History
Founded June 1980 as a general practice, founder Maria Luisa de Castro Foden started with one file cabinet for divorces, one for criminal cases, real estate, and one small drawer in a cabinet for immigration petitions. Slowly, but surely, that one immigration file drawer grew to a cabinet, then two, then three, and eventually became the sole focus of the bustling law firm that we have today.
Immigration laws and policies have a broad and tremendous impact on individuals, families, businesses, our economy, and our country. Truly, we are driven to help people achieve their dreams and goals, and to advocate on their behalf. We are proud to contribute to the immigrant fabric of American life, and to fully extract the benefit of laws and privileges available to immigrants and nonimmigrants under the Immigration and Nationality Act. As we lead clients toward what we aim to be a positive and successful immigration process, our work exudes the mantra of love what you do.
Guiding Principles
Three considerations guide how we craft a strategy for your case:
Time. Many times, there are multiple ways to arrive at a desired result. We present your options and make recommendations to you based on how long each option will take from start to finish;
Cost. We choose the most cost effective process as balanced against the time that process will take; and
Presentation. We choose a strategy that best suits our client’s goals and is an accurate representation of who they are.
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Attorneys
MARIA LUISA DE CASTRO FODEN
Attorney Maria Luisa de Castro Foden is a tenacious attorney with unparalleled experience in immigration law. Her intensity, analytical agility and ardent personality defines our practice, and sets the pace for a style of lawyering that is uniquely ours.
Born in Chile, she immigrated to the United States 1967 as a foreign student to Douglas College, Rutgers University in New Jersey. When she received her Juris Doctor, she was the first Hispanic woman to graduate from the University of Connecticut School of Law. A pioneer in action, her reputation draws people to seek our advice from all over the country.
In 2019, the Connecticut Law Tribune recognized Maria Luisa de Castro Foden’s contributions as an immigration attorney with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the Connecticut bar and the U.S. District Court of Connecticut.
MARY DE CASTRO FODEN
Attorney Mary Foden leads litigation at De Castro Foden, and has extensive experience in cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, adjustment of status, immigrant and nonimmigrant work and investor visas. In removal defense, where everything is on the line, her skillful and stalwart advocacy, compassion and professionalism is a relief to the client and family.
Mary has been rated by her peers as a Super Lawyer since 2014, and as a “Top Attorney” by New England’s Outstanding Young Lawyers. Precedent Decision: Matter of Ferreira, 26 I&N 415 (BIA 2014). See also the Board’s important decision in Adela Nolasco Santiago, A205 497 497 (BIA May 3, 2017).
Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the bars of Connecticut and New York, U.S. District Court of Connecticut, Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
edwin d. colon
Attorney Edwin Colon represents clients in asylum, family immigration, citizenship waivers of inadmissibility, and appeals. Perpetually an “on-his-feet” attorney, Edwin is nationally renown for his passionate defense of immigrant children. To that end, he collaborated with the Connecticut Probate Court Administration in drafting and securing Connecticut law which codified the federal SIJS language established path for residency to countless immigrant minors as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ). He has trained and mentored over100 immigration practitioners, from major law firms to solo practitioners, throughout the United States on SIJ.
Edwin has received numerous accolades for his outstanding skill and contributions: James W. Cooper Fellow, CT Bar Foundation, 2018, Distinguished Leader in the Law, CT Law Tribune, 2017, Top 50 Latino Leaders in Connecticut, LUPA, 2014 and 2015, New Leaders in the Law, CT Law Tribune, 2013, and Recognition as a Social Work Educator, National Association of Social Workers, CT-Chapter, 2009. In addition to his legal work, Edwin has held teaching positions and serves on numerous boards in furtherance of social justice.
Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the bars of Connecticut and New York, and the U.S. District Court of Connecticut.
shayna t. williams
Attorney Shayna Williams is an expert in waivers of inadmissibility. An Indiana state native with Cuban roots, Shayna’s practice centers on uniting and minimizing the separation of families through the provisional waiver of inadmissibility, Form I-601A.
A zealous and compassionate attorney with a social advocate twist, Shayna dives deeply into the lives of our clients to present an insightful and compelling record of the equities and hardship considerations for USCIS’ consideration. By all accounts the most significant waiver for families, Shayna is highly specialized in this waiver, and her hard work has achieved thousands of approvals for families to ensure their unity.
Juris Doctor, DePaul University, Admitted to the Illinois bar.
Daniela RODRIGUEZ
Attorney Daniela Rodriguez represents clients in asylum, special immigrant categories including SIJ, U visa for victims of crime, T for victims of human trafficking, and VAWA for victims of domestic violence. Born in Cuba, Daniela came to the United States as an immigrant in 1999. Her experiences as an immigrant makes her uniquely positioned to empathize with the struggles that many of her clients experience while navigating complex immigration laws. With attention to detail and a passion for work in the field of immigration law, she is a zealous advocate for her clients.
Juris Doctor, Quinnipiac University School of Law. Admitted to the bars of Connecticut and the U.S. District Court of Connecticut. Board member of the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association.
JON-MARC LARUE ZITZKAT
A second-generation immigration practitioner, Jon-Marc has developed expertise in a wide array of employment-based and family-based immigration matters, including temporary nonimmigrant visa petitions (H-1B, O, P, L, R, and E-1, E-2, and E-3), permanent visa petitions (EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3), Labor Certification (PERM), adjustment of status, and appeals.
Jon-Marc leads the firm’s employment-based practice, in both temporary visa and permanent residency contexts. Jon-Marc has also successfully represented clients in waiver applications and various interviews before USCIS, including naturalization and asylum.
Juris Doctor, University of Connecticut. Admitted to the Connecticut bar.