Licensed to practice law in the State of
Florida
Law School: Fordham
University School of Law, J.D.
College: Lehman
College of the City University of New York, B.A.
Memberships:
American Immigration Lawyers Association; Orange County Bar Association;
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Biography: Bill
E. Rivera is a determined and committed attorney that has dedicated his
belief in the service of others to his legal practice. Immigration law
is his chosen practice area and is, at the same time, the result of his
decision to pursue a new challenge. He opted for a major change in his
life in 2003 when he relocated to Orlando, FL from New York and began a
new career as a lawyer.
As a native New Yorker who now considers
himself a Floridian, Bill has successfully transformed himself into a
lawyer who focuses on defending clients with all types of immigration
issues. In 2004, Bill volunteered his services to the immigration law
office of the not-for-profit Catholic Immigration and Refugee Services
of the Diocese of Orlando, FL. His legal training and Spanish speaking
skills were much needed for a client population that was primarily
Hispanic and in dire need of legal assistance. Soon thereafter, Bill was
offered and accepted a position as a staff attorney and quickly found
himself immersed in the fascinating details of refugees from every part
of the world including Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe,
Latin America and the Caribbean. Family based immigration related
petitions were very much a part of his legal work, but his advocacy for
clients also included litigation within the context of asylum,
deportation, appeals and general removal proceedings in the Immigration
Court.
Four years later, Bill moved on to private
practice, but has not moved away from his enthusiasm and continues to
maintain the same commitment to work in the service of others. Committed
to the notion of community service, Bill has spoken before various
religious, community and business groups in Central Florida regarding
their relevant immigration issues. Topics have included family related
petitions for legal permanent residency, business related visas,
immigration consequences of criminal convictions, citizenship
applications, asylum applications and I-9 compliance.
Bill has developed a strong skill set
through many years of practical work experience and academic
accomplishment that has and will serve his clients well. His ability to
interview effectively, listen accurately, negotiate convincingly,
analyze and synthesize information and think quickly under pressure have
all been tested over time. Today, advocacy drives his practice in
immigration law and every client he serves can be assured of having an
attorney that really cares about their situation.
Reflecting on his initial interest in
immigration law as a student at the New York Fordham University School
of Law, Bill's practical legal experience in Florida convinced him that
exclusively practicing immigration law was the right choice for him.
Reflecting on his relocation to Florida, he is more than aware that the
streets of New York are radically different from the Florida he now
knows, but the sun drenched neighborhoods of Orlando and the natural
beauty of the Sunshine State have made him feel very much at home.
Languages: Spanish
Born: New
York, N.Y., September 25, 1953
