Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Perez.
Hi Catherine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted to be a lawyer. I thought it would be something that I would be good at since my parents would always say that I was the little lawyer of the family (probably not a compliment). As I got older and joined the debate team, I started to realize the duty and responsibilities that lawyers held and the role that they played in our justice system. When I finished my undergraduate degree majoring in political science at FIU I realized that I needed work experience in the legal field. Up to that point I had worked as an executive assistant for a security company and held different positions in my parent’s businesses, but I didn’t know what the day-to-day looked like for someone in practice.
Therefore I started to desperately look for employment within the legal field. Finally, in 2012, I was hired as a legal secretary at an immigration law firm. That is where I found my true passion. I experienced firsthand what it was like to assist people through a broken immigration system. I witnessed firsthand the lives of thousands of people change and families reunite after enduring years of abuse, oppression, and injustices. In 2021, I opened my law firm, The Law Offices of Catherine Perez, PLLC. Our vision is to be able to help immigrants, who come to the United States seeking safety, security, stability, and a better standard of life, in obtaining legal immigration status.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey has not been without its challenges. In the summer before I was supposed to start law school, I found out that I was pregnant with my oldest. At first I thought going to law school was going to be impossible. Thankfully, I had the support of my husband, friends, and family who helped me balance motherhood and being a full time law student. My daughter was my biggest motivation while I was in law school but I definitely missed out on some of her earlier milestones.
Another hurdle that I had to surpass was the COVID-19 pandemic. I had just decided on going solo when all of a sudden the world started to shut down and isolate. Courts were closed and hearings were being pushed back until unknown dates. This was a very stressful time for me due to the uncertainty of what the future would look like.
Today, I am grateful for the challenges because it allowed us to grow and learn from each of these experiences.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Law Offices of Catherine Perez, PLLC?
We are an immigration law firm with a specialty in deportation defense, family petitions, business immigration, VAWA, and U/T nonimmigrant visas.
Although we are a private practice, our purpose and mission is to help our community therefore, we do handle pro bono cases and even in the cases where we can’t offer pro bono services we are very understanding of the financial needs of our clients and try to work on payment plans and flexible payment schedules. We also offer low-cost consultation services and provide clients with a guide on what solutions they may have.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I am originally from New York but I love Miami. I believe that Miami has the perfect soil to grow any type of business, idea, or project. From a corner cafeteria to a law firm, it can happen right here with the right attitude and hustle. Rick Ross said it best, “Everyday we hustlin.”
Contact Info:
- Website: cplawusa.com
- Instagram: @cplawoffices
- Facebook: Law Offices of Catherine Perez
