Mercedes S. Cano

2000

Mercedes S. Cano

Centro Comunitario y de Asesoria Legal, Inc.

http://www.centrocomunitario.org

New York, NY, United States

Civil and Human Rights, Education & Youth Leadership

The Bold Idea:

The Centro's mission is to educate and inform the Hispanic community of its civil and labor rights. We combine education, organization and information to develop a collective conscience that fosters community participation and cooperation form Hispanic workers in our city. Since our creation we have diseminated our message and legal assistance in the form of workshops, seminars in various ways (small groups, conferences and one to one ) assistance. We now make presentations on legal issues to any group in NYC that needs guidance, preparation and information about criminal defense, immigration, Landlord/Tenant issues, etc.

Biography:

Mercedes S. Cano is the sole proprietor of the Law Office of Mercedes S. Cano. She has extensive experience in the area of immigration law, and more specifically in matters involving deportation, political asylum, and criminal defense in both immigration and non-immigrations matters. She has represented immigrants allegedly abused by United States citizens or permanent legal residents. Ms. Cano has successfully represented immigrants in immigration courts in and out of New York State and before the Board of Immigration Appeals. In 1999, with funds from the Initiative for Public Interest at Yale University, Ms. Cano formed a not-for-profit organization that provided her with her first immigration clients. After forming a community center in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, she created an immigration clinic that helped over 1700 immigration clients. The research and handling of these immigration cases gave rise to the criminal and immigration practice she fervently developed after leaving the community center. Her criminal and immigration practice has enabled her to be a strong advocate for the clients whose rights she skillfully defends. Her legal talent and ability to relate to and empathize with her clients and community has gained her a solid reputation in her community. (Please see award list). Ms. Cano received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature cum laude from Queens College and her Jurist Doctorate from CUNY School of Law. She has lectured attorneys from CLRN, a community network of over 300 attorneys from CUNY School of Law, on immigration practice and representing clients before immigration courts. She has made presentations to business groups, churches, schools, hospitals and not-for- profit organizations on immigration, criminal and family issues. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Queens County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the New York State Defenders Association.