Cowan Miller & Lederman, originally established in 1985, specializes exclusively in the areas of immigration and naturalization law, with a focus on the needs of business.  CML is recognized as one of the premiere “boutique” law practices in the Pacific Northwest for immigration legal services.  For the past 20 years, we have specialized in providing individuals, small businesses, growing companies and larger institutions with specialized immigration legal services.  Cowan Miller & Lederman can accommodate the needs of billion-dollar corporations with substantial international staff as well as the needs of the small proprietorship or the “start up” company.  Our full-service practice currently serves clients in the high technology, biotechnology, international trade, and health care industries, as well as individuals in a wide range of disciplines including the arts and professional sports.  We understand how critical it is for businesses to have access to specialized professionals in a timely manner.  We also understand how immigration issues impact the lives of professionals and their families.  

We pride ourselves in providing efficient and effective service, with prompt legal analysis of every case to determine the most expeditious and beneficial visa category for purposes of both immediate and long term employment.  We are also committed to ensuring ready access to our attorneys and legal support staff and are immediately responsive to our clients’ inquiries.

We offer legal representation for all types of employment visas, both at a nonimmigrant and immigrant level.  With respect to our corporate clientele, we provide monthly briefings on changes in immigration law and practice.  We also offer I-9 audits of employment records for immigration compliance.  We are well known in the Pacific Northwest for our H-1B "specialty occupation" nonimmigrant practice, and our immigrant Labor Certification work, as well as for our "outstanding researcher" petitions.  Corporate clients include the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Holland America, and InfoSpace.

In addition, Cowan Miller & Lederman handles naturalization and a large number of family-based petitions, for foreign nationals with immediate U.S. citizen relatives, or for permanent residents filing for various family members.  The firm also accepts a limited number of political asylum filings, represents several religious institutions in obtaining religious worker nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, and assists immigrant survivors of domestic violence and abuse with obtaining immigrant visa rights.

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Cowan Miller & Lederman’s experienced legal team is dedicated to providing superior and attentive service and to focusing on the human aspect of our work.  Members of our staff have lived in Bangladesh, China, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Laos, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia and South Africa, and have corresponding foreign language abilities.  Our staff includes five attorneys with over 70 years of combined immigration experience and nine paralegals with over 60 years of combined immigration experience.  Each member of our staff has an in-depth understanding of the issues inherent in immigration processing.  You will find the CML legal team professional, interested and knowledgeable.  We look forward to serving your immigration needs.  Our staff members’ individual experience and qualifications are outlined below. 

 

 

 

Pamela S. Cowan is the founding Partner of Cowan Miller & Lederman. Pam graduated from Stanford University in 1972 and obtained her law degree, with Honors, from the University of Washington in 1977.  Her law study included one year at Harvard Law School.  In 1985, after clerking for a federal judge, serving as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Indonesia, and working for a major Seattle law firm, Pam founded the Law Office of Pamela S. Cowan, which has grown to become the Law Offices of Cowan Miller & Lederman.  For over twenty years she has limited her practice to immigration law, specializing in the needs of businesses and professionals.  Pam served for eight years as a national Director for the Board of Governors of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and has served as both Vice President and President of the Washington AILA Chapter.  She is a frequent speaker on business related immigration law, including presentations at AILA National Conferences, Washington State Bar Conventions, Continuing Legal Education seminars, and to interested members of such organizations as the Washington Biomedical and Biotechnology Association, Personnel Managers Association, and technology sector groups.  Pam has chaired liaison committees for AILA with the INS, the State Department, and the U.S. Department of Labor at the state and national levels.  On a volunteer basis, Pam assists in the King County Bar Association’s Neighborhood Legal Clinic Program.  Pam is currently listed in the "Best Lawyers in America" in the field of Immigration Law, and has been chosen as one of Washington State’s “Super Lawyers” in all editions of the Washington Law & Politics publication since 2001.
Steven S. Miller is a Partner at Cowan Miller & Lederman. Steve graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University in 1972 and obtained his law degree from Harvard Law School with honors in 1977, where he was invited to join the Harvard Law Review.  Before joining the firm in 1990, Steve served as a King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, a Fulbright Fellow Lecturer at the University of Indonesia, an associate for a major Seattle law firm, Deputy Director, King County Department of Planning and Community Development, and Legal Counsel to the King County Council.  For fifteen years, he has limited his practice to immigration law, specializing in the needs of businesses and professionals with a particular emphasis on complex and difficult cases and immigration court hearings.  He has been a featured speaker on business related immigration law many times since 1990 and writes frequently for professional publications and the general media on immigration topics.  Steve recently served as President of the Washington AILA Chapter and served on the Executive Board of the Washington AILA Chapter from1998 through 2002. He recently served as President of the Bellevue School Board and is currently a Trustee for Bellevue Community College. Steve has been chosen as one of Washington State’s “Super Lawyers” in several of the Washington Law & Politics publications.

