Christopher T. Musillo, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Chris is MU's Managing Partner. He has been an immigration attorney since graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Law in 1998. He specializes in immigration for the healthcare, information technology, staffing, relocation, engineering, and financial industries. His client-base is wide-ranging and includes the largest healthcare companies in the US, as well as entrepreneurial-driven start-up ventures. Prior to starting MU, Chris was a partner at a large Midwestern immigration law firm.

Chris’ written work has been featured in the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Annual Publication, Immigration & Nationality Law Handbook, the Cincinnati Bar Association Report, Worldwide ERC’s Mobility, and a variety of on-line publications.

Chris has been selected as a speaker at many national and international conferences for organizations such as the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), Health Careers Interaction, and the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Association (ASHHRA).

In 2005, he co-created the Coalition to Improve Healthcare Staffing (CTIHS), an advocacy non-profit entity that successfully lobbied for a liberalization of healthcare visa quotas. Chris served as the CTIHS first President, a role he held from 2005-2008. The CTIHS has successfully evolved into a comprehensive trade association, which was renamed the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment in 2008. His business travels have taken him around the world, including the Philippines, Canada, India, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the United Kingdom.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 1998

Villanova University
Bachelors of Science – Business Administration 1992
Major: Finance
Minor: History

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Cincinnati Bar Association
• American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment

Maria T. Schneider, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Maria has been an attorney with Musillo Unkenholt since 2011. Maria’s practice includes both business-based and family-based immigration matters.

Maria volunteers and works on immigration-related causes, serving on the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Immigration Practice Group and teaching Employment-Based Immigration Law as an adjunct at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Maria was appointed to the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Board of Trustees and the Board’s Executive Committee.

While attending law school, Maria served as President of the Immigrant Community Legal Advocacy Project, edited the Immigration Nationality Law Review, and worked in Washington, DC, advocating for comprehensive immigration reform. Prior to joining MU, Maria was an International Services Advisor at the University of Cincinnati, where she advised students, scholars and faculty coming from abroad to study and work at UC.

Maria graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2009 and is licensed in the State of Ohio.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2009
Northern Kentucky University

Bachelor of Arts 2006
Major: English
Minor: Political Science
University Honors Scholar

Selected Professional Associations

• Cincinnati Bar Association
  • Board of Trustees
    • Executive Committee
  • Immigration Committee (Founder and Past Chair)
  • VOICE (women’s mentoring initiative, Founder and Co-Chair)
  • Boost Career Circle
• American Immigration Lawyers’ Association
• University of Cincinnati, College of Law – Adjunct Professor

Anshu Anand, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Anshu joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2012. Anshu’s practice is focused on business immigration matters, including healthcare, information technology, and staffing industries. Prior to her work at MU, Anshu was an International Student and Scholar Coordinator at the University of Louisville, where she ensured compliance surrounding the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for the F and J nonimmigrant populations. In addition, she served on various University committees representing and advocating the rights of the international population.

Anshu graduated from the University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, in 2008. While attending law school, Anshu interned at the Center for Women & Families: Division of Immigrant & Non-Immigrant Services. She assisted the lead attorney with the filing of both VAWA self-petitions and U-Visa petitions on behalf of victims of domestic violence. During law school, she was a key resource to students, scholars, faculty and staff members throughout the University as well as its affiliates regarding general visa matters.

As a Parter with Musillo Unkenholt, Anshu continues to serve the immigrant population. Being an immigrant herself, she understands the evolving immigration system and as a result, immigration law has been both a passion and focus of her career. Anshu is licensed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Education

University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
Juris Doctorate 2008

University of Louisville
Bachelor of Arts 2002
Major: Political Science

Selected Professional Associations

• Kentucky Bar Association
• American Immigration Lawyers’ Association

John Dawson, Esq.

