KAREN PEREZ ESCOTTO

Karen is the Case Manager (senior paralegal) for the HMA Law Firm. She is responsible to provide oversight in case processing, responsible for obtaining information and documentation for clients needed to complete immigration forms, maintaining contact with clients for pending cases, and keeping them apprised of the status of their cases. She is a citizen of the United States, Mexico and Guatemala, bringing an extensive understanding of the dynamics of these countries and Central America, in general. Before joining the HMA Law Firm, she spent the last eight years working for the U.S. Department of State, where she worked with Law Enforcement Agencies and received extensive training in Consular Services, Immigration and Nationality Law Procedures and Visa Operations. Karen worked for two years and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, processing Special Immigrant Visas for Iraqi nationals who became internally displaced because of their faithful and valuable service to the U.S. government during the U.S-Iraq war. Ensuring the authenticity of applications was part of her job. She also work at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City processing Non-Immigrant, such as H-1B, F and B-2 visas; and Immigrant visas, such as K and U visas. As part of her job she also investigated smuggling rings, gang activity and forged documents. She was experienced in handling large amounts of sensitive paperwork: Guatemala processed a total of 800 applicants per day, at one point, with a local employee team of six, total. In Baghdad, she handled over 400 SIV applications by herself. She established a network of contacts with local authorities, the international community and the private sector to assist her in her SIV work in Baghdad and as a fraud prevention officer in Guatemala. She has a deep understanding of State Department protocols and consular procedures that are a welcome addition to our firm. Her understanding of country dynamics coupled with her training enables her to help the Firm attorneys prepare very tailored, persuasive applications for relief, especially gang-related claims from Central America. And her deep knowledge of Titles 7 and 9 of the Foreign Affairs Manual helps in moving client cases through consular processing. While representing the U. S. Department of State, she participated in web chats, outreach presentations, radio interviews on consular topics and co-published a bi-weekly newspaper  column, “Ask the Consul”. Karen is fluent in Spanish and English, and conversational in French.