Kevin Lederman joined the firm in January 2005, becoming a named partner in January 2006. After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1986, Kevin moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington School of Law. He graduated in 1989, and for the last 16 years has practiced exclusively in the field of immigration law, including all aspects of family and employment-based immigration, in addition to naturalization issues. Kevin is a past President of the Washington Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and, as such, served on the Board of Governors of the National Association. He has spoken and written on a variety of immigration law topics. Kevin volunteered at the Legal Resources Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa from December 1988 to March 1989 where he worked on a variety of civil rights matters. He is currently listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" in the field of Immigration Law, and has also been selected as one of Washington State's "Super Lawyers" in all editions of the Washington Law & Politics publication since 2001.

Lisa M. Christoffersen joined Cowan Miller & Lederman as an Associate Attorney in 1999.  Lisa, a native of Seattle, completed her undergraduate studies at Middlebury College in Vermont. She received her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law and her MAIS in Japan Studies from the Jackson School of International Studies where she received a Foreign Languages and Area Studies Fellowship. While a law student, Lisa participated in the Immigration Clinic at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP).  She continues to serve as a NWIRP pro bono attorney and assists in the King County Bar Association's Neighborhood Legal Clinic Program.   Lisa served as an aide to a member of the Japanese parliament in Tokyo at the time of the Kyoto Climate Change Convention.  Lisa is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Abby Loomis joined Cowan Miller & Lederman in April 2006. Abby earned her Bachelor's Degree in English, with honors, from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, graduating Order of the Coif in 1991. After practicing for several years in the areas of commercial and employment-related litigation in Los Angeles, Abby moved to Seattle and changed her practice area to immigration. For the last eleven years, Abby has practiced exclusively in the field of immigration law. Her practice includes assisting both corporate and individual clients with all aspects of the immigration process, from temporary work visas to U.S. permanent residence, and, ultimately, U.S. citizenship. On a volunteer basis, Abby has assisted with numerous applications for political asylum, as well as serving on the Advisory Board of a local homeless shelter. Abby has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyer's Association since 1995.

Masha Burina

Masha Burina joined CML as our Legal Administrative Assistant in 2007. She recently completed her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington with a dual major in Economics and International Studies. Masha was the Co-founder and National Director of the Student Trade Justice Campaign, a student group committed to achieving responsible, sustainable, and equitable trade. She was also involved in Humanity in Action, studying democracy, immigration and minority rights. Masha was born in the former Yugoslavia and has lived in France. She speaks Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian and French. We are thrilled to have her with the firm!
Lauren Culley Lauren Culley is a Senior Paralegal with CML. Lauren graduated from Loyola College with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology/Writing. She spent a year studying abroad in Leuven, Belgium. Lauren previously worked as a Business Department Assistant at a law firm and as a Project Assistant for a USAID funded project by the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has worked in the immigration field since 2001; as a Paralegal and as a Consultant for a Fortune 500 company. Lauren works on all types of employment-based cases and has handled VAWA related cases.

