Our Team

Deepak Ahluwalia Bio

A native of Brampton, Ontario, Deepak Ahluwalia was recently awarded as one of the Top 40 under 40 lawyers by the American Bar Association. His expertise in working with immigrants of varied nationalities has led him to be interviewed by leading media outlets such as: The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Vice News, BBC and CNN.

Getting to this point wasn’t easy. Deepak’s father passed away when he was just 16-years old. To help support his family and save up for law school, he worked two jobs (full-time insurance broker, part-time call center representative) for an average of 60-80 hours a week. After six years of hard work and determination, he was finally able to enroll in law school in August 2011.

Since 2015, Deepak has practiced immigration law, working extensively in matters involving removal defense (including asylum), naturalization, family-based immigration, waivers and consular processing. Thousands of clients have been able to find success in their removal proceedings thanks to his representation.

Having represented individuals and a variety of large, mid-size and smaller companies in their immigration matters, Deepak understands the importance of putting the client’s interests first.

Deepak provides immigration advice and guidance on a pro bono basis to a number of organizations and individuals, including: The Sikh Coalition, The Sikh Family Center, Tahirih Justice Center, Jakara Movement, Catholic Charities, among others. Deepak, also previously served on the Immigrant Affairs Committee for the City of Fresno.

He is also on the Board for various organizations, including: Khalsa Aid, California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, California ChangeLawyers, Sikh Coalition and the Sikh Family Center. 

Previous work experience

Prior to attending law school, Deepak served as an insurance broker for over four years. The experience taught him the value of attentive client service, and he also learned how to navigate often-confounding bureaucratic processes. As part of serving clients in the insurance industry, he developed a passion for representing others that encouraged him to pursue his dream of becoming a licensed attorney.

After achieving his J.D., Deepak worked for one of the top U.S. immigration law firms in Toronto, Ontario, advising clients on employment-based U.S. immigration matters, such as: E, L, H, O, P, and TN visas. Afterwards, he accepted a position from a mid-sized Texas immigration law firm, where he oversaw the removal and deportation department, managing the practice area in three offices located across South Texas.

Law school experience

Deepak Ahluwalia studied at the University of Toronto and Athabasca University, graduating with a B.A. majoring in political science and international relations. He obtained his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law. 

Deepak would have been unable to complete law school if not for the generous support of his cousin. Ineligible for financial aid (because he was an international student from Canada), Deepak’s tuition was paid for in full by a loan from his cousin, who also allowed him to live rent-free for three years during his time in law school. His cousin’s only condition: “pay me back when you become an attorney, but not just any attorney — one of the best!”

During law school, Deepak was selected to participate in the Immigration & Human Rights Clinic where he represented low-income immigrant clients in deportation proceedings. He served as staff writer with The Scholar: St. Mary’s Law Review on Race & Social Justice. His piece titled, “Muslims Denied: How the USCIS Uses a Formerly Secret Program to Delay and Reject Naturalization Applications from Muslims and Other Minorities,” was selected for publication.

Deepak also worked as a law clerk for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Regional Counsel in San Antonio during his studies. As part of his duties, he conducted legal research under the Federal Tort Claims Act. He also drafted memorandums related to discovery, case law, depositions and medical history. With a focus on medical malpractice inquiry, he Interviewed claimants who are pursuing tort claims and completed investigation reports with recommendations on whether to accept or deny the claims. This work built out his early experience with injury law, encouraging him to stand up for the rights of injured clients as well as those seeking reprieve from immigration law.

Deepak was a participant in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition as a second and third-year law student. Also during law school, Deepak worked at the Office of International Student & Scholar Services at St. Mary’s University, where he facilitated the legal admission of international students in obtaining and maintaining lawful status and proper work authorization under the USCIS.  During law school, Deepak was also the vice-president of the Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association.

St. Mary’s University School of Law, J.D., 2014

• Immigration & Human Rights Clinic, Student Attorney
• The Scholar: St. Mary’s Law Review on Race & Social Justice, Staff Writer
• Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, Participant
• Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association, Vice-President
• Office of International Student & Scholar Services, Senior International Advisor and Program Manager

Athabasca University, B.A., 2011

Bio

John has been practicing immigration law for over 40 years, Consulting individuals in need all over the world. He was once appointed by the United States Department of Justice to be a U.S Immigration Judge and was the youngest attorney to be selected. John has received the AV rating, the highest possible rating from the prestigious Martindale Hubble Law Directory, is listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, appears in Who’s Who in American Law and has also been listed in Best Lawyers in America for over twenty years.

Previous work experience

• Served on the board of directors of the New Mexico ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
• Volunteer attorney of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
• Foreign Legal Consultant under the Law Society of British Columbia since 2009
• Served as an adjunct professor of immigration law at Texas Tech. School of Law
• Professor of immigration law at the University of New Mexico’s School of Law

Education

University of New Mexico, B.A (1972)

University of New Hampshire School of Law, J.D (1977)