Biographical Overview

John joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2016. John’s practice deals with all areas of business immigration, with a focus on the healthcare and information technology industries. Prior to joining MU, John worked at BCF in Montreal, where he advised a diverse client base ranging from large multinational corporations to small family-owned businesses on obtaining non-immigrant and permanent resident visas for their employees. He also worked in-house for four years with a healthcare staffing company, where he prepared work permit applications for the company’s international healthcare professionals.

John graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2010. He had the opportunity to intern at the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia in The Hague, The Netherlands, where he assisted the judges in drafting decisions and orders. In his final year, he interned at the Domestic Violence and Civil Protection Order Clinic, representing victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault in civil protection order hearings. In addition, he served as President of the Immigrant Community Legal Advocacy Project.

John immigrated to the United States at a young age with his family and has always been passionate about immigration law. He is dedicated to assisting foreign nationals in navigating the constantly-evolving immigration process so they can pursue their dreams in the U.S. John is licensed in the State of Ohio.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2010

Miami University
Bachelor of Arts 2006
Major: History

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Jed Ali Abumeri, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Jed joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2021. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in May 2021 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 2021. His first experience working in immigration law was as an extern for the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a law student, he worked as a law clerk for MU while writing and serving as Publishing Editor for the University of Cincinnati College of Law’s Immigration and Human Rights Law Review.

As the child of Lebanese immigrants, immigration law is a matter that is close to Jed’s heart. He is eager to help immigrants and their families as an attorney at MU.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2021
The Ohio State University
Bachelor of Arts 2017
Major: English
Minor: Engineering Sciences

Caroline Henneman, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Caroline joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2023. Caroline graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in May 2023 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 2023. Caroline clerked with MU while in law school and worked on various research projects, drafting petitions, and responding to Requests for Evidence.

Caroline dedicated her law school career to studying immigration and criminal law. She practiced under a limited student license with the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office as a part of the Indigent Defense Clinic from 2022-2023. She participated in the UC Moot Court Honor Board, the Student Bar Association, acted as a Research Assistant for criminal justice reform, and completed a fellowship with the Ohio Innocence Project. Caroline aided in asylum application drafting with the Immigration and Refugee Law Center and she also wrote for the University of Cincinnati Immigration and Human Rights Law Review. Her law review proposes a judiciary response to racism within United States’ immigration laws. Her publication can be found here: https://scholarship.law.uc.edu/ihrlr/vol4/iss1/1/.

Caroline is motivated to provide quality legal advice and aid clients with their immigration needs.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2023
Cum Laude

Kent State University
Bachelor of Science 2020
Major: Public Relations
Summa Cum Laude

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Charlotte Kalfas, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Charley joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2023. Charley graduated from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in May 2023 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 2023. Between undergrad and law school, Charley worked as a Business Immigration Paralegal for a year, where she primarily worked on nonimmigrant visa petitions.

During law school, Charley focused on humanitarian immigration, working on asylum, T/U, and SIJS cases, as well as lobbying and research materials for immigration issues at a range of Ohio nonprofit organizations. Charley also served as Vice President of the Moritz Immigration Law Society and as President and Board Member of the Public Interest Law Foundation and participated in OSU’s Immigration Clinic.

Charley is passionate about helping people traverse the immigration process and is excited to provide legal services to those seeking work in the U.S.

Education

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2023
Public Service Fellow

Northern Kentucky University
Bachelor of Arts 2019
Major: English Literature
Minor: Psychology
University Honors Scholar
Magna Cum Laude

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Cristina Krussewski, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Cristina joined MU as an associate attorney in 2023 after being a solo immigration practitioner in the areas of family-based immigration, naturalization, humanitarian, and removal proceedings. Before opening her own practice, she was an associate attorney working with Blake P. Somers, LLC. During that time, she designed legal strategies and tried removal cases before the Arlington and Cleveland Immigration Courts. Cristina prepared and filed applications, waivers of grounds of inadmissibility, notice of appeals, appeal briefs, and complex responses to RFEs and NOIDs.

