Sethimaz Team

We are Sethi & Mazaheri LLC.

Dedicated Immigration Team Ready to Serve You

At Sethi & Mazaheri, we have a dedicated immigration team ready to serve you. A client’s experience with our firm is focused on comfort and support, so you won’t have to wait hours or days for a return call or e-mail.

Reza Mazaheri

FOUNDING PARTNER OF SETHI & MAZAHERI, LLC.

Mr. Mazaheri represents individuals in immigration and criminal proceedings in New Jersey. His most recent experience as a NJ prosecutor brings trial and litigation expertise in criminal matters including appeals and domestic violence cases. Prior to working as a prosecutor, Mr. Mazaheri served as a judicial clerk in the criminal division of the Essex County Superior Court of NJ for the Honorable Judge Jerome M. St. John.

He served as a faculty research assistant and a student attorney at the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic at Seton Hall Law Center for Social Justice and interned at the South Brooklyn Legal Services. In addition to his extensive commitment to providing public interest based legal services, Mr. Mazaheri worked in the Middle East, North Africa division of Human Rights Watch and is fluent in Farsi.

Mr. Mazaheri received his BA from State University of New York at Stony Brook in Political Science and his JD from Seton Hall University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. As an Iranian-American Lawyer, Mr. Mazaheri remains active in the Iranian community.

Sanjay Sethi

FOUNDING PARTNER OF SETHI & MAZAHERI, LLC.

Sanjay Sethi is the co-managing partner at Sethi & Mazaheri, LLC, practicing in a wide range of areas, including family-based green cards, asylum, removal defense, Federal Court litigation, and appeals. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University, his Master’s Degree in International Affairs from Columbia University and his JD from the University of Miami School of Law. He also earned a Certificate in Russian and East Central European Studies from Columbia University’s Harriman Institute and a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University.

Sanjay is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., and the Southern District of New York. Recently, Sanjay co-founded the Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing legal services and resettlement assistance to artists who are censored or persecuted in their countries of origin.

He is currently serving as the interim Executive Director for AFI, where he has built and managed AFI’s legal program providing pro bono services globally to over one hundred artists at risk. Prior to founding Sethi & Mazaheri and AFI, Sanjay served as a prosecutor in Union County, New Jersey, and a law clerk in the criminal division of the New Jersey Superior Court. Sanjay’s interest in and commitment to public service are rooted in his work experience at the United Nations Children’s Fund and the International Labour Organization in Moscow, Russia, as well as at Columbia University’s Public Interest Law Initiative in Budapest, Hungary, where he served as a Research Fellow.Mr.

Sethi received his BA from Northwestern University, his MA in International Affairs from Columbia University and his JD from the University of Miami School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. As an Indian-American Lawyer, Mr. Sethi remains active in the South Asian community.

Shervin Abachi

SENIOR ATTORNEY

Shervin Abachi holds the position of Senior Associate Attorney at Sethi & Mazaheri, with his expertise lying in immigration, entertainment, and art law. His professional purview encompasses employment-based visa petitions for artists and entertainers such as O, P, and EB-1 Visas, alongside various entertainment law matters including copyright, trademark, and artist contracts. Shervin’s educational credentials include a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Rutgers University School of Law, and an Art and Cultural Heritage Law Certificate from Georgetown University Law Center.

Outside of his responsibilities at Sethi and Mazaheri LLC, Shervin stands as the founder of Malbachi LLC, an enterprise dedicated to empowering immigrant artists struggling to find suitable employment and avenues for self-expression. Shervin’s commitment to supporting artistic talent extends to his advisory role at the Artistic Freedom Initiative, a nonprofit advocating for at-risk international artists through pro bono immigration representation and resettlement aid. He also contributes as a board member for the Big Dance Theater, a New York-based organization renowned for its innovative blend of dance, drama, and literature.

