Michael Maggio
Firm Founder
Michael Maggio, the founder of Maggio & Kattar, P.C., died on February 10, 2008, at the age of 60 after a courageous 10-month battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Michael was a nationally recognized authority on numerous complex areas of immigration law. He was named "Washington's best immigration lawyer" by The Washingtonian magazine, and was listed in The Best Lawyers in America and International Who's Who of Business Immigration Lawyers.
Michael began practicing immigration law in1978, and founded the law firm some thirty years ago in Adams Morgan, the heart of Washington, DC's Latino community. The firm grew its reach and service from individual family, business, and asylum clients to a broad international clientele ranging from Fortune 500 multi-national corporations to universities, nonprofit organizations, and other institutions. From just a two-lawyer operation in 1978, the firm is now twelve lawyers strong with some forty support staff and immigration specialists.
Michael's commitment to justice, legal activism, collaboration, and passion provided the foundation for his thirty-year legal practice. He provided a voice for the disenfranchised, and an opportunity for redress for those who were wronged.
Those who knew Michael, recognized how he served his clients with finely honed legal skill and reassuring confidence. By mastering the twists and turns of immigration law, he not only solved foreign nationals' immigration problems, but also profoundly touched their lives. And, he became their friend for life.
As a past President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) District of Columbia Chapter, Michael was active in numerous other immigrant rights organizations, including the National Lawyers Guild Immigration Project and the Tahirih Justice Center. Michael served as an Adjunct Professor of immigration law at numerous law schools, and he worked as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill before becoming an attorney. He also was a prolific writer, and authored numerous articles throughout his career. He was especially known for his expertise on immigration law ethics.
Michael received countless professional awards and was honored for his extraordinary legal representation, astute strategizing, unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards, and his deep passion for justice and upholding the rule of law. Most recently, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild honored Michael "for his courageous and visionary work in defending immigrant rights and, in so doing, strengthening the constitutional rights of all U.S. residents and citizens." The Tahirih Justice Center, which focuses on gender-based violence, and the National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom, also honored his work.
Maggio & Kattar is committed to remembering Michael's lessons and carrying out his legacy.