Our Team

Sandra Grossman

Sandra Grossman is a founding partner of Grossman Young & Hammond, a full-service immigration and international human rights law firm in Maryland. She is a skilled practitioner with nearly two decades of experience in a broad range of immigration matters. She has earned her reputation as a pragmatic and creative lawyer, who gets the job done even in the most complex of cases.

Sandra has developed a unique practice representing and supporting clients before INTERPOL. In 2019, Sandra testified before a bi-partisan Congressional committee (the “Helsinki Commission”) as a national authority on how to curb abuse of INTERPOL by autocratic nations. She also has significant expertise in representing clients before the U.S. consulates worldwide, both in immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications, administrative processing, and waivers of inadmissibility.

Sandra is actively involved in litigation, successfully advocating for individuals before the immigration courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and in Federal District Courts. She also represents clients in deportation defense, detention and bond issues, the immigration consequences of criminal convictions, requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), asylum, and adjustment of status and naturalization applications, among other matters.

Washingtonian Magazine has repeatedly recognized Sandra as one of “Washington’s Top Lawyers”. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and serves on AILA’s State Department Liaison Committee. In 2022, AILA awarded Sandra the Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for Excellence in Advancing the Practice of Immigration Law. Sandra is a former adjunct professor in immigration law at the Washington College of Law at American University. Sandra presents and publishes frequently on the topic of immigration law and INTERPOL matters, appearing on CNN, CNN Español, Fox News, the BBC, and C-Span. Sandra regularly handles pro-bono client matters. She is fluent in Spanish.

Printable Bio

Education

  • JD, Georgetown University Law Center
  • Masters in International Relations, London School of Economics
  • Bachelor’s, Tufts University

Admissions/Memberships

  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar Association (Inactive)
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
  • U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia
  • Maryland Court of Appeals
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • American Society of International Law (ASIL)

Accolades

  • Lawdragon 500100 Leading Immigration Lawyers, 2023.
  • Washington DC’s Best LawyersWashingtonian Magazine, 2018 – present.
  • Listed in Chambers & Partners USA and Global Guides – Band-3, USA-District of Columbia: Immigration (2020-2024); Band-3, USA-Nationwide: Immigration (2020-2024); Band-3, Global -Immigration: Business (2021 – 2024).
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
  • Maryland Super Lawyers List, Thompson Reuters, 2021 – 2023.
  • Global Leader in Corporate Immigration, Who’s Who Legal, 2021-2023.
  • Influencers SpotlightOcean Drive, October 2022.
  • Dynamic Women SpotlightDC Magazine, September 2022.
  • Recipient of the 2022 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). (View Sandra’s acceptance remarks here)
  • Lawdragon 500, Leading Corporate Employment Lawyer (Immigration), 2020 – 2022.
  • Best Law Firms U.S. News & World Report National Ranking: Tier 1 in Immigration, 2020.
  • Best Law Firms U.S. News & World Report Washington, DC Ranking: Tier 1 in Immigration, 2020.
  • Selected to “Super Lawyers, Rising Stars” (2013-2015), independent rating service based on high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
  • “Superb” 10/10 Rating, Avvo, unbiased lawyer rating based on years in practice, disciplinary history, professional achievements and industry recognition.
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Michael Maggio Pro Bono Honoree (2015), awarded in recognition of pro bono efforts to provide legal representation to detained women and children.

Professional Activities/Pro-Bono Work

  • Member, Board of Directors, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) (2019-present).
  • Member, Department of State Liaison Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (2021-2022).
  • Mentor/Volunteer, Immigration Justice Campaign (organized by American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the American Immigration Council (the Council) (2019).
  • Member, Editorial Board of Benders Immigration Bulletin (Lexis Nexis).
  • Member and Co-Chair, Asylum and Refugee Committee, AILA, 2015-2016.
  • Former Member, AILA DC Chapter Maryland Bar Liaison Committee; Former Member, Nominating Committee.
  • Liaison, AILA DC Chapter Baltimore Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE/OCC) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), 2010-2013.
  • Member, Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Pro Bono Project, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). The Project matches vulnerable immigrants with pro bono counsel to defend their cases before the BIA.
  • Former Adjunct Professor, American University, Washington College of Law.
  • Volunteer Attorney, AILA Coordinated Pro Bono Services Project, Federal Law Enforcement Training Facility in Artesia, New Mexico, 2014. The Project serves detained immigrant women and children. (see video snapshots taken at the detention facility)

