Nysha D. Operana
Top rated Immigration attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nwokocha & Operana Offices, LLC
Practice areas: Immigration, Family Law, Criminal Defense; view more
Licensed in Minnesota since: 2013
Education: Hamline University School of Law
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Selected to Rising Stars: 2021 - 2023 Call today:
612-887-1285
Nwokocha & Operana Offices, LLC
105 5th Ave S Ste 550Minneapolis, MN 55401 Visit website
Nysha D. Operana is an attorney at the Nwokocha & Operana Offices, LLC, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Advocating for immigrants, elevating cultural representation and fighting for fairness in the legal process are at the heart of her practice. She concentrates her practice on immigration law, family law and criminal law.
Ms. Operana’s work is deeply influenced by her Mexican heritage, which sparked her dedication to immigration law. She represents individuals and families in a range of immigration matters, including employment-based petitions, humanitarian relief and deportation defense. Her practice naturally intersects with criminal and family law, enabling her to support clients whose legal challenges cross multiple areas.
Ms. Operana earned her Juris Doctor and a certificate in alternative dispute resolution from Hamline University School of Law in 2013, following a Bachelor of Arts in American ethnic studies from the University of Washington.
In addition to her role at Nwokocha & Operana Offices, LLC, Ms. Operana has devoted countless hours to community service. She has offered pro bono legal assistance through organizations such as the Volunteer Lawyers Network of Minnesota, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), the Mexican Consulate, the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project, the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota and The Advocates for Human Rights. Her commitment was formally recognized in 2019 when she received the Volunteer Lawyers Network’s Volunteer of the Year Award.
Ms. Operana is also an active leader in the legal community. She currently serves as chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Immigration Law Section and liaison to the New Members Division of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and represents the Hennepin County Bar Association in the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates.
Licensed to practice in Minnesota, Ms. Operana is a member of AILA, the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association, the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Ramsey County Bar Association and the Hennepin County Bar Association. Through her legal experience and community involvement, she continues to be a steadfast advocate for justice and equity across immigration, family and criminal law.
Practice areas
Immigration: Consumer, Family Law, Criminal DefenseFocus areas
Adoption, Alimony & Spousal Support, Arrest & Arraignment, Assault & Battery, Asylum, Child Support, Criminal Domestic Violence, Criminal Fraud, Criminal Law, Custody & Visitation, Debt, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Drug & Alcohol Violations, Expungement, Failure to Pay Child Support, False Accusations, Father's Rights, Felony, Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Law, Marital Property, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Misdemeanor, Motor Vehicle Offenses, Murder, Name Change, Naturalization & Citizenship, Overdrawn Bank Account, Parole, Paternity, Prenuptial Agreements, Probation, Prosecution, Same Sex Family Law, Sex Offenses, Tax Evasion, Theft, Traffic Violations
- 70% Immigration: Consumer
- 20% Family Law
- 10% Criminal Defense
First Admitted: 2013, Minnesota
Professional Webpage: https://www.paschal-law.com/nysha-d-operana/
Bar / Professional Activity
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Member since 2010 New Members Division Chair since 2016 Upper Midwest Law Conference - Committee 2018 & 2019, 2020
- Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association
- Ramsey County Bar Association
- Minnesota
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Chair for the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Immigration section
- American Bar Association - Member Delegate for the Hennepin County Bar Association, 2020
- MSBA Member since 2013 MSBA Immigration Section Council member since 2016 - Current Immigration Section Chair 2020-2021, 2020
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution, May 2013
Pro bono / Community Service
- Park Avenue Legal Clinic- Volunteer since 2016 - joint project of Park Avenue United Methodist Church and the Volunteer Lawyers Network, has been providing free brief advice, service, and referral in civil law matters, including immigration every Thursday from 3-5pm., 2020
- Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
- Advocates for Human Rights
- Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project
- Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES)
- Volunteer Lawyers Network
- VLN Phone Advice - Since 2013 (on a weekly basis) I have provided advice over the phone, brief services and occasionally full representation in immigration related matters., 2020
- Al Otro Lado - Volunteered in Tijuana at the Southern Border, providing in person consultations for asylum seekers (legal advice), and assisting medical professionals with interpretations in medical clinic and preparing wellness packages to handout in the medical clinic., 2019
Educational Background
- University of Washington, Bachelor of Arts, Major: American Ethnic Studies
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Upper Midwest Immigration Law Conference- Speaker - Advance Topics Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), 2020
- JTB- Connect ED Rise Up Speaker - Facilitated a session on DACA and Immigration law for three weeks to High School students. The students researched laws/policies that either inhibit or promote the movement and were asked to create a public awareness campaign about that policy., 2020
- Upper Midwest Immigration Conference - Speaker on the Advance topic of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)., 2019
Honors
- The Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN) protects and promotes the basic human needs of people in poverty through the power of legal volunteers. The award recognizes someone who has provided true access to justice in the community., Volunteer of the Year, Volunteer Lawyers Network, 2019
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2021 - 2023
