The Law Office of Richard Kessler was founded in 1987 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was formed in response to the need in the growing immigrant community in West Michigan particularly in the migrant and seasonal worker community for legal assistance with immigration cases. Not only had the community’s numbers dramatically increased but additionally many immigrants had a new opportunity caused by the major immigration law changes under the Immigration Reform Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 or so called “Legalization” law.
Attorney Kessler worked previously for five years at Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc., a non profit legal services program for migrants and farm workers and saw the tremendous legal needs of these clients, particularly in the area of immigration.
During the late 80’s and early 1990’s the Law Office of Richard Kessler helped legalize literally thousands of immigrants most of them migrant and or seasonal farm workers under the Special Agricultural Worker Project of the (SAW) of the IRCA law.
This office legalized more SAW applicants then any other private law office in the State of Michigan and with the exception of offices that had multiple branches in other states probably helped legalize one of the highest number of special agricultural workers in the whole United States.
During this time Attorney Kessler also saw the necessity that Spanish speaking immigrants had in other legal areas, such as criminal, employment, workers' compensation, accident and discrimination. The office expanded its services to provide Spanish speaking representation in these areas.
Attorney Kessler’s practice has also grown into other areas of Immigration law, not only legalization but also removability (deportation), hearings including all aspects of Cancellation of Removal, Suspension, Asylum as well as employment and family petitions.
The office not only represents people from Spanish speaking countries but has successfully represented immigrants from over 60 different countries including every country in the Americas as well as many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.
Some of the most significant immigration cases that Attorney Kessler has won include the first political asylum case for a Guatemalan activist in Immigration Court in Michigan as well as the first affirmative asylum case won for a gay person from Colombia based on persecution against sexual orientation at the Chicago Regional Asylum Office.
The Law Office of Richard Kessler represents immigrants from all over the State of Michigan at Immigration Hearings in Detroit and successfully has won cases for clients from Traverse City through Berrien County, Michigan including Lansing and many others areas.
Workers' Compensation
The Law Office of Richard Kessler is also a leading advocate of immigrant workers in the employment arena and during the last ten years has won more cases and settlements for immigrants in Workers' Compensation cases than any other firm with less than five attorneys in the State of Michigan. Attorney Kessler is particularly aware of the interplay of the immigration statues with workers’ compensation and other major laws and how they affect immigrant workers. The Law Office of Richard Kessler is committed to help all workers including both documented and undocumented workers.
Attorney Kessler has also represented workers regarding wage cases where immigrant workers are abused and exploited and not paid minimum wage and/or overtime. We have filed and successfully won settlements in several federal cases against large Michigan employers who were not paying minimum wage and/or overtime for exploiting and violating the current law and the rights of workers.
Education
The Kessler Law Office provides legal services for immigrants and workers as well as other persons whose rights have been violated as consumers particularly in the areas of housing, mortgages, autos, particularly practices of companies taking advantage of often uneducated, non English speakers regarding used car and other major purchases.
The Law Office has also been active in fighting against abuses committed by notaries public and other unscrupulous persons including lawyers who have taken advantage of immigrants through fraudulent immigration application and advice. We have been actively involved in class actions and other cases against so called immigration providers who have ripped off hundreds of immigrants in West Michigan over the years.
The Law Office continues to provide education and information to the immigrant public so that they are aware of the law and that making it is more difficult to take advantage of them.
The Law Office’s vision for the next ten years is to provide the best quality aggressive legal representation for all of its clients in a broad area of cases using its long experience of successful struggles in difficult situations.
"West Michigan’s Premier Progressive Immigration and Workers' Rights Law Firm"
Law Office of Richard Kessler, P.C.
280 Valley Ave SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Phone: (616) 235-4577
Fax: (616) 235-4723
Toll-Free: 800-235-4522
E-Mail Us
Representing clients throughout West Michigan, including the surrounding areas of Allegan, Berrien, Calhoun, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana,Ottawa, and Van Buren Counties.