Cristina graduated from the University of Cincinnati with her LL.M, Master of Laws in U.S. Law, with honors and was awarded an Honors Scholarship. Prior to attending school at UC, she earned her LL.M, Master of Laws with concentration in Administrative Law from the Federal University of Paraná and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (JD equivalent) from Curitiba College of Law, both located in her hometown of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Cristina has been licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio since 2018, accredited before EOIR since 2019, and licensed to practice law in Brazil since 2005 (OAB/PR).

Having immigrated herself, she is passionate about serving the immigrant community. She is excited to continue to reunite families and assist both employers and international talent in the pursuit of opportunity.

Education

University of Cincinnati (UC)
LL.M, Master of Laws, with honors 2015

Federal University of Paraná (UFPR)
LL.M, Master of Laws with concentration in Administrative Law 2010

Curitiba College of Law (FDC-UNICURITIBA)
Bachelor of Laws 2005

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Olivia Kues, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Olivia joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2018, after clerking with the firm for two years as a law student. Olivia graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in May 2018 and was admitted to the Kentucky Bar in October 2018. While still a law student, Olivia worked closely with supervising attorneys on various research projects, including complex issues in Requests for Evidence. Olivia dedicated herself to the study of immigration law early in her law school career, working as a Research Assistant on Immigration issues and serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the Immigration and Nationality Law Review at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Olivia looks forward to continuing to serve clients in all areas of immigration law, particularly utilizing her experience in the employment-based fields of Healthcare and Information Technology.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2018
Magna Cum Laude

Northern Kentucky University
Bachelor of Arts 2015
Majors: English & Spanish
Minor: International Studies
University Honors Scholar
Summa Cum Laude

Jocelyn Lucero, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Jocelyn joined MU as an Associate Attorney in 2022, after clerking with the firm for a year. Jocelyn graduated from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law in May 2022 and was admitted to the Kentucky Bar in October 2022.

As a first-generation daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, Jocelyn aspired to be an immigration attorney from a very young age. During her law school tenure, she dedicated much of her time to the study of immigration law, externing at Kentucky Refugee Ministries and Maxwell Street Legal Clinic. While Editor-in-Chief of the Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resource Law, Jocelyn merged her passion for immigration law and the journal’s subject matter by writing about the abuses and exploitations migrant equine workers face under the H-2B visa program. Jocelyn’s published note can be found here http://www.kjeanrl.com/luceronote.

Jocelyn is committed to providing high-quality immigration legal services for MU’s clients.

Education

University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2022

Transylvania University
Bachelors of Arts 2019
Majors: International Affairs and Spanish
Cum Laude

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Kentucky Bar Association

Ian McManus, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Ian joined MU as a full-time Associate Attorney in 2020. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in May 2020 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in December 2020. During his last year of law school, Ian clerked at MU and gained experience in business immigration, particularly in healthcare and information technology industries.

Ian was an article editor for University of Cincinnati Law Review and Human Rights Quarterly. During 2019, Ian traveled to Hong Kong to compete in the Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (East).

Ian was first exposed to work in immigration law while interning at Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, where he worked primarily on asylum and refugee cases. He is excited to continue his career in immigration law at a firm that shares his passion for serving those pursuing opportunities in the US.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctor 2020

University of Kentucky
Bachelor of Arts 2016
Majors: History and Political Science
Summa Cum Laude

Allyson Peterson, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Allyson joined MU as a full time Associate in 2017. She graduated from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in May 2017 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 2017. Allyson clerked at MU while in law school and gained experience in the areas of business and family-based immigration.

Additionally, during law school she interned at the Hamilton and Franklin County Public Defender Offices, working in both the Municipal and Juvenile divisions. While at OSU Allyson was also very involved with the admissions office at the law school, running the office on the student side as a Moritz Ambassador Fellow. Her interactions with a very diverse group of people in law school, ranging from prospective OSU law students to clients of all ages at the Public Defender Offices, helped her to prepare for client communications at MU and the ever-changing world of immigration law.

As a Cincinnati native, Allyson is proud to work in her hometown at such a respectable firm as MU. She has become very dedicated to assisting people pursue their opportunities in the US.

