October 14, 2024
Introducing Michele Madera! Michele is a familiar face at Klasko Immigration Law Partners. She has been with the firm for 10 years and has been a partner for nearly 7 years. Michele is an integral part of creating and continuing the firm’s affable and cooperative culture by managing one of the largest client teams and organizing some of the firm’s most memorable events. Read below to learn more about Michele!
- How long have you been at the firm?
10 years! - What is your current role?
I am currently a Partner, based in Philadelphia. I work with a variety of clients, and with a few different teams across the firm. My clients range from individuals to large employers, who sponsor 1,000+ foreign nationals. - How has your job changed over the years?
I started as an Associate — and really grew with Klasko, as it has as a firm. When I started, the firm was about 65 people, all on one floor in Center City Philadelphia. The firm has really grown, now at over 100 employees, many of whom are fully remote. We did a lot of our work on paper that shuffled throughout the office and to clients, but now everything is electronic. It has been a world of change over the last decade, and the firm has pivoted with each change, while always being sure to put our employees first. - What is your favorite memory from your early days at the firm?
Well, I knew KILP was going to be a great place to work because before I even started, I was invited to two firm parties. One of my favorite early memories was a holiday baking contest. I am not a competitive person or a baker, but I was very excited to be a part of this fun tradition. I made little reindeer cookie balls. I traversed the city of Philadelphia looking for edible googly eyes. It was surprisingly challenging to make antlers out of pretzels. It was so fun watching the partners walk around and taste/judge each treat- and hearing everyone’s stories and holiday baking traditions. - What do you value most about working at KILP?
The people and the environment. I get to work with amazing immigration lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, and many others. They are all passionate about what they do — they truly care about every client and each other. - What has been one of the more challenging times?
I know everyone says the pandemic! That was a really challenging time with so much uncertainty – it was scary. That said, I am going to call on another challenging time, which was in October 2020, when more green cards became available to employment-based immigrants than expected. Our firm had to file more than 1,000 green card applications in a short period of time. It was an unprecedented amount of work and stress — and during a pandemic! Clients were desperate to get their applications in, and we really came together to achieve this for our clients. - Anything else you want to share?
KILP has seen a lot of changes in the last 10 years, and I have been thrilled to be a part of them. I am excited to be a part of the firm’s leadership as we grow and face different challenges in the coming decades (and hopefully not another pandemic!).
Stay tuned to our 20th Anniversary page for more updates and staff features!
