Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Calderin.
Hi Carlos, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The year was 2003 and had I just met the woman who would eventually be my wife, Jessica. As lawyers, we had both worked at different law firms specializing in U.S. immigration law. We decided to team up and create our own firm, Calderin & Oliva in Miami, Florida. Things went well and in 2005 we decided to open a second office in the State of Georgia to service U.S. companies and individuals in the state. Then, in 2011, we opened another office in Chattanooga, Tennessee to assist with the immigration-related matters of companies and individuals in the East Tennessee area. Through our different offices and advancements in technology, we are able to provide our legal services to companies and individuals, not only in the Southeast, but across the country and around the world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As a U.S. immigration law firm, one of jobs is assisting companies with their hiring needs. Therefore, it may seem strange to know that one of the greatest obstacles for our firm has been seeking and maintaining an effective workforce. The reason is because a U.S. employer, we deal with the same work challenges as any other company. As is the case with our client companies, we have done our best in job recruitment domestically in trying to attract the best talent to work for us by offering competitive compensation and a healthy work environment. When that has failed, like our clients, we have sponsored foreign workers.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We specialize in U.S. immigration and nationality law. We handle a variety of cases that include visas for investing projects, companies hiring professional and non-professional foreign talent, family immigration, and political asylum cases. Because of our years of experience, our firm is not afraid to tackle the difficult cases. Our practice deals with cases with the U.S. governmental agencies, which are by definition a bureaucracy that is not immune to mistakes. Therefore, there are times that our clients do not receive the governmental decisions that they hoped for. It is in those moments that we advocate most triumphantly for our clients’ interest. We strive to turn every “NO” our clients might receive to a “YES”!
I would say the “secret sauce” of our law firm is effective communication. We believe that efficient representation requires that there be open communication between attorney and client. With effective communication, there are no misunderstandings. Furthermore, we often speak to groups throughout the U.S. and other countries on matters of U.S. immigration law. For that reason, Jessica and I are long-time active members of Toastmasters International and have learned many communication and leadership skills through that organization.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The biggest lesson that we have learned is the need to adapt. Covid-19 challenged us in many ways: in our relations with our workforce, in the way that we provide services to our client, and how we do our jobs. We have provided a new work environment that is adaptable to our employees’ needs. We have utilized technology that our clients now use in order to be as efficient as possible in providing our services. Finally, we have learned ways to mend the division between work and home to be ever present in both realms.
Contact Info:
- Website: calderinoliva.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/calderinoliva/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/calderinoliva
