Our People

Senior Paralegal

pbafaro@cmlseattle.com
206-340-1033 ext. 107

Paula joined CML in 2023. She has worked in the immigration field since 1989. She started her immigration career as a Paralegal in Guam for ten years, and transferred to a mid-sized Seattle firm for the next 23 years. Paula works on all types of employment and family-based cases, VAWA, and DACA related cases. Paula graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a minor in Psychology. She has volunteered for several AILA National Citizenship Days.

Senior Paralegal

lculley@cmlseattle.com
206-923-8441

Lauren joined CML in 2007. She has worked in the immigration field since 2001 as a paralegal at a Seattle immigration law firm and as an Immigration Consultant for a Fortune 500 company. Lauren works on all types of employment-based cases and has handled VAWA related cases. Lauren graduated from Loyola College with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology/Writing. She spent a year studying abroad in Leuven, Belgium. Prior to specializing in immigration, Lauren worked in the business department of a law firm and for a USAID funded project by the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Senior Paralegal

kgaston@cmlseattle.com
206-340-1033 ext. 111

Kissy joined CML in 2012 after working in the nonprofit field for six years focused on advocacy and social justice work. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Behavioral Science and hopes to attend law school in the future. Kissy has more than 15 years of expertise working internationally and nationally with Spanish–speaking and immigrant communities.

Senior Paralegal

hmatsumoto@cmlseattle.com
206-340-1033 ext. 105

Hisako joined CML in 2015 with 15 years of experience as an immigration paralegal at a Seattle law firm. She has worked on both employment-based and family-based cases. She immigrated to the US from Japan after completing two years of service as a JOC volunteer (Seinen Kaigai Kyoryokutai / Japan's Peace Corps) in the Federated States of Micronesia. Her personal experience with the immigration process brought her to the immigration field. She loves working with people from different cultures and different life paths. She graduated from Yokohama City University in Yokohama, Japan.

Senior Paralegal

cnienstedt@cmlseattle.com
208-344-5719

Christine joined CML in 1998 and has over 26 years of immigration experience. She graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Russian Language and Literature and enjoys speaking German. Christine works on all types of employment-related visas, and especially enjoys extraordinary ability and outstanding researcher petitions. She is proud of supporting non-profit medical research organizations in her daily

Senior Paralegal

jscarcia@cmlseattle.com
206-340-1033 x 108

Judy graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations. After graduating she travelled in Europe, eventually settling in Prague, Czech Republic for 3 years. Judy was initiated into the realm of immigration law after she and her husband navigated the family-based green card process. Judy has worked as an immigration paralegal in various Seattle firms for over ten years. Judy joined CML in 2012 and enjoys working on a variety of immigration cases.

Legal Assistant

csjolseth@cmlseattle.com
206-876-9742

Clara joined CML in 2024. Clara graduated from Texas State University in 2023 with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a minor in Mathematics. During college, she worked as a file clerk at a personal injury law firm, which sparked her interest in becoming a paralegal. She is planning to go to paralegal school in 2025 while continuing to work at CML. Clara has also volunteered for political campaigns and is very passionate about social justice, immigration, and environmental law.

Legal Assistant

dstroh@cmlseattle.com
206-340-1033 × 116

Dylan joined CML in 2024 after graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law, Societies, and Justice, and an Honors degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Security. During his time at UW, his research and published works covered a wide range of topics that fueled his interest in international law and the intricacies of the U.S. immigration system. Outside of CML, Dylan serves as a coach for the University of Washington Collegiate Mock Trial Program and plans to attend law school in the fall of 2026.

Paralegal

btang@cmlseattle.com
206-866-6124

Brian joined CML in 2021. He spent his youth living in between South Florida and Lima, Peru. He graduated from New College, the honors college of Florida, with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 2005. He is a native Spanish speaker and experienced paralegal, who has over 15 years of experience in immigration law. He also has personal experience with the U.S. immigration system, having successfully petitioned for his own family members in the past. Brian is passionate about helping immigrants and truly enjoys his work. When not in the office, Brian enjoys spending time with his family and eating his way around the world.

Senior Paralegal

gyim@cmlseattle.com

Gina joined CML in 2010 after graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor's Degree in Women's Studies. Gina has personal experience with the immigration process and is fluent in American Sign Language. She specializes in employment based and family based petitions and citizenship applications.