Reviews

Preparing for Manang's return to Manila, I was very worried there will be a huge issue because of two things. First, her passport expired and we have to apply it from scratch. The issue is her birth certificate info and what's on her old passport doesn't match. She also do not have any form of valid ID. Second, her extended stay caused her to become out of status. I visited filipino stores and got some newspapers to check whose who on the immigration services section. I also used google to do my search. All in all, I shortlisted 5 potential lawyers, and emailed them about my two issues above. I've talked with several Attys that day including Atty Marc. He called me up end of the day and said he can help. In the end, I decided to go with him. It was the way he handled the call (humble, knowledgeable, helpful and calm). Most of the conversation with Atty Marc was thru email (which I prefer) because I can always go back and review them. We also had a couple of calls in between. (Bonus: I've never visited his office and that's a big convenience for me because I hate driving or taking bart!) The main thing I like about Atty Marc is he pushes back if its really not necessary and gave me pointers of what we should do. For example, to get a new passport for Manang, I asked him to accompany her. He politely said its not necessary because it will take hours (even the whole day), and since he charged by the hour, I would just incur a huge bill, when this is something we can easily do ourselves. He gave us valuable pointers (like arrive early so we are the first in line, and explained the role of the embassy, and how we just need to be truthful, as the embassy is forgiving and will understand the situation). He also sent instructions on email on what paperwork we needed before going to the embassy, links to forms, FAQs, etc. And a lot of helpful tips. He was right. The embassy line is horrific. Its is like attending a popular concert, so we were very glad we arrived earlier than normal. We have to go there twice though because the birth certificate we had in our possession is not on a valid paper (my fault), so we had to reorder it again. Both times we were done before noon. Even the guard at the embassy was surprised how fast we were. Imagine if Atty Marc had to go with us both times, that would be costly. And Atty Marc's right, the embassy personnel was VERY understanding, emphatic, and know how to deal with her situation. As soon as we got her passport, we booked Manang's flight. I booked a Monday flight not realizing she needs to be there Sunday night to check in. Sunday night!!! Worst, I have to pay extra to the airline if I need to change the date. Ugh. I emailed Atty Marc and just told him I booked a Monday flight, and when/what time we should meet...silently hoping he won't say anything like "I don't work on weekends". Instead He replied and said "Sounds good. See you Sunday at 930pm". YAY. Who does that? Couple of weeks before the departure, he sent me a link ("Know your rights") to review, which was super helpful. The day itself we met face to face for the first time at the airport. Atty Marc came with his wife. He gave Manang a pocket card of "Know your rights", in case she needs help. It was uneventful, which is what we wanted. Everything went smooth sailing. Even then, Atty Marc was really very focused at Manang, always keeping a watchful eye on her while she was on the immigration line until she went in and is no longer visible. He suggested we gave her a call to be sure, and He even offered to stay longer, but we know she will be OK once we talked to her on the phone. Not only is he a great caring lawyer, he only charged us for his time at the airport. The emails, calls, pointers, advises are all gratis. THANK YOU ATTY MARC for your help, and for not making us broke :-). You really made this a NO STRESS JOURNEY for us. I HIGHLY recommend Atty Marc for your immigration needs, and I will use him again if the opportunity arises.

Over more than 30 years, I have sought legal counsel from more than a dozen attorneys in a variety of practice areas, including three in employment law, and Cristina Molteni was by far the best of them all. She provided insightful analysis of the opposing party and their bargaining positions, expert knowledge of this area of law, sharp negotiating power, passionate advocacy, and wise strategic guidance. She is also a wonderful human being. With Cristina on my side, I felt totally supported, secure, and calm; I know I had the better attorney; and I got the best deal possible with the least stress.

Marc and his wife are very friendly, professionals and patient. I had problem with my status change and they helped me a lot and they could change the immigration decision. I totally recommend.

The staff at Santamaria Law Firm are courteous and provide a great customer service. Dr. Marc Santamaria has worked with the immigrant community outside office hours to provide "Know Your Rights" legal clinics and then consulted with possible clients to help them achieve their immigration plan. The staff is very professional and they provide real advise that can help them achieve their American Dream. Dr. Marc Santamaria understands the hardships of the immigrant community and know-how to customize their needs to achieve a working plan. Dr. Santamaria is a talented educator that explains the process in a simple and easy to follow method. If you have questions regarding stabilizing your status, Santamaria Law firm would be placed. Call their office and schedule an appointment to start discussing your US immigration plan.

Marc helped us with our fiancé visa and green card application. He was very professional and knowledgeable. Moreover, he was extremely friendly and patient in answering all our questions. We have received our fiancé visa and green card very smoothly. He was there for us the whole process. I would highly recommend his legal service to others.

Marc and his team are very willing to help and answer your questions. They work hard on immigration issues, and are deeply commited to offer the best immigration advisoring. We met on a regular basis, including weekends, and my visa got approved after some months. In addition, Marc is super kind and has a big expertise related to Immigration Laws. Choosing him and his office to work on my visa application was a great choice, and made the process much easier for me. Thank you so much Santamaria Law Firm!

Everone in Santamaria Law Firm was very nice, thoughtful and conscientious. They helped me go through the processes and explained very carefully and patiently to me. Thank you Duong and Marc. Văn phòng Santamaria Law Firm đã rất tận tâm giúp vợ chồng tôi làm tất cả các bước giấy tờ cần thiết. Họ đã rất kiên nhẫn giải thích cặn kẽ cho chúng tôi hiểu mà không nề hà thời gian. Cảm ơn Dương và Marc.

A great service from an experienced and highly knowledgeable team. Thank you Santamaria Law!

This law office is always welcoming and the staff is very friendly. Marc Santamaria and his partners really take the time to hear clients out and work with them to reach their legal goals. I highly recommend this firm.

Marc was instrumental in helping us set up an LLC. He made the process so easy for us by communicating timelines and expectations on a regular basis, and provided a great finished product. I plan to use Santamaria Law Firm in the future for similar work. In particular, Marc's super-pleasant demeanor just makes him a joy to work with, seriously. Very highly recommended.

Cristina Molteni was very personable and a pleasure to work with. She made me feel comfortable and at ease with her mannerisms, her expertise, and her attention to my case. She was very responsive and provided a thorough, professional, and honest assessment of the matter I was going through. I would strongly recommend her to even my closest friends and family.

Christina Molteni listened carefully to the issue I was suddenly facing with my employer and promptly laid out the constructive courses of action that were available to me. Her caring demeanor and obvious command of the legalities empowered me and gave me confidence to take action during a critically important moment in my career. Thanks to her orientation I was fully informed of what I could and not do, knew the extent of my legal rights as she helped me to move forward to a very satisfactory conclusion to the issue.