Hi, I’m lisa guerra
I often get asked if I knew I wanted to be an attorney when I was a child.
My Answer is Yes!
When I was in Law School in Atlanta, Georgia I could have never imagined that my primary practice would become Immigration law. When I applied for law school , I remember that they had you write an essay on why you wanted to become an attorney. I recall wanting to be a civil rights attorney, just like Johnny Cochran! I was passionate about equal rights and standing up for injustice.
My focus shifted some during law school and I wasn’t sure what type of law I wanted to practice when I graduated. In 2009 while waiting on my bar exam results I found my first paying job in the legal world at a small law firm that handled some immigration cases. I believe the only reason I landed the job at the time was because I had taken an Immigration and an Asylum class during law school. My Professor, Joe Rosen, was an actual practicing Immigration Attorney who prepared us very well.
I still remember my first day in an Immigration detention center, I introduced myself to all of the guards and stated that I was waiting on my bar exam results and I just wanted to sit in and watch, if that was ok. I remember one guard smiled and said “yes” court is open to all. I just remember feeling so nervous and out of place. The acronyms they use in Immigration Court will make you question what you’re doing because you have no idea what everyone is talking about, but eventually you learn the language and can then advocate effectively for your client.
I still am passionate about equal rights but what I have found is that Immigration is our new civil rights movement and in some instances representing Immigrants is standing up for civil rights.
“There’s something about watching the eyes of a person when all of the stress and worry about a family member being deported is lifted, and they know that they can remain together as a family in the United States”
Inga Bergel
Senior Associate Attorney
Originally from Krakow, Poland, attorney Inga Bergel specializes in immigration law, including business, family, and deportation cases, on behalf of The Guerra Law Firm.
Prior to joining The Guerra Law Firm, Inga worked in business immigration law at Jethmalani & Nallaseth PLLC in lower Manhattan, New York, representing global corporate IT clients. She also practiced family immigration law in Boston, representing diverse clients from countries, such as Haiti, Brazil, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Syria, Nepal, and Cameroon. As a Polish immigrant herself, Inga draws inspiration from other immigrants’ stories and their journeys—and believes that innovation is made possible through immigration.
After receiving dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and English at the University of California, Berkeley, Inga earned her Juris Doctor degree with Pro Bono Honors from Suffolk University Law School in Boston. While in law school, Inga served as the Vice President of the International Law Society and worked in the Immigration Law Clinic. Inga began practicing law in 2012 and is fluent in both English and Polish.
When she’s not working, Inga enjoys dabbling in creative writing, learning about new cultures, exploring ethnic cuisines, and traveling internationally—most recently, to visit her husband’s native country, China, and her own roots in Eastern Europe.
“Coming from an immigrant family myself, I directly appreciate the unique cultural tapestry and exchange of ideas that fuel immigration across the world.”
— Ingel Bergel