Get to Know Our Team
Marshall Lewis Cohen
Nisha K. Karnani
Patrick He
Kafi Freeman
Marshall Lewis Cohen, Partner
Marshall Cohen is the founding principal of Cohen & Associates. Admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1989, he has practiced immigration law exclusively for approximately 18 years. Mr. Cohen practices all areas of immigration law including family and employment cases, temporary and permanent visas, naturalization, deportation defense, and federal litigation. He has taught immigration law as an adjunct professor at the Georgia State University Law School. In addition, Mr. Cohen has served on the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) national liaison committee to the Executive Office for Immigration Review. He has also chaired the Atlanta AILA chapter's liaison committee to the Atlanta immigration court, as well as chaired the chapter's liaison committee to the Atlanta District CIS Office.
EDUCATION:
JD cum laude, University of Georgia (1989)
Master Degree Program in International Relations, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel (1984-1985)
B.A. Political Science, University of Florida (1983)
MEMBERSHIPS:
Georgia Bar Association
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
SELECTED AWARDS/HONORS:
Martindale Hubbell AV-rated
Catholic Social Services Pro Bono Award (1994)
SELECTED COMMUNITY SERVICE/LEADERSHIP:
Board of Directors, Greenfield Hebrew Academy: 2003-2006
Amit Advisory Board: 2004-2005
National Jewish Law Students Association, President: 1988-1989
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS:
Speaker on various immigration topics: AILA National Conference ; State Bar of Georgia, Continuing Legal Education; American Law Institute of the American Bar Association (ALI-ABA);
Dekalb County, Georgia, State Court Judges.
Nisha K. Karnani, Associate
Nisha K. Karnani is an Associate Attorney at Cohen & Associates. Ms. Karnani has practiced immigration law with Cohen & Associates since being admitted to the Georgia Bar in 2001. Ms. Karnani represents clients in all areas of immigration law including asylum, deportation, naturalization, employment and family issues. She also represents domestic violence victims in various immigration matters.
EDUCATION:
JD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2001)
BA, Honors in Economics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1998)
MEMBERSHIPS:
Georgia Bar Association
American Immigration Lawyers Association
IndusBar of Georgia (South Asian Bar Association)
SELECTED AWARDS/HONORS:
Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service, 2007
Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Star (Immigration Law), 2007
Gressman-Pollitt Oral Advocacy Award, UNC School of Law
SELECTED COMMUNITY SERVICE/LEADERSHIP:
Volunteer, Raksha, Inc. ( nonprofit serving the Georgia South Asian Community): 2002 to present
Mentor, Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network: 2006-present
Board of Directors, Raksha, Inc.: 2003-2005
Community Outreach Chair, Atlanta Chapter, American Immigration Lawyers Association: 2004-2005
Board of Directors, IndusBar of Georgia (South Asian Bar Association): 2002-2003
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS:
Speaker on various immigration topics: State Bar of Georgia, Continuing Legal Education ; Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network ; Latin American Association ; Nepalese Convention ; Festival of India ; Network of Indian Professionals, Atlanta.
Patrick He, Paralegal
Patrick He attended Shanghai Medical School, Tzabei Division, from 1972 through 1975. After finishing his medical studies, Patrick worked in a hospital for four years. Between 1979 and 1987, Patrick served as a translator and interpreter in the Foreign Language Department of the Shanghai Petrol-Chemical Institute and other government institutions in Shanghai. From 1987 to 1990, Patrick worked in the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai. Patrick moved to the U.S. in 1990, and he has worked as a paralegal with Cohen and Associates since 1992.
Kafi Freeman
Kafi Freeman, a San Diego native, graduated from San Diego State University in 2004 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. Prior to re-locating to Atlanta in 2004, Kafi worked for the San Diego Immigration Court where she served as a court clerk. Since then, she has had the opportunity to work for a national immigration law firm where she handled both family and employment based immigration matters. Kafi has over 7 years of experience working in the area of immigration. In her spare time, she enjoys working with under-privileged teenage girls and spending time with her family.
Who Can We Help?
We provide expert legal advice about United States immigration law and legal representation to a wide range of clients seeking entry to the United States. We serve:
- Foreign nationals facing deportation
- Professional workers
- Athletes, Artists and Scientists
- Professors and Researchers
- Students
- Employers seeking to place employees in the U.S.
- Family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
- Diversity lottery recipients
- Religious workers
- Refugees and those seeking political asylum
- Those litigating immigration issues before the BIA and in federal court
- Residents wishing to naturalize
- Victims of Crime (including domestic violence)
