also represents individuals before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and in federal district court, defending clients’ rights. She is passionate about providing tireless advocacy to her clients who include victims of domestic violence, child abuse, gender-based violence, crime victims, ethnic minorities, unaccompanied minors, and political dissidents.
Ashley obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern and North African Studies with university honors from the University of Michigan. She obtained her Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University, College of Law, and was recognized among high achieving students on the Dean’s List. In law school, she was named the Julian Samora Research Institute Legal Research and Writing Scholar, focusing her research on the federal regulations protecting dairy workers. She additionally worked as a law clerk for Farmworker Legal Services of Michigan where she served the undocumented and H2A visa migrant farmworker population in the state. Ashley was a member of the American Bar Association's National Appellate Advocacy Competition championship-winning moot court team and served as Editor in Chief for Volume 15 of the Journal of Business and Securities Law.
Ashley is a member of the State Bar of California and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She is licensed to practice before the Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, District Courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She collaborates with her mother every year to exhibit ofrendas in celebration of Día de Los Muertos and her Mexican heritage.
Education
- Michigan State University College of Law, East Lansing, Michigan
- Juris Doctorate and Master of Jurisprudence, 2015
- Dean’s List
- Journal of Business and Securities Law, Volume 15 Editor in Chief
- American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition, National Champion
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Middle Eastern and North African Studies, 2010
- Honors, Awards, & Scholarships:
- University Honors
- Recipient of the Peter and Barbara Benedek Scholarship
Bar Admissions
- Admitted in California
- Licensed to practice before:
- All Immigration Courts
- Board of Immigration Appeals
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Supreme Court of California
- United States District Courts for Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern California
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Certified Legal Specialties
- Immigration Law
- State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
Practice Areas
- Immigration, including federal litigation and appellate practice
- State court practice, limited to police report matters for juveniles and name changes
Professional Associations
- California State Bar, Active Member, 2016-present
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
Volunteer Experience
- Volunteer attorney, free community events, Sonoma County, CA, August 2016 to 2018
- Volunteer attorney, Oakland Community Organizations, Oakland, CA, September 2016 to 2018
- Brief grader and volunteer judge, American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition, January 2016 to present
- Secure Families Grant Project, grant proposal review panel, Sonoma County, CA, June 2018
Languages
