Senior Immigration Counsel
Senior Immigration Counsel Aga Asbury, a native of Poland, has the unique experience of having gone through the United States immigration system on tourist and student visas, and on a green card. She became a United States citizen in 2015.
“I know firsthand how vulnerable you can feel when you have to deal with different languages and cultures amidst the governmental bureaucracy,” she said. “I understand the challenges of starting a new life in another country and the importance of being assisted by a professional that cares.” Aga sees her work as a natural extension of her own immigrant experience and takes pride in protecting the rights of immigrants as they look to live, work, and create a life in the United States.
Aga joined FordMurray in the spring of 2018, after owning a private practice that focused exclusively on immigration for three years. Prior to establishing her own practice, Aga worked as an immigration attorney for an immigration law firm located in Portland, Maine.
Practice Areas
At FordMurray, Aga handles a wide spectrum of immigration matters, in all levels of complexity, but focuses much of her energy on family-based immigration, naturalization petitions, E visas and L-1 “new office” visas.
Across her practice areas, Aga strives to approach every case as unique and tailors her legal services and strategies to her client’s individual and specific needs. She also never loses sight of the human side of immigration. “I like to get to know my clients,” she said. “Every American Dream looks different, and they are all made up of these incredibly powerful stories.”
Aga points to one of her E-visa cases, in which she helped a couple from Thailand open a restaurant in Orono, Maine. The restaurant has blossomed into a successful eatery, employing 15 full and part time workers. As the restaurant has grown, so has the family – with two children born in the United States who happily attend local schools. Aga also finds fulfillment in helping people achieve the ultimate dream of becoming a United States citizen through naturalization. “I will always remember my first day as a US citizen, and I love helping to make that happen for my clients,” she said.
Volunteer Work and Education
In addition to her work at FordMurray, Aga places great emphasis on helping the immigrant community. She supports, as a volunteer and/or board member, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP), Maine Women’s Fund, and Women United Around the World, an organization that helps new Mainers and female immigrants acclimate into a new environment. She is a frequent presenter on immigration-related topics at various client or community sponsored events and workshops.
Aga earned her J.D. from University of Maine School of Law. She holds a Master of Arts in Law, summa cum laude, from her home country, Poland, and was awarded an Associate of Science in Legal Studies, summa cum laude, from Quincy College, Massachusetts. Aga is an active member of the Maine Bar and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). She is fluent in Polish. In her free time, Aga enjoys playing tennis and taking Pilates classes, traveling, cooking, and playing with her dogs.
Aga’s words to live by: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain.
Education
- University of Maine School of Law, J.D. 2013
- Master of Arts in Law, Lazarski University, 2005
- Associate of Science in Legal Studies, Quincy College, 2008
Memberships
- Maine Bar Association
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
Publications
- Immigration Practice Manual, MCLE New England – Co-Author of E-Visa Chapter
Testimonials
Quality of Service, Keen Attention to Detail
Thorough preparation, tenacious represenation
Aga is extremely knowledgeable and highly passionate about what she does. She addressed all our concerns, was very responsive throughout the process and was friendly as well as professional. She was instrumental in helping us relax the day of our interview. Aga is tenacious and has an incredible attention to detail. We would recommend Aga to everyone, we are so happy with our results.
Prompt, Concise, Knowledgeable
Supportive and Patient
She was very supportive and patient, walked me and my then fiance through the process step by step and answered probably millions of questions we had. All for a very moderate fee!
Aga is also very flexible with clients’ needs, and can accommodate. For example, during the process me and my husband moved to another state, and she was able to do video calls, and online chats to answer any ad-hoc questions. Plus, she thoroughly prepped us for the interview itself, explained the expectations and everything from logistics to practice questions. We were very prepared, and the whole thing lasted no more than 10 minutes.
We are very pleased with our experience working with Aga, and would definitely recommend her services!