Education

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2017

University of Cincinnati
Bachelor of Business Administration 2013
Major: Marketing
cum laude

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Rob Spicer, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Rob joined MU as a full time Associate in 2018. He graduated from Northern Kentucky Chase College of Law in 2018 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 2018. During his final year of law school, Rob clerked at MU gaining experience primarily in healthcare and information technology industries.

Rob was also an associate editor of the Northern Kentucky Law Review. Rob’s student Note publication can be found in the 2017 Northern Kentucky Law Review: Updates in Cyber-Security edition entitled, The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act: Punishing Hackers and Solving Employment Disputes in the Same Statute. 44 N. KY. L. REV. 83 (2017).

Prior to attending law school, Rob worked full time as part of a contract proposal team at a healthcare staffing company. His experience and interest in the fields of healthcare and information technology have aided him in addressing the issues faced in the immigration process.

Education

Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2018

Thomas More College
Bachelor of Arts 2011
Major: Mathematics

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

Eliza Stone, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Eliza Stone joined MU as a Senior Counsel in 2019. Practicing attorney since 2008, Eliza has provided legal services to private and public sector clients. Eliza started her practice at an established regional law firm before becoming in-house counsel for an international company and later a large university. Most recently she co-founded a small immigration firm. Eliza provides employment immigration advice to clients of varying sizes.

Eliza graduated from New York University with a BA in Economics and German Literature (honors) and received her law degree from University of Cincinnati College of Law where she was a member of the Immigration and Nationality Law Review. Eliza is fluent in Polish and German. She volunteers her time as coordinator of Summit Country Day School’s youth volleyball program.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 2008

New York University
Bachelor of Arts 1999
Major: Economics and German Literature (honors)

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers’ Association
• Cincinnati Bar Association

Susan Ammer, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Susan (Susie) joined MU in 2021 as Chief Financial Officer. Both an accountant and an attorney by education, Susie's career has always been at the intersection of accounting and law. A native Ohioan, Susie worked in public accounting, in Washington D.C. and Cincinnati, for 20 years after graduating from law school.

Susie directs and oversees MU's financial transactions and planning. She analyzes and provides strategic guidance on MU cash flows and leads our reporting. She provides advice and strategy to MU partners, identifying improvements in MU processes.

Susie enjoys volunteering in many roles, including as a Girl Scout Troop leader and youth volleyball coach, at Our Lady of the Visitation Parish and School.

Education

University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctorate 1998

Miami University-Bachelors of Science
Accountancy 1994

Cindy J. Unkenholt, Esq.

Biographical Overview

Cindy is one of the two Co-Founding Partners of Musillo Unkenholt. Cindy's practice is concentrated on business immigration matters, including healthcare and physician issues. She also works with a range of clients in engineering, information technology, and recruiting. Prior to starting MU, Cindy was a partner at a large Midwestern immigration law firm.

Cindy began her immigration law practice upon her graduation from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1997. Cindy has also worked as an attorney for immigration law firms and consultancies in Minneapolis, Connecticut, and New York City.

Cindy is a co-author of the firm’s nationally recognized blog. Her written work also has been featured in a number of journals and websites, including ILW.com. Cindy has spoken at many legal and professional conferences, both nationally and internationally, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

In 2005, she co-created the Coalition to Improve Healthcare Staffing (CTIHS), an advocacy non-profit entity that successfully lobbied for a liberalization of healthcare visa quotas in 2006. Because of her success with the CTIHS, she was named to CTIHS’ Transition Board. The Transition Board evolved the CTIHS into a comprehensive trade organization, which was renamed the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment in 2008. Her travels have taken her around the world, including the Philippines, Canada, and throughout Europe.

Education

University of Connecticut School of Law
Juris Doctorate 1997

University of Cincinnati
Bachelors of Arts 1994
Major: Criminal Justice

Selected Professional Associations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Cincinnati Bar Association
• American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment