Marianela Estrella Schwabe’s journey into becoming the newest associate attorney at Fry & Elder is compelling to say the least.
Estrella Schwabe joined Fry & Elder in July and will work directly under highly-regarded Tulsa immigration law attorney Lorena Rivas.
“I am thrilled to be working for Lorena at Fry & Elder,” Marianela Estrella Schwabe said. “Lorena has been a fantastic immigration attorney for a number of years and has a great reputation, as does the Fry & Elder name. It’s a great opportunity for me.”
Of the seven attorneys now with Fry & Elder, Estrella Schwabe’s path to the elite Oklahoma law firm might be the most unique.
Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Estrella Schwabe did not spend an extended amount of time in the United States until she came to Tulsa in 1995-1996 as a high-school exchange student.
After graduating from Sapulpa High School in 1996, Estrella Schwabe returned to the Dominican Republic where she attended law school. She then ventured to Paris, France for two years (2001-2003) to attain her Masters in Civil Law.
Estralla Schwabe’s fascinating ride did not stop there. She went back to the Dominican Republic to briefly work at her mother’s firm before moving back to Tulsa in 2004 and then attending and graduating from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2014.
“I guess I did take a rather unique route to get here,” Marianela Estrella Schwabe said. “I don’t think we took classes together, but I actually met Lorena in law school, and I have been working with her off and on since 2012 – first as a legal intern and now as an associate.”
Fry & Elder offers the following immigration services which Estrella Schwabe will focus on.
- Asylum
- Business Immigration
- Citizenship/Naturalization
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
- Deportation/Removal Defense
- Family Immigration
- Fiancé Visa
- Humanitarian Relief
- Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
- Waivers
Due to her background and personal experiences, immigration law was a natural fit for Estrella Schwabe.
“The main reason why I chose to get into immigration law is because of my experiences as an immigrant going through the immigration process – from tourist visa, student visa, work H1-B visa to permanent residence and citizenship process,” Marianela Estrella Schwabe said. “I understand what the process entails and there are a lot of people out there who need the help of an attorney, particularly right now.”
Estrella Schwabe, who recently gave birth to a baby son, will work for Fry & Elder on a part-time basis so that she can spend time with her newborn.
She will help take over for Ruth Calvillo, who recently left Fry & Elder to return to the Los Angeles area to be closer with her family and work at a nonprofit organization as a child advocate.
“Ruth did an amazing job for me,” Rivas said. “It was very tough to see her go, but Marianela is an extremely detailed and thoughtful individual who will be a great addition to the Fry & Elder team.”
If you or someone close to you needs immigration law assistance, contact Fry & Elder today.