Focusing on immigration matters, Sylvia assists individuals with immediate relative petition and naturalization filings and employers in obtaining lawful immigration status and employment authorization for foreign nationals employed in the United States. She regularly attends legal conferences to stay abreast of immigration laws as they develop and evolve.

Sylvia is highly proficient in spoken and written Spanish. Her broad understanding of the cultural, ethnic, and legal nuances in Latin America is extremely useful in her work.

As a litigator, Sylvia handles document review and analysis. Most recently, she was involved in a contract dispute between a contractor and an equipment supplier for a Puerto Rico power plant project. She also assists with health law issues relating to Medicaid pricing policies for pharmaceuticals.

In addition to being a volunteer mediator, Sylvia is engaged in pro bono activities. This work includes handling non-profit 501 (c)(3) cases and acting as translator/interpreter for various legal aid service providers and community organizations in Baltimore City.

Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia

Court of Appeals of Maryland

United States District Court for the District of Maryland

George Washington University Law School, J.D., 2002

Participant, Moot Court Competition, Van Vleck Appellate Constitutional Law

Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Public Interest Scholarship

Darrell L. Dreher Scholarship

Balfour Phi Delta Phi Minority Scholarship

Phi Delta Phi, John Marshall Inn

University of Nevada at Reno, M.A., 1996

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Graduate Fellowship

Graduate Student Award

Outstanding Magazine Editor Award

University of Nevada at Reno, B.A., with high distinction, 1993

Phi Kappa Phi/Honor Society for Superior Scholars in All Academic Fields

Phi Beta Delta/Honor Society for International Scholars

Psi Chi/Honor Society for Psychology Scholars

Kappa Alpha Tau/National Journalism Society

Golden Key Society

Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Lima, Escuela de Periodismo, Certificado, 1969

American Bar Association

Baltimore County Bar Association

Baltimore International Festival

Committee Member

Cultural Stage Sub-committee Member

Bar Association of Baltimore City

Judicial Administration Committee

Pro Bono Legal Services Committee

CASA de Maryland

Board of Directors

Community Law in Action (CLIA)

Baltimore City Public School System - Law and Leadership CTE Pathway Program

Advisory Committee

Mentoring to Empower Program

Mentor

District of Columbia Bar

Hispanic National Bar Association

Maryland Health Care Commission

Commissioner

Maryland Hispanic Bar Association

Board of Directors

Maryland State Bar Association

United States District Court for the District of Maryland

Alternative Dispute Resolution Volunteer

Eligible Spanish Language Interpreter

Women's Bar Association of Maryland

Task Force on Judicial Selections Procedures and Policies

Maryland's Top 100 Women, The Daily Record, 2008

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) 2007 Educator Award

Public Service Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual, Maryland Hispanic Bar Association

Honor Roll, Women on the Move through History, Nevada Women’s History Project

Women's Role Model Award - Frankie Sue Del Papa, Attorney General of Nevada

Senatorial Recognition - Richard H. Bryan, United States Senator (Nevada)

Achievement Award - Harry Reid, United States Senator (Nevada)

The Robert Laxalt Writing Award

Author, "A Wake Up Call: The SSA 'No-Match' Letter and the Safe Harbor Rule, Health Law Alert," Ober|Kaler, 2008

Co-author with Geoffrey S. Tobias, "Walking a Tight Rope: Ethical Considerations and Pitfalls in the Representation of Both Employer and Employee," Maryland Bar Journal, Maryland State Bar Association, 2008

Author, "Verifying Employment Eligibility," Construction OberView, 2007

Co-author with R. Coker, V. Misselli, J. Mifflin, and D. Davis, "Juror Reactions to Six Applications of Hypnosis in the Legal System," Rocky Mountain Psychological Association, 1992

Participant, "Best Practices in Asylum Law Today," Audio Seminar, American Immigration Lawyers Association

Participant, "The Initial Divorce Interview - Getting the Facts, Paid and Retained," The Milton Talking Lectures

Participant, Pro Bono Asylum Training, Maryland Immigrant Rights Coalition

Participant, EOIR/Immigration Court Mock Asylum Trial, Maryland Immigrant Rights Coalition

Participant, Baltimore City Best Practices in Family Law Presentation, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service

Participant, Baltimore County Family Law Best Practices Seminar, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service

Participant, "Practical Pointers Following Twelve Months Under the Federal E-Discovery Rules," Webinar, Proskauer Rose LLP

Certification from the American Council on the Testing of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)

Participant, Family Immigration and Naturalization, Pro Bono Resource Center, MICPEL

Participant, Surviving United States Business Immigration Law in 2007, AISLA, Philadelphia Chapter

Participant, Immigration Issues for the Construction Industry, Lorman Education Services

Mediator/Arbitrator, Consumer Mediation Clinic & Community Dispute Resolution Center Project, George Washington University National Law Center

Legal Research Assistant, Center for National Security Studies

Print and broadcast journalist

Documentarist, Public Broadcasting Service

College Instructor of Spanish and Women's Studies

Personally - discovering ancient pre-Inca ruins in the Peruvian jungle. Professionally - earning my US college degrees and a JD after age 40; producing/directing the PBS documentary "Making a Difference: A Celebration of Women in Politics."

"No le pidas peras al olmo. ("Don't ask the elm tree to give you pears.")