Demonstrating his passion for art and culture, Shervin directs the FOLCS International Short Film Competition, a platform for independent filmmakers to showcase their work themed around human rights. He also partakes in producing events for the Forum on Life, Culture, and Society (FOLCS) at renowned venues such as the 92 Street Y, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and NYU School of Law. His collaborations range from prominent figures like Sir Ben Kingsley, Chadwick Boseman, Rosie Perez, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, to esteemed personalities like President Bill Clinton and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Maintaining a firm stance on civil rights and community development, Shervin co-established the Iranian Community of the Northeast (ICON) to champion justice and representation for the Iranian community in NYC. His invaluable efforts were recognized by then-Mayor de Blasio and current Mayor Eric Adams in 2017.

Ashley Nunez

BUSINESS OPERATION AND CASE MANAGER

Ashley Nuñez serves as the business operation and case manager in our Jersey City and New York offices. Ashley is extremely passionate about attaining higher education and parallel to her role at Sethi and Mazaheri LLC, she pursues a legal degree as an evening law student at Rutgers Law School. Ashley has worked with non-profit organizations to improve the lives of underrepresented communities, specifically, new immigrants in the United States.

She graduated from the University of Tennessee’s Chancellor’s Honors Program in May 2015 with a double major in Political Science and International Studies. She has spent her time post-graduation traveling extensively and teaching in Madrid, Spain, and Franklin, TN. Ashley spends her time planning exotic vacations she can’t afford and park-hopping.

Michael Ibarra

PARALEGAL AND RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Michael Ibarra serves as a Paralegal in our New Jersey office. He graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in Biology, after leaving the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education’s seven-year B.S./M.D. program. While his passion for medicine has waned, he has continued their mission of serving marginalized and underrepresented communities through his work in Sethi & Mazaheri’s green card, citizenship, asylum, and deportation defense practice areas.

He hopes to revisit higher education at some point, although the thought of student loans still gives him violent heart palpitations. He should probably get those checked out. In his spare time, Michael likes to read, play mediocre piano covers, and wax nostalgic about gatherings of more than six people.

Amir Fadavi

OF COUNSEL

Amir works as an of counsel to Sethi & Mazaheri on topics related to the Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) regulations. He helps individuals to understand the restrictions put in place by OFAC. For instance, in many immigration cases, OFAC regulations come to play as there are transactions between the individual seeking to immigrate and her family in a country where the United States Government has imposed some restrictions. He also advises Sethi & Mazaheri clients on subjects like securing specific licenses, the applicability of general licenses, and how to reach out the Government agencies in cases related to sanctions.

Licensed to practice in New York, Amir graduated from Fordham School of Law magna cum laude where he was mainly focused on banking and finance law. He has the experience of working with one of the major global financial institutions both in the United States and Europe. Prior to focusing his practice area on sanctions, he worked on immigration matters for a firm in New York City. In addition, he has been involved in helping the community members in small claims court on a pro bono basis. He served as a board member of the Iranian-America Bar Association (IABA), NY Chapter. Amir is interested in running and he has done several semi-marathons. His goal is to finish the New York marathon in the upcoming years.

Natalia Duran

PARALEGAL AND RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Natalia serves as a Paralegal in our New Jersey office. She graduated from Monmouth University with a degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. She has had a strong passion for community and youth development from a young age, both domestic and international, and has been devoted to volunteer work in her neighborhood and internationally in Cusco, Peru. She has dedicated her time to several non-profit organizations, all of which focus on inner-city community building, specifically for Latin Americans and climate justice in marginalized communities. As a first-generation Latina growing up in Newark, NJ, Natalia feels passionate about immigrants and their cultures’ value to any community. This is why she plans on continuing her education and pursuing a law degree to serve her community better and represent Latin America within the realm of immigration. Natalia loves to travel and experience other cultures (especially the food!), watch horror movies, and brag about Peru’s long list of culinary awards.

Gustavo Cornejo-Ascurra

Office Administrator

Gustavo studied biochemistry at Bergen Community College, working in Dr. Judith Fitzpatrick’s team for the initial research of the now patented microBIOMETER®. Before working at Sethi and Mazaheri, he had worked in both science and healthcare settings, the latter of which instilled in him a mindset of service to the community. He is an immigrant himself and intimately knows how difficult and nerve-wracking it can be to navigate the US immigration system, and his own experiences and interactions with USCIS pushed him to pursue the field of immigration law.

