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Carlos A. Cruz
Owner & Managing Attorney |
Mr. Cruz
is the owner and managing attorney of the Law Offices of
Carlos A. Cruz & Associates.
Since
1996, Mr. Cruz has successfully represented thousands of
immigrants from all around the world in cases before the
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and its
predecessor agency the Immigration and Nationalization
Service, Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration
Appeals, and U.S. District Court and various Federal Circuit
Courts of Appeal. Mr. Cruz has an impressive successful
track record in particularly complex cases involving novel
issues in immigration law. For example, in 2004, Mr. Cruz's
advocacy resulted in a significant victory before the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeal. In the published case of Hasan
v. Ashcroft, 380 F.3d 1114 (9th Cir. 2004), the Court
held, for the first time, that a reporter, like a
whistleblower, was entitled to protection under asylum law
on account of a political opinion expressed in the media,
regardless of the presence of a dual motive. Mr. Cruz is
routinely assigned pro bono cases by Immigration Judges
which he represents with great pride.
Mr. Cruz
has received numerous awards over the years, including in
2010 receiving the Top Lawyers Under 40 Award from the
Hispanic National Bar Association ("HNBA"). He has also
received awards for his involvement in the community,
including recognition as Alum of the Year at Loyola Law
School in 2010.
Mr. Cruz serves on the
Loyola Law School Board of Overseers and on
the Board at the Immaculate Conception Church, the oldest
and poorest Catholic school in Los Angeles serving a
predominantly Latino immigrant community. Mr. Cruz coached
the HNBA moot court team at Loyola Law School from 2009 to
2011. In 2009, his team placed 2nd in the overall
competition in Miami, Florida. In 2010, Mr. Cruz's team
placed 1st in the overall competition and took home awards
for Best Brief as well as the 1st and 2nd place finishes in
the Best Oral Advocate category.
Mr. Cruz
is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers
Association ("AILA") and the Los Angeles County Bar
Association ("LACBA"). Mr. Cruz
has been a guest speaker on
complex immigration law issues at events hosted by
AILA, LACBA and by numerous other
community-based organizations seeking his expertise. He has
also provided the public with general immigration advice
through various media outlets including, radio and
television. He also provides free legal advice at various
immigration clinics and forums throughout greater Los
Angeles.
Mr. Cruz
and his family fled El Salvador and migrated to the United
States at the onset of the Salvadorian civil war. Carlos
grew up in Los Angeles and Oakland, California. He attended
UC Davis and double majored in Political Science and Chicano
Studies. After college, Carlos attended Loyola Law School
and graduated in 1996. Carlos distinguished himself while at
Loyola Law School as a two-time moot court champion. While
at Loyola Law School, Carlos was also awarded best overall
advocate and best oral advocate in the Latin American Moot
Court Competition. In 1996, as a third year law student,
Carlos was involved in the first HNBA Moot Court Competition
in Chicago, Illinois. His team won first place in the
competition and, again, he won the title of best overall
advocate.
Carlos is
the proud father of two boys: Carlos and Julio, and enjoys
spending quality time with his sons. They are his pride and
joy. |
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