Aron A. Finkelstein is a Member and the Managing Attorney at the Murthy Law Firm. Mr. Finkelstein helped establish the firm’s Corporate Teleconference series and regularly participates on the panel to clarify critical employment immigration matters. He advises clients, serves as a mentor to other attorneys, and is responsible for the daily management of the Murthy Law Firm. Mr. Finkelstein’s specific area of expertise within employment-based immigration law is working with corporations and individuals to achieve innovative solutions to complex issues within the immigration context.
Representative Experience
Communicated directly with representatives of government agencies to raise concerns regarding various immigration issues, including:
- Attending meetings with Sheela Murthy, Esq; Indian Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador; Director, Student and Exchange Visa Program (SEVP), as well as other senior officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, regarding the treatment of former students at Tri-Valley University following ICE raid and closure of TVU
- Identifying anomalies in the reporting of 2007 figures regarding the use of visa numbers to Charles Oppenheim, Chief Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division, Department of State Visa Office [This discussion had a direct impact on the decision to make the employment based visa numbers current in the summer 2007.]
- Authoring letters to the of Director, Business and Trade Services of the Legacy INS to request clarification regarding foreign equivalent degrees for the purpose of I-140 petitions [Mr. Hernandez’s response letter provided a definition used for several years.]
Represented plaintiffs in cases filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, most notably:
- Leading Counsel in Krishnamurthy v. Mukasey, 1:08-cv-01578-RWR. Mr. Finkelstein challenged USCIS rescission of Mr. Krishnamurthy’s I-485 approval as a violation of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 [The result was that the plaintiff was able to keep his lawful permanent residence (LPR) status.]
- Leading Counsel in Ravulapalli v. Napolitano, 1:10-cv-0447-CKK [Mr. Finkelstein successfully argued that the government violated the Administrative Procedure Act, because Mr. Ravulapalli had a claim to a review of the I-140, even though the I-140 was withdrawn as the withdrawal happened after the I-485 was pending 180 days. Finkelstein coined the term “Yates Review,” establishing the potential right of review in this situation, based on memos from the USCIS. The result was USCIS reversal of prior position, and issuance of LPR status to the Plaintiff, et ux, before the case was dismissed.]
- Evaluating and drafting complaints, motions, and memoranda of law for naturalization appeals in Federal Court and Immigration Court
- Overseeing the preparation and filing of immigration and naturalization petitions / applications for permanent residency, citizenship, and other immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and extensions
- Evaluating and drafting judicial decisions on applications for various forms of relief from deportation, exclusion, and removal
- Leading the LC / I-140 Department at the Murthy Law Firm, enhancing existing infrastructure and implementing practices and procedures that combined cutting-edge legal knowledge with efficient and thorough file preparation, as evidenced by an over 99% approval rate
Education
- Juris Doctorate, University of Baltimore School of Law
- Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Admitted to Practice
- Maryland State Bar
- United States District Court for the District of Maryland
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States
Teaching
- Adjunct Professor at University of Baltimore School of Law (Aug 2009-Dec 2010)
Past / Present Memberships & Professional Accomplishments
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
- AILA DC Chapter Executive Committee
- Chair AILA DC Chapter CBP Committee
- Co-Liaison to the State of Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulations
- Co-Liaison to the Maryland Driver’s License Committee
- Co-Liaison to the Federal Department of Labor Committee for Region II
- AILA DC Chapter Congressional Liaison Committee
- Vice Chair for the Education Committee
- Chair of the AILA DC Chapter Department of Labor Committee
- Day Coordinator: AILA 2010 Annual Conference
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Awarded the “high to very high” rating for legal ability and “very high” for General Ethical Standards from Martindale-Hubbell
Publications and Lectures
- Who is a Mother? International Surrogacy and Strategies for Lawful Permanent Residents, Co-Author, AILA Bangkok District 2nd Annual Conference (Feb 2014). Authorship shared with Rukayya Furo.
- Speaker: Travel Issues for Foreign Nationals, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s 12th Annual Immigration Law Conference (2012)
- Co-Author: No Single Bright Line, AILA Voice (March 2012, co-authored with Timothy Sachse)
- Speaker: CBP Issues at POEs and Overcoming Ineligibility, AILA Seminar (2011)
- Speaker: A Discussion on Ethics and the Unauthorized Practice of Law: AILA Essentials of Immigration Law for Paralegals Conference (March 2010)
- Speaker: AILA Rome District Chapter Conference (2009)
- Speaker: PERM For Experts: Three-Part Telephone & eMail Seminar, ILW (2009)
- Speaker: SMEC Employment Immigration Conference (2008)
- Speaker: American Telugu Association (ATA) MLF Panel Member: Labor Certification “PERM” How It Works (04.Jul.2008)
- Moderator: CHRA Employment Conference: Employment Immigration Essentials (March 2008)
- Keynote Speaker: Employment Based Immigration: What Was, What Is and What Maybe, Frederick County Society of Human Resources Management 2007 Fall Conference (2007)
- Speaker: Immigration Issues for Subcontractors, American Subcontractors Association 2005-2006 Sub-Defense Seminars (2006)
- Speaker and Co-Author: Overview of Immigration Laws, Procedures, Nonimmigrant Visas, and Retaining Foreign Workers: Permanent Visas, Sterling Education Services, Inc., (2004) (co-authored with Sheela Murthy)
- Speaker: U.S. Citizenship Through Birth & Naturalization as it Relates to Citizen & Alien Members of Military & Their Children; Special Provisions for Aliens in the Military, Federal Bar Association: Pentagon Chapter (2003)
MurthyBlog: Extended Profile – Aron Finkelstein, Attorney