MARIBEL LAFONTAINE
The founding attorney is Maribel LaFontaine, who established the firm in 2000. She moved to the Washington, DC area and attended The Columbus School of Law of The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC., where she obtained a Juris Doctor in law. Before this she resided in New York and received her undergraduate degree from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.
She is admitted to practice law and the bars of Maryland and the District of Columbia. LaFontaine is fluent in English and Spanish. Ms. LaFontaine practices U.S. Immigration law and handles routine family law law cases, including divorce and prenuptial agreements, etc. Ms. LaFontaine is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Maryland Bar Association, the Montgomery County Bar Associations, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other professional and/or business associations.
Ms. LaFontaine obtained substantive immigration law experience prior to going into private practice. She began working for an immigration nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. shortly after graduation from law school. In 1996, she went to work for an immigration law firm in Maryland which primarily worked in the area of business and family immigration. In 1999, she began working as a Supervising Attorney for an immigration firm in Washington, D.C. Her primary area of practice there was immigration litigation before the Executive Office of Immigration Review. She also represented families and businesses with their immigration matters before U.S. immigration offices and the U.S. Department of Labor. Ms. LaFontaine has also served as an immigration speaker to several organizations.
Whether Ms. LaFontaine provides legal advice to a U.S. citizen, a foreign national or a business, Ms. LaFontaine uses her experience and skills to provide the strongest advocacy on behalf of each client.
Ms. LaFontaine originally hails from Brooklyn, New York. She currently resides in Montgomery County, Maryland.with her husband and three boys.
HEATHER SUNDERMAN
Heather L. Sunderman is the Managing Partner of the firm. She is a graduate of Washington College of Law (American University,) where she obtained a Juris Doctor in Law. Before moving to the D.C. metro area, she also attended the school of law at Duquesne University for one year as the recipient of a full tuition merit scholarship. She received her undergraduate degree from Allegheny College, with a B.A. in History. Ms. Sunderman practices in family and estate law.
Ms. Sunderman was first admitted to practice law and the bars of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Ms. Sunderman regularly participates in Continuing Legal Education programs to keep up with the constant changes in the law, particularly in family law and estate planning. In addition, she has volunteered at the Women's Law Center Family Law Hotline, Montgomery County pro se project and has taken pro bono referrals for family law cases through the Montgomery County Bar Foundation.
Before joining the firm, Ms. Sunderman was previously in solo practice in Rockville, Maryland. She has also worked as an Associate in the firm Lynne K. Zusman and Associates, P.C. in Washington, D.C., where she focused on family law, business law, contract law and employment law. Ms. Sunderman is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, the Bar Association of Montgomery County, and has been an Associate member of the Montgomery County Inn of Court. She has also served as a section liaison for the Family Law section of the Bar Association of Montgomery County.
Ms. Sunderman has experience resolving disputes through settlement and litigation. She is also trained as a mediator, collaborative law practicioner, and as an attorney to represent childen in high conflict custody cases.
Ms. Sunderman originally hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She currently lives in Montgomery County, Maryland, with her husband and daughter.