The 2007 edition of "Who's Who Legal," calls Ms. Younossi a "very sharp" attorney who is among the "leading lights" in California.

Ms. Younossi's own experience as a U.S. immigrant consistently informs her practice, providing her not only with personal insight into the immigration experience, but also a longtime passion for and interest in the policy debates and legislative developments both here and abroad.

Helena S. Younossi

Founder & Chief Immigration Counsel

For nearly two decades, Helena S. Younossi has been helping companies
bring the best talent to the United States and achieve their goals
in business immigration matters.

As an attorney and business advisor, she has extensive experience with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 multinationals. Prior to opening her own firm, Ms. Younossi was a partner at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, the largest corporate immigration firm in North America. Her immigration practice is complimented by several years spent in corporate defense litigation.

An authority on legal ethics, Ms. Younossi is an accomplished speaker and trainer, providing high-level training on immigration matters and the California Rules of Professional Conduct. She has developed and presented numerous immigration law training seminars for in-house counsel, human resource professionals and staffing departments, as well as training for the legal staff, associates and partners at her prior firm. A native speaker of Farsi and German, she is also fluent in English and French.

Ms. Younossi is a strong believer in volunteerism and the cause of making quality legal services available to all. She is active in pro bono work and is a three-time recipient of the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services for her voluntary provision of legal services to the poor. A former member of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, she continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation. She serves as Cultural Advisor to the Alliance for International Women's Rights. Helena is an accomplished tri-athlete and completed Ironman Canada in 2003.

Volunteerism and Honors

• Recognized for inclusion in "Super Lawyers, Northern California, 2010".
• Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2010 edition of "The Best Lawyers in America," a definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States.
• Member Executive Committee, International Law Section, State Bar of California, 2009-present.
• National Committee Member, AILA Ethics and Practice Management Committee 2008-present.
• Board Member and Liaison, AILA Northern California Ethics Committee 2008-present.
• Cultural Advisor, Alliance for International Women's Rights-2006-present.
• Board Member, San Francisco AIDS Foundation 2007, 2008.
• Board Member, Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation 2007-2009.
• Three-time recipient of the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services.

Recent Select Speaking Engagements and Publications

• Moderator, "Ethical Issues of Outsourcing Legal Support Services Overseas," 83^rd Annual Meeting of The State Bar of California, September 23, 2010, Monterey, California.
• Moderator, "Drafting Ethical and Profitable Representation Agreements and Conflict Waivers," 2010 American Immigration Lawyers Annual Conference, National Harbor, MD, July 3, 2010.
• Speaker, "Ethics, Practice Management, and Marketing," AILA Spring 2010 Texas/Oklahoma/New Mexico Chapter Conference, Austin, Texas, April 16, 2010.
• Speaker, "Ethics for Immigration Lawyers Part II: Navigating the Ethics of Fraud: Balancing Candor and Confidentiality in Immigration Practice," sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, September 17, 2009, Web Seminar.
• Speaker, "Immigration Now and into 2010: H-1B Cap, E-verify, No-Match Rules, and the New Administration," MyOHR 2009 Speaker Series, Campbell, California, July 30, 2009.
• Speaker, "Ethics for Immigration Lawyers Part I: Ethics, Clients and Money in Immigration Practice", sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, June 19, 2009, Web Seminar.
• Speaker, California Bar Association, International Law Section, "Immigration and Export Control Considerations in Employing Foreign Nationals", Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, Palo Alto, March 20, 2009.
• Moderator and Speaker at 21st Annual AILA California Chapters Conference, Special Sessions seminar on Ethics, San Francisco, CA, November 14, 2008.
• Speaker, German American Business Association, "Negotiating as Women: Nontraditional Settings and Successes" Bingham McCutchen LLP, Palo Alto, CA, June 24, 2008.
• Moderator and Speaker, AILA NorCal Chapter MCLE meetings, "Immigration Practice in a High Tech World," San Francisco, CA, April 22, 2008.
• From Whom to Tomb: Ethical Issues to Consider when Starting your own Immigration Law Practice, by Helena S Younossi and John Richard Smith, published in the 21st Annual AILA California Chapter Conference Handbook, November, 2008.
• Sixth Annual Statewide Ethics Symposium.
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
• Public Law Institute.
• American Bar Association.

Licensing & Admissions

• Licensed by California State Bar.
• Licensed by District of Columbia Bar.
• License approval pending with New York Bar.
• Admitted to Supreme Court of California.
• Admitted to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit .
• Admitted to U.S. District Court - Northern District of California.

Memberships & Associations

• Member, San Francisco Bar Association, Ethics Committee – former Secretary and Vice Chair.
• Member, San Mateo County Bar Association.
• Member, California Bar Association.
• Member, American Bar Association.
• Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
• Member, California Minority Counsel.
• Member, German American Business Association.
• Member, Afghan American Bar Association.

Education

• University of California, Los Angeles (B.A.).
• University of San Francisco School of Law (J.D.).

• Younossi Law – We Never Lose Sight of You •