ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Hassan M. Ahmad, The HMA Law Firm / McLean
Hassan Ahmad is the founder and principal of the HMA Law Firm. He built his firm on one simple idea—that people need protection and perseverance to prosper. Under Mr. Ahmad’s leadership, the firm strives every day to fight for clients' rights, so clients can live their lives not just peacefully, but with prosperity. His perspective on immigration as a means to prosperity is borne from his belief in unity in diversity, advising nationals of 115 countries around the world for over 15 years. He is fluent or proficient in eight languages besides English, which allows his clients to feel comfortable when telling their story. He is known and respected among his peers for his reliable knowledge of the law, research, writing ability, and trial skills.
Mr. Ahmad has a strong background in criminal defense and maintains a niche practice in "crimmigration"—the immigration consequences of criminal activity. He focuses much of his practice on defending against deportation, and devotes over a third of his practice to matters of asylum law. He litigates immigration cases in federal court, and does not shy away from the tough cases, whether in matters of family immigration, business, or citizenship.
Mr. Ahmad is also a due process advocate who believes that serving clients means not only direct representation, but also advocating for their interests before lawmakers. He was appointed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to serve on the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, helping advise the Governor on issues facing the AAPI community, as well as the Commonwealth Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Mr. Ahmad also serves on the board of the Dulles Justice Coalition, the group of airport lawyers who represented clients in the wake of President Trump's travel ban.
Mr. Ahmad holds a law degree from Tulane Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a frequent speaker and writer on immigration, with a unique ability to explain legal concepts through client stories. He is often quoted in local and national media.
Prior to his career as a lawyer, Mr. Ahmad taught Urdu and Hindi at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and also taught high school classes in religion and law. He was born and raised in North Carolina and now resides in Virginia with his family.
Anam Rahman, Calderón Seguin PLC / Fairfax
Ms. Rahman is an associate at the law firm Calderón Seguin PLC. Calderon Seguin is well-known for its expertise in three related fields—immigration, criminal, and family law—and the unique intersection between them. She regularly advises clients, their family members, and other attorneys regarding complicated and nuanced “crimmigration” issues.
Ms. Rahman’s immigration practice covers a broad array of matters including nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applications, family-sponsored and employer-sponsored petitions, waivers of inadmissibility, asylum applications, humanitarian relief, and all forms of relief from removal. She specializes in removal work, including direct representation of detained individuals, and regularly appears before the Arlington and Baltimore Immigration Courts. She also represents clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to pursue affirmative forms of relief. After the initial adjudication or removal proceedings stage, Ms. Rahman represents clients in appellate work before the Board of Immigration Appeals, Administrative Appeals Office, and United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
In addition to immigration, Ms. Rahman also practices criminal law and family law. She provides direct representation to individuals charged with committing a crime, often noncitizens unfamiliar with our legal system and their rights before the tribunal. She also represents abandoned, neglected, and abused juvenile clients and their petitioners before Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts to petition for custody and Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ).
Ms. Rahman has spoken on immigration issues at The George Washington University Law School, David A. Clark School of Law, the Alexandria Public Defender’s Office, and the Federal Bar Association’s Immigration Law Conference. She volunteers her time to serve as an expert mentor at consultation clinics throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.
Ms. Rahman received her law degree from The George Washington University Law School, and her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from The George Washington University. She is admitted to practice in Virginia and speaks fluent Spanish. Born and raised in New Zealand and a naturalized citizen herself, she now resides in Washington, DC.