Immigration cases keep Annandale law firm busy

Emanuel Mpras

Annandale attorney Emanuel Mpras has deep roots in Annandale, and now that his law practice is firmly established, he wants to get more involved in the community. So when he heard about the Taste of Annandale, he decided to sign up as a sponsor.

Mpras Law Offices, at 7361 McWhorter Place in Annandale, is one of a dozen businesses, agencies, and nonprofits that have so far committed to supporting the Taste of Annandale, a community festival June 13 on Tom Davis Drive. More than 20 food venders have signed on, as well. 

Emanuel Mpras (pronounced like “empress”) is the first member of his family born in the United States after his parents immigrated from Greece. He grew up in Annandale, attending Braddock Elementary School, and played offensive guard on the Annandale High School football team.

After graduating from George Mason University, he earned a law degree, spent some time as a special agent for the federal government, and then joined the law practice started by his uncle, Michael Mpras, where’s he worked for the past 15 years.

The law firm focuses on immigration law – helping people born elsewhere stay in the United States, including those seeking political asylum and those who marry a U.S. citizen.

Mpras is often asked to help people who came here legally but then were convicted of a felony and are fighting deportation. Winning a case like that is “doable, but not easy,” Mpras says.

In one example, a client is serving many years in prison and wants to complete his sentence in the U.S. because his wife and children are here. Another client is a witness in a federal drug case and would be killed if sent back to his home country.

Mpras also has corporate clients trying to hire people from other countries who need an H1B or L1 visa so they can work in the U.S. In addition to immigration law, the firm deals with family law, international adoptions, business law, and issues relating to Virginia’s alcoholic beverage regulations.