Christopher Helt

Top rated Immigration attorney in Chicago, Illinois

The Helt Law Group, LLC
Christopher Helt
The Helt Law Group, LLC
888-739-6794
Contact me today

Practice Areas: Immigration

Licensed in Illinois since: 1994

Education: Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2015, 2025

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888-739-6794

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The Helt Law Group, LLC

10 South Riverside Plaza
Suite 875
Chicago, IL 60606 Visit website

Christopher Helt is a nationally renowned immigration defense lawyer who represents clients in the Chicago, Illinois, Memphis, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia areas. With his practice, The Helt Law Group, LLC., he regularly appears before U.S. immigration courts, the Department of Homeland Security and numerous federal circuit and district courts.

A graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Mr. Helt's accomplishments have made him a nationally recognized figure in immigration matters. Among other honors, he has received the highest rating of AV Preeminent* from the prestigious peer review service Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected in the National Advocates: Top 100 Lawyers.  Mr. Helt and his cases have been featured in Time magazine and frequently appears in local and national media, such as the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, CNN, Fox News, National Public Radio, Telemundo and Univision.  Along with some of his clients, he was heavily featured in "Patriot Acts," a  documentary about some of the harsh effects of immigration policies for immigrants.

Always eager to share his knowledge and experiences, Mr. Helt teaches courses on immigration policy and a number of other subjects at Loyola University Chicago. He has also served on a panel at Northwestern University Law School to speak about asylum and frequently speaks on immigration-related topics for a variety of organizations and educational institutions.

Mr. Helt greatly enjoys giving back to his community and often engages in volunteer work. He provides pro bono representation to individuals who cannot afford legal counsel, is a member of the American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project, and assists a nonprofit group that facilitates mentoring to Chicago youth by Chicago FBI agents.  Mr. Helt sits on that organization's board of directors.

*AV-Preeminent and BV-Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.