Selected Publications

Selected Presentations

  • Immigration Law Conference 2023, Federal Bar Association, May 5, 2023.
  • “North America: An update on Immigration,” 10th Biennial IBA Global Immigration Conference , Internation Bar Association, December 2, 2022 (panelist).
  • Consular Processing Update (CLE), Catholic Charities Legal Services, July 21, 2022 (discussion leader).
  • Fighting Interpol Red Notices,” National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) (recording available for purchase), May 19, 2022.
  • “Don’t Just Google It!: Red Notice Round Table,” Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition, September 30, 2021.
  • “Emerging Frontiers of INTERPOL Abuse,” 2021 Federal Bar Association (FBA) Annual Meeting & Convention Miami, Sept. 23, 2021.
  • U.S. Immigration: An Update,” International Bar Association (IBA), July 8, 2021 (link available to IBA members only).
  • “Current Developments in INTERPOL Red Notice Abuse,” American Bar Association, July 10, 2020.
  • “Marketing Essentials: Every Immigration Attorney is Also a (Ethical) Salesperson, AILA Annual Conference 2020.
  • “INTERPOL, Red Notices, and the Immigrant: Opportunities for Creative Legal Advocacy,” in cooperation with Clark Hill, July, 1 2020.
  • “AILA Law Practice Management Conference,” Washington, D.C., October 17, 2019.
  • Tools of Transnational Oppression,” testimony before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission), Washington, DC, Sept. 12, 2019.
  • “Revés Contra Limitaciones de Asilo”, CNN Interview with Sandra Grossman, November 20, 2018.
  • “Immigrant Families: Separation, Reunification and Legal Challenges,” Inter American Dialogue, Washington, DC, June 29, 2018 (available as a podcast and as a C-SPAN3 video).
  • “Restaurant Panel on Immigration,” in conjunction with “RAMW” (Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington), Radiator, Washington, DC, September 5, 2018.
  • Mandamus Actions in the Asylum Context: Avoiding Dismissal and Proving the Case, American Immigration Council Practice Advisory, June 21, 2017 (with Chris Keeler).
  • “Dysfunction Junction: Surviving Asylum Processing Backlogs,” AILA Asylum CLE Conference, San Antonio, TX, Feb. 8, 2016.
  • “Creative and Ethical Strategies for Getting Past ‘No’,” AILA Midwinter CLE, Paradise Island, Bahamas, Jan. 22, 2016.
  • “Building Your Brand, Marketing Your Immigration Law Practice,” AILA Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA, June 2018.
  • “Marketing Your Practice,” AILA Annual Conference, June 2017.
  • “Family Based Immigration,” District of Columbia Bar Association Immigration Law Practice Clinic, Aug. 13, 2015.
  • “How to Deal with Impossible Visa Denials and Cancellations,” AILA Annual Conference, Washington, DC, June 2015.
  • “Family Based Immigration,” District of Columbia Bar Association Fundamentals of Immigration Law Series, Apr. 28, 2015.
  • “The Role of the Hispanic Community in Legal, Economic, Educational and Social Issues,” 18th Annual Hispanic Law Conference (co-hosted by the National Hispanic Bar Association and the Washington College of Law, American University), Washington, DC, Apr. 2015 (full video of the panel discussion).
  • “Grounds of Removability and Inadmissibility and How to Analyze Them,” AILA Annual Conference, June 2014.
  • “Persecution by Non-Government Actors,” Federal Bar Association Asylum Conference, with the Honorable Immigration Judge, Paul Schmidt, Arlington Immigration Court, Feb. 21, 2014.
  • “Responding to Requests for Further Evidence, Notices of Intent to Deny, and Denial Notices,” AILA DC Chapter Fall Conference, Nov. 2013.
  • “The End of Federal DOMA and the Effect on the States: Immigration and the Impact on a Newly Recognized Marriage,” Montgomery County Bar Association of Maryland, Oct. 2013.
  • “The Wonders of your Web Site Revealed in One Hour,” AILA Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA, June 2013.
  • “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Nuts and Bolts Seminar,” District of Columbia Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (co-sponsored by Capitol Hill Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Immigration Law Section of the Federal Bar Association, and the AILA DC Chapter), with Stephen Legomsky, USCIS, Chief Counsel, Oct. 31, 2012.
  • “Shiny Happy People: Attracting, Managing and Retaining the Best Staff,” AILA Solo & Small Practice CLE Conference and Webcast, Oct. 2012.
  • Discussion on Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Context, Catholic University, Columbus School of Law, Jan. 30, 2012.
  • “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Other Possible Remedies for Immigrant Youth,” AILA DC Chapter Fall Conference, Nov. 2011.
  • “Preparing Winning Cases For Asylum, T & U Visas, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status,” AILA DC Chapter Fall Conference, with Angela Gipson, USCIS, Arlington Asylum Office, & Susan Ritter, Victims Specialist, ICE/DHS & Liz Shields, KIND, Nov. 2011.
  • “Preparing Winning Asylum Cases before the USCIS and EOIR,” AILA DC Chapter Fall Conference, Nov. 2011.
  • “Effective Marketing Practices for the Immigration Lawyer,” AILA Solo & Small Practice CLE Conference and Webcast, Oct. 2011.
  • “Starting Your Own Immigration Practice,” American University, Washington College of Law, Lawyer Reentry Program, Oct. 2011.
  • “Introduction to Removal Proceedings,” AILA Model Hearing Program, Feb. 5, 2010.
  • “More than Collateral Issues, Immigration Practice and Criminal Defense,” PATH Conference, Georgetown University Law Center, July 2010.
  • “First 100 Days of the New Administration,” American University Washington College of Law, 12th Annual Hispanic Law Conference, “The Latino/a Agenda in the New Administration and the 111th Congress,” Mar. 5, 2009.

Other Appearances

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