Mary de Rosas

Mary de Rosas joined CML in 2007. She came to us with 12 years of legal experience including 6 years as a paralegal with a Seattle immigration firm. Mary earned her Certificate in Paralegal Studies from the University of Washington Extension in 2001 and her Bachelor of Arts in French from the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts where she graduated with honors. She has worked with Seattle's Legal Action Center and the Fremont Public Association where she was engaged in legal research and advocacy. Mary has lived in France and Ireland and is proficient in French. She has volunteered her time to homeless shelters and with Central American refugees. We are delighted to have her join CML.
Barbara Hubers-Drake Barbara Hubers-Drake recently joined Cowan Miller & Lederman as a Senior Paralegal. She brings with her 20 years of immigration experience. Barbara holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Northwestern College and taught English at Baiko Jo Gakuin Junior College in Shimonoseki, Japan for four years. She was the Executive Director, Co-founder and Saxophonist of the Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra. She now performs professionally with her jazz quartet, "Our House Jazz Quartet". We are delighted to have her with the firm.
Tara Lince Tara Lince is a Senior Paralegal and the Administrative Manager at Cowan Miller & Lederman.  Tara joined the firm in 1990 and helped grow the firm to its current size.  She currently manages all of the firm’s administrative processes.  Tara received her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics with a minor in Computer Science from Central Washington University.  Prior to joining CML, Tara was employed for four years as a manager at a stock brokerage firm and was a licensed stockbroker.  Tara divides her time between office and computer systems management, and a wide variety of family and employment immigration filings.  She is the firm’s expert in Immigration procedural requirements.
Alanna Morris Alanna Morris is a Paralegal who joined the firm in 2004. Alanna received her Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from the University of Washington in 2001 and her Paralegal Certificate from Highline College in 2003. Alanna interned with the NW Immigration Rights Project in Seattle and was a volunteer with the Refugee Women's Alliance. She has experienced the immigration process first-hand, coming to the United States in 1980 with her parents as refugees from Laos. She speaks fluent Laotian.
Christine Nienstedt Christine Nienstedt is a Senior Paralegal at Cowan Miller & Lederman.  After graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Russian Language and Literature, Christine worked for a non-profit organization devoted to improving the economic ties between the Pacific Northwest and the Russian Far East.  She joined CML in 1998.  Christine speaks functional Russian and conversational German and enjoys using these languages to assist non-English speaking clients.  She developed and manages the CML website and works on all types of employment-related visas.
Jennifer Nourse Jennifer Nourse officially joined the firm in 2006 after contributing her skills on a part-time basis for several years. Since that time, she has taken on increasing responsibility as a Paralegal. Jennifer graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor's Degree in General Science with a Math/Biology emphasis and has a great love of animals.
Marjorie Rosero Marjorie Rosero joined CML in 2006 as an Administrative Assistant. Marjorie comes to us from Ecuador and brings with her a background in business and marketing. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Marketing from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador.

Olivia Sengsi

Olivia Sengsi joined CML in 2007 as an Administrative Assistant. Olivia attends the University of Washington where she studies Law, Society & Justice. She is one of the founding members of Kinnaly Dance Troupe of Seattle that performs traditional dances from Laos. Olivia previously worked as an intern for a Professor of Botany and Genetics at the University of Washington studying the mapping of rhodeodendrons.

Jennifer VanNuys

Jennifer Van Nuys is a Senior Paralegal who joined CML in 2005. Jennifer graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1999 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Before graduating, she spent a semester abroad in the United Kingdom studying Shakespeare at Oxford University and Arthurian Literature at the University of Bath. For the past five years, Jennifer has been an immigration paralegal, working on various types of employment, family and other immigration cases. Since 2004, she has also been an volunteer at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. Jennifer works on all types of family, business and asylum-related cases.

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