Legal Powerhouse Lorraine D’Alessio is a multi-award-winning immigration attorney. She is an author, cancer survivor, and a former international model, inspired to become an attorney during her travels. She saw how many people were treated poorly when crossing an international border, and she knew she wanted to make a positive difference.
“I always felt that there was a need for an enthusiastic thought leader in the field of immigration law and I was determined to fill that void,” she says.
D’Alessio has worked on highly successful refugee and deportation cases, earning awards for her work with immigrant communities across Los Angeles. She regularly contributes to the Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, LA Business Journal, Playback as well as other outlets. She serves on the board for Artists for Change and is the author of “Going Global: Investing in U.S. Immigration,” a guide to U.S. immigration.
Her client list includes prominent entertainment agencies, unions, and companies such as Next Models, Food Network, SubPac, Pepperdine University, ACTRA, and New York Film Academy. A girl power advocate, 98% of the attorneys at D’Alessio Law Group are female.
“I am a bit of a risk taker which is what motivated me to push boundaries when I was setting up my law practice. I get a rush from accomplishing my goals which then drives me to do even more,” she tells HER Magazine.
D’Alessio’s experiences in the modeling world showed her that there was yet to be a law firm comprised of people who had first-hand knowledge of what it is like to be an artist working in the entertainment industry. “The global market is fraught with challenges and modeling taught me that I wanted to help others navigate this tricky landscape,” she says.
Growing up in Toronto, Canada, D’Alessio was exposed to diversity from an early age; she’s always wanted to see the world and explore different cultures.
“Knowing first-hand how immigration and government policy work is so impactful on one’s life and business ventures, I decided that I wanted to be an advocate for talent since I truly understood their needs on a deeper level,” she says.
Growing up playing sports at competitive levels, leading both soccer and volleyball teams, proved to prepare her well for the competitive nature of the business world — especially when it comes to driving a successful team.
“No single individual can do it all,” she says, “but rather you need a team around you with each person contributing their own niche expertise.”
D’Alessio attributes her success to loving and being inspired by the work that she does. When she is searching for motivation, she looks to other female CEO powerhouses. “Seeing other female leaders moving companies towards innovation makes me want to do the same thing with law.”
Her advice to young women: don’t be so hard on yourself, and focus on your strengths instead of your weaknesses. “As women, we are socially conditioned to put too much pressure on ourselves to be beautiful and smart,” she says. “There is more than one path to take to get to where you want to go. You just have to be confident in who you are and let your experiences in life guide you.”
D’Alessio spearheads the firm’s business transactional law and business and employment-related investments. When it comes to visa applications, D’Alessio says timelines are becoming increasingly important. You need to plan and work with your attorney to ensure that your visa application is submitted promptly.
“We thoroughly prepare our clients for crossing the border, including how to interact with border officers and which port of entry to use,” she says.
It is crucial to collaborate with your attorney before your visa application is submitted to ensure the accuracy of your supporting documents. Make sure you have someone like D’Alessio by your side — someone who is sure to have your back every step of the way.