Gustavo has volunteered for Amnesty International, the International WeLoveU Foundation, and his local church. He also has strong ties to the local Hispanic community in Hudson County. He speaks English and Spanish, is proficient in French, and would love to pick up at least two more languages. In his barely existing spare time, he likes to read anything related to history or linguistics and tell everyone how awesome Peruvian food and Cuban coffee are.

Melissa Showers

Paralegal

Melissa Showers, a paralegal at Sethi and Mazaheri LLC, has devoted over a decade to the legal field, specializing in both bankruptcy and immigration law. Her career began in 2009, as a receptionist at a bankruptcy law firm in New York. Within two years, Melissa had ascended to a bankruptcy paralegal role, handling a variety of cases, including Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 filings.

In 2020, Melissa expanded her legal expertise, branching out into immigration law and filing immigrant visa cases for a law firm based in Brooklyn. Her dedication to her work is fueled not only by her professional passion but also by her love of a bustling work environment that offers a temporary escape from her energetic household.

Outside the professional arena, Melissa’s heart resides with her family. As a mother of four and grandmother to a three-year-old grandson — her favorite little being of all — Melissa cherishes the moments of joy and fulfillment her family brings. Her wide-ranging experience and dedication to her role continue to make her an invaluable asset to Sethi and Mazaheri LLC.

Kirsty Mac Coll

Paralegal

Kirsty is a Talent-Based Immigration Paralegal with Sethi and Mazaheri LLC’s New Jersey office. Prior to joining the firm, Kirsty held various immigration positions, including most recently, as a business/employment-based paralegal in New York City working on I-140 petitions. Before relocating to the New York City metro area, Kirsty was previously employed in several roles at Purdue University where she provided support for the international student and scholar population and their families (F-1, J-1 visas).

Kirsty graduated from The Pennsylvania State University main campus with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology, but she could not resist the pull towards immigration. As an immigrant herself, she understands the stress and anxiety of the immigration process and wanted to help others through the difficulties of the process. While working full-time at Purdue University, she earned her second bachelor’s degree from the institution, graduating Summa cum laude in Legal Support and Services – Paralegal Concentration. Kirsty is a current active member of NALA: The Paralegal Association and would like to pursue law school at some point in the future.

Outside of work, Kirsty enjoys exploring her new cities and surroundings and all their offerings: music, lots of authentic cuisine of all kinds (oh so much good food), picnics in Central Park, and, hopefully soon, taking in some Broadway plays! She also loves to read and enjoys a good non-fiction book, or a biography/autobiography. Kirsty would love to travel more, explore new parts of the world, and make new memories!

Project Assistants

Irene Hsu

Project Assistants

Peter Schmidt

Project Assistants

Past Legal Interns

Sethi and Mazaheri’s summer legal Internship is designed to give law students an opportunity to serve in one of our field offices.

Summer Legal Interns gain skills and knowledge regarding immigration laws and policies. Our summer legal internship program provides exposure to legal work and helps law students develop skills in legal research, writing briefs, and real-world lawyerly practice.

Ariel Gootkin

Summer Legal Intern

Ariel served as a summer legal intern for Sethi and Mazaheri in the Jersey City office and is a rising 2L at Penn State Law. Ariel is from Long Island, New York and plans to live and work in New York City upon graduation from law school. Ariel graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2021 with Leadership Distinction in Professional and Civic Engagement. She majored in criminology and criminal justice and minored in psychology and law and society. Ariel has further supplemented her strong interest in the legal field through her past experiences with her home county’s district attorney’s office, and her in-house role in the legal and compliance departments of a federal credit union. She also served as a judicial council member at UofSC with the office of student conduct and academic integrity, and worked as an FOI coordinator post-graduation before law school.