Practice areas

Immigration: Consumer
  • 100% Immigration: Consumer

First Admitted: 1994, Illinois

Professional Webpage: https://www.heltlawgroup.com/about-us.html

Bar/Professional Activity:
  • Adjunct faculty member, Loyola University of Chicago
  • Member, American Immigration Lawyers' Association (AILA)., 2021
  • Guest Lecturer Loyola University of Chicago. Islam and U.S. Immigration. April 19, 2019. Islamic World History Course., 2019
  • Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association, 1998 – present, 2021
  • Member, Federal Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois, 1994 – present
  • Member, 2nd Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Member, 9th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Member, U.S. Supreme Court
  • Member, American Bar Association, 1990 – present
  • Member, 6th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Member, 7th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Member, Loyola Academy Bar Association, 2013 – present
  • Member, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
  • Illinois, 1994
  • Member, Chicago Bar Association, 1994 – present
  • Member, 5th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Member, 11th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
  • Hui Ran Mu v. Barr, 936 F.3d 929 (9th 2019).  Derivative beneficiaries of an alien entrepreneur in the immigrant investor program (EB-5 program), who receive conditional legal permanent resident ("LPR") status, are entitled to the same review rights in removal proceedings as the alien entrepreneur. 8 C.F.R. § 216.6(d)(2). Thus, in removal proceedings, an immigration judge's ("IJ") failure to review the denial of an I-829 petition (even though the alien is a beneficiary of the petition) is error., 2019
  • Aslum Granted to 13-year-old girl.  U.S. immigration judge grants asylum to child refugee from Honduras. In the matter of Marjorie Urbina-Contreras. 2018. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-contreras-immigration-hearing-20180227-story.html, 2018
  • Asylum granted to 9-year-old girl.U.S. Asylum Office grants asylum to 9-year-old girl.  https://abc7chicago.com/society/9-year-old-girl-from-honduras-granted-asylum-in-us/970642/ https://abc7chicago.com/news/9-year-old-girl-from-honduras-seeks-us-asylum/778816/   https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/asylum-seekers-jeff-sessions-policy-change-domestic-abuse-gang-violence-1.4401271, 2015
  • In Matter of Hasan Meghani (BIA 2014)
  • Merchant v. US Attorney General, 461 F.3d 1375 (11th Cir. 2006)
  • Noorani v. U.S. Attorney General, (11th 2006)
  • 78 No. 13 Interpreter Releases 604 (2001)
Videos:
Transactions:
Pro bono/Community Service:
  • Child refugee attorney for Central American children.  Pro Bono., 2021
  • Active member, ABA's Military Pro Bono Project, 2022
  • Serves as pro bono general counsel and a board member to the Chicago FBI Explorers (Edwin C. Shanahan Memorial Post 1920), 2021
Honors/Awards:
  • Attorney & Practice Magazine Top 10 Immigration Law Attorney, Top 10 Attorney Immigration Law, Attorney & Practice Magazine Top 10 Immigration Law Attorney, 2019
  • AVVO 10.0 Rating (Highest)., AVVO 10.0 Attorney Rating, https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/60606-il-christopher-helt-1170873.html, 2022
  • American Institute of Trial Lawyers Selection, Litigator of the Year 2021 (Immigration), Litigator of the Year, American Institute of Trial Lawyers (AIOTL), 2021
  • 2022 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell.  https://www.martindale.com/chicago/illinois/christopher-helt-934823-a/, AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubble, 2022
  • The National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers (Immigration Law) , Top 100 Lawyers (Immigration Law), The National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers, 2022
  • Justia 10.0 Rating 2020, Justia 10.0 Rating, Justia, 2022
  • FBI Director's Community Leadership Award, FBI, 2014
  • 2022 Selection into Lawyers of Distinction.  Lawyers of Distinction 2021 Selection, Induction in Lawyers of Distinction, Lawyers of Distinction, 2022
  • 2021 ALM Top Rated Lawyer, ALM's Top Rated Lawyer, ALM, 2021
  • Who's Who in American Law, Marquis, 2001
  • 2016 Humanitarian Award.  Given by the Illinois LULAC Immigration Committee, for pro bono work with Honduran refugee families and Unaccompanied Children (UACs)., League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Illinois, 2016
Educational Background:
  • Loyola Academy, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola Univeristy Chicago School of Law
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
  • Invited speaker to undergraduate, master and Phd-candidate students, asylum and other immigration issues, Loyola University Chicago, Lecturer, Guest Lecturer Loyola Univerisity Chicago, 2020
  •  2018-2022 selection into Lawyers of Distinction.  Selection Lawyers of Distinction    , Membership, Selection in Lawyers of Distinction (Immigration Law), Lawyers of Distinction, Law, 2022
  • Advised the (Chicago) Mayor's deputy chief of staff and the City of Chicago Department of Consumer Services on immigration issues during "Special Registration"
  • Author, Terrorists Strike Pakistan: Changed Country Conditions And Filing A Motion To Reopen Or BIA Remand, A Practice Advisory (ILW 2007), www.ilw.com/articles/2007,1101-helt.shtm, Immigration Lawyers Weekly, 2007
  • Immigration Reform On The Minds Of Lawmakers, The Public And Now The High Court: How Will The Court Rule With Alito And Roberts On The Bench, American Immigration, LLC, (ILW.com), 2006
  • Practice Advisory: Response To ILW.COM's articles/comments concerning the AR-11 issue", American Immigration, LLC, (ILW.com)  , 2002
  • Guest lecuturer, Immigration & Islam in The United States Islamic History Course (Dept of History), Immigration, 2014
  • Symposium Loyola University, A Person to Person History: 9/11 Survivors Visit Loyola University, 2010
  • Symposium Loyola University, 9/11 Survivors Visit Loyola, 2009
  • Law and Ethics, Criminal Justice Ethics...tough decisions for lawyers, judges, police and other professionals
Other Outstanding Achievements:
Firm News (Newsletters):
Industry Groups:
  • Law

Office location for Christopher Helt

10 South Riverside Plaza
Suite 875
Chicago, IL 60606

Phone: 888-739-6794

Selections

2 Years Super Lawyers
  • Super Lawyers: 2015, 2025

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