Melissa Katsoris

Experience

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  New York City Council

  Mar 2010 - Sept 2011

  Intern

  Assisted Minority Leader Councilman James Oddo and his staff with office work and political affairs, and sat in on and assisted with council hearings and meetings.

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  New York City Bar

  Sept 2010 - May 2011

  Intern

  Worked with the Veteran's Assistance Project and Public Service Network at the New York City Bar. We assisted veterans and New York citizens who cannot afford legal services with finding and managing pro bono legal aid. We also provided educational clinics and seminars for attorneys.

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  Cypress Recruiting Group

  Dec 2011 - Jun 2013

  Recruitment Associate

  Worked as a recruitment assistant soliciting and recruiting attorneys to work at international law firms in Asia and the Middle East. I also wrote articles and business updates on the company’s blog called the Asia Legal Blog and assisted the managing partners with management, marketing and administrative work.

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  High Court of Ireland

  Jun 2013 - Aug 2013

  Legal Intern

  Assisted Honorable Judge Peter Charleton with opinion writing, court proceedings and research.

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  U.S. Court of International Trade

  Aug 2013 - Dec 2013

  Legal Intern

  Assisted Honorable Judge Nicholas Tsoucalas with opinion writing, court proceedings and research.

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  Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor

  Jun 2014 - Aug 2014

  Legal Intern

  Administrative agency that regulates the New York and New Jersey waterfront by minimizing criminal activity on the ports and regulating and monitoring the employment of longshoremen. Assisted with criminal investigations for the Commission and the Manhattan District Attorney of organized crime on the ports, deposed longshoreman for employment violations, and conducted legal writing and research for administrative court proceedings.

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  Fordham University School of Law Mediation Clinic

  Aug 2014 - Dec 2014

  Mediator

  Served as mediator in New York City Small Claims Court in disputes involving landlord-tenant, employer-employee, defective goods and services, etc.

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  United Nations

  Sept 2016 - Apr 2017

  Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Greece

  • Reported to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs on international affairs matters at UN Headquarters in New York.• Advised on migration issues and represented Greece at dozens of meetings and negotiations for the Global Compact for Migration, the first intergovernmental negotiations and international policy under the auspices of the UN to cover all aspects of international migration. • Organized events with thousands of attendees at the UN hosted by Greece that promoted awareness of immigration issues in the Mediterranean region. • Covered multiple topics including Migration Issues, the Fourth Committee on Special Political Decolonization, Humanitarian Affairs, the Security Council, and the Middle East.• Represented Greece at UN General Assembly, Fourth Committee, Humanitarian Liaison Working Group, Security Council, and European Union meetings. • Participated in draft negotiations for UN General Assembly Resolutions and reported developments to Diplomats, the Ambassador, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece. Show less

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  Merrill R. Cohen & Associates, PC

  Apr 2017 - Sept 2018

  Immigration Attorney

  • Prepared immigrant and non-immigrant visa petitions for employment and family-based clientele. • Filed and prepared employment-based petitions for various immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories including EB-1, EB-2 NIW, O, E, J, P, H, L, TN, and B. • Worked with a variety of employment-based immigrant professionals including doctors, business executives, engineers, athletes, artists, tech professionals, scientists, and architects. • Prepared asylum applications and I-130 family based petitions. • Attended immigration interviews at USCIS Field Offices in NY and NJ. Represented clients in removal proceedings before the EOIR/DOJ. Show less

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  Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein, P.C.

  Sept 2018 - Mar 2020

  Immigration Attorney

  • Represented immigrants in a variety of employment, family, and humanitarian-based immigration matters before the EOIR/DOJ, USCIS, and ICE. Provided clients with advice and guidance on what immigrant and non-immigrant visas they qualify for and how to maintain their immigration status in the United States.• Prepared employment-based immigration petitions for a variety of immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories including PERM, EB-1, EB-2 NIW, O, H, P, L, E, J, TN, and B categories. Prepared family based I-130 immigrant petitions based on various familial relationships, I-751 Petitions to Remove Conditions on Residence, N-400 Applications for Naturalization, and waiver applications for immigrants with qualifying relatives who do not qualify for adjustment of status due to criminal convictions, misrepresentation, foreign residency requirements, entries without inspection at the border, etc. • Prepared and provided emotional support and guidance to clients filing battered spouse (VAWA) petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) petitions, and asylum applications. • Prepared clients for and attended immigration interviews at USCIS Field Offices nationwide and represented clients in removal proceedings before the DOJ. Assisted clients with consular processing and embassy inquiries. Show less

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  Baptiste Law Group PLLC

  Mar 2020 - now

  Of Counsel

  • Handle immigration matters for the firm on a consultative basis and provide preparation, representation, and assistance to clients seeking family, humanitarian, and employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories. • Assist with management of the firm and handle administrative tasks as needed.

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  Center for Migration Studies of New York

  Jun 2020 - Feb 2023

  Publications and Events Manager - Main UN Representative

  • Served as the Main UN Representative for CMS as an ECOSOC Consultative Agency representing the agency at UN meetings and conferences related to migration and promoting CMS’ work and research among UN networks.• Managed CMS publications International Migration Review and Journal on Migration and Human Security, which are among the top journals on migration, overseeing the publication process, proofing/editing, and promotion of articles. • Conducted research and served as a legal resource and contributor to CMS’ data-driven reports and content.• Served as a speaker and moderator for CMS and government, UN, NGO, and other events on behalf of the agency. • Wrote US, international, and UN migration law and policy updates for CMS’ weekly newsletter, Migration Update.• Oversaw and organized CMS events including international conferences, symposia, briefings, and webinars. Duties included setting agendas; identifying speakers and topics; handling logistics; and monitoring attrition and metrics.• Produced monthly and annual reports for staff and board of trustees that measure the impact of CMS’s diverse work to understand trends, opportunities, and public interest in CMS’s work, and challenges facing the agency. • Developed strategies to expand CMS’s diverse constituent lists such as policymakers, policy influencers, universities, publications, and NGOs to increase the agency’s reach and influence. Show less

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  HIAS

  Mar 2023 - now

  Editorial Manager, Center for Refugee Policy

  The HIAS Center for Refugee Policy is dedicated to producing evidence-based research and generating policy solutions to inform and educate policymakers and other stakeholders on issues related to the protection and rights of refugees and displaced people worldwide. It is housed within HIAS, one of the oldest refugee resettlement organizations in the world that serves more than a million refugees and displaced people annually.• Implement the Center’s research and policy analysis agenda by managing its operations, projects, and publications portfolio. • Serve as editor and final approver for all Center publications.• Serve as Project Director for a government research contract for the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that examines the treatment of asylum seekers in expedited removal.• Manage production and release of Center publications and support authors and external partners with the drafting and editing process.• Author various publications for the Center including reports, policy briefs, explainers, and fact sheets. • Conduct research, literature reviews, consultations, and field visits for the Center’s research projects. • Work with other departments within HIAS to produce publications based on data they gathered through refugee resettlement, private sponsorship, and economic inclusion programs.• Manage development tasks and write grant and research proposals.• Serve as speaker at events related to immigration and refugee policy on behalf of the Center. • Engage with the Center’s advisory committee and network with a diverse group of professionals and constituents including policymakers, universities, legal professionals, think tanks, NGOs, UN and international organizations, and government agencies. Show less