Throughout her 2L year, Ariel is looking forward to exploring new areas of law and mentoring younger law students through her leadership positions in the Women’s Law Caucus, Corporate Law Society, and Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity. In her free time, Ariel enjoys theater and concerts, trying new restaurants, and watching sunsets on the beach. She likes to stay active by attending barre classes, weight training, and taking long walks with her dog.

Daniel Tokarz

Summer Legal Intern

Daniel served as a Sethi and Mazaheri Summer 2023 legal intern at the Jersey City, New Jersey office where he assisted clients with their asylum applications and removal defense. He’s a rising 3L at Rutgers Law School Newark, pursuing a certificate in immigration law. Prior to law school, he earned a degree in political science and a minor in history from Boston University.

Having experienced his own immigrant journey through his parents who immigrated from Poland and Ukraine, Daniel is deeply committed to helping others in need. Once a practicing attorney, he aspires to provide pro bono assistance to those facing immigration challenges, driven by the desire to make a meaningful difference.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds joy in the company of his friends, loves traveling to areas rich in culture and history, and enjoys recreating outdoors.

Jessica Moskowitz

Summer Undergraduate Intern

Jessica Moskowitz served as a summer intern in Sethi and Mazaheri’s Jersey City office. She will be entering her junior year at Northwestern University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Spanish and a minor in History. She plans on attending law school after college, and is particularly interested in the intersection between law and public policy. Over the past 3 years, she has worked on various political campaigns in Chicago and Pennsylvania. At Northwestern, she is a Kaplan Humanities Scholar and a Leopold Fellow. With her fellowship, she will engage in research that examines 19th century African American migration to Midwestern cities and early interactions between different minority communities in those cities.

In the past, she has worked extensively with children from underprivileged backgrounds, which drives her passion to serve inner-city and immigrant communities. In her free time, Jessica can be found tap dancing, playing softball, or raving about New Jersey bagels to her Midwestern friends. She is proficient in Spanish.

Konrad Ratzmann

LEGAL INTERN

Konrad Ratzmann serves as a legal intern in the New York City office. He graduated from the Honors College at Rutgers University-Newark in 2012, where he studied Anthropology with a focus on international conflict resolution and genocide prevention. Today, Konrad hopes to continue his work in these fields, but on a more direct and personal level. As a result, he is pursuing a law degree at the CUNY School of Law and intends to work in immigration, human rights, and international law. Konrad’s free time is spent playing bass, racing bikes, and running with his dog.

Lara Teixeira

LEGAL INTERN

Lara is a recent LLM graduate from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York, who will be sitting for the NY Bar Exam in February 2022. Lara is also a licensed attorney in Brazil with three years of experience in civil litigation and transactional matters and she is looking to build a legal career in the United States. She has worked as a paralegal for the past five years in different fields of law which she says helped her gain the ability to learn about the US justice system and helped her develop skills such as client approach and case management.

Lara who is an immigrant herself, taking from her personal experience now works in immigration law and helps other people obtain legal status in the United States. She says she choose this particular field of law because it resonates with her on a personal level and experience and because she enjoys talking to people and help bring justice for the ones who do not always have access to information about their rights.

In her free time Lara spends time with her family and friends, loves to plan small vacations, and practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Nadia Bouajila

SUMMER LEGAL INTERN

Nadia Bouajila serves as a legal intern in the Washington, DC office. Nadia is a rising 2L at American University Washington College of Law with interests in international human rights, immigration, civil rights, and criminal justice reform. Before attending law school, Nadia worked as a paralegal in a criminal defense firm in her home state of New Mexico and as a trainee at a public affairs firm in New York City specializing in campaigns for green energy companies, labor unions, and progressive higher education initiatives. As a first generation Tunisian-American, and daughter of an artist, Nadia was drawn to the asylum and talent-based visa work at Sethi & Mazaheri, LLC. In her free time, you can find Nadia learning to paddle board on the Potomac, playing pick-up soccer, or attending local language exchange events in hopes of finally achieving professional working proficiency in Arabic and French.

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