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Lauren Ann Anaya

Lauren Ann Anaya

Parkland College
  • Immigration Law, Criminal Law, Divorce ...
  • Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico
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Claimed Lawyer Profile
Biography

Attorney Lauren A. Anaya has over 20 years' experience in the practice of law and is ready to put her experience to work for you. Dr. Anaya began her legal career with the United States Department of Justice after being hired pursuant to the Attorney General's Honors Program, the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program of its kind. She served with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and subsequently went to work for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in the Office of the General Counsel. She knows immigration law and can assist you, whether you are seeking a green card, a temporary work visa, U.S. citizenship, representation in Immigration Court, or some other goal. A former federal prosecutor (1995-2005), Dr. Anaya also has extensive experience with the criminal justice system. As an Assistant United States Attorney, she successfully handled hundreds of cases involving immigration, drug possession and trafficking, white collar crime, violent crime, firearms offenses, fraud, and domestic violence. Dr. Anaya earned a BBA in Business, and is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. In August 2014, she completed a PhD in cultural anthropology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she specialized in a subfield of anthropology known as legal anthropology. Her training in anthropology enables her to approach clients and their legal issues with sensitivity to cultural and other difference. She currently teaches anthropology as a part-time faculty member at Parkland College. Whether you need a will or are going through a divorce, whether your case involves an immigration matter or you are being prosecuted criminally, Attorney Anaya is able to help you understand your legal options. She is compassionate, thorough, hard-working, and aggressive. She will listen to you and fight for your rights.

Practice Areas
Immigration Law
Asylum, Citizenship, Deportation Defense, Family Visas, Green Cards, Immigration Appeals, Investment Visas, Marriage & Fiancé(e) Visas, Student Visas, Visitor Visas, Work Visas
Criminal Law
Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
Divorce
Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
DUI & DWI
Family Law
Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
Additional Practice Area
  • Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney
Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Credit Cards Accepted
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Arizona
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California
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Illinois
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Iowa
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New Mexico
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9th Circuit
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10th Circuit
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Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
  • Italian: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
Part-time Faculty - Anthropology
Parkland College
- Current
Attorney at Law
Law Office of Lauren A. Anaya
- Current
Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, Las Cruces, New Mexico
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Special Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, Las Cruces, New Mexico
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Assistant General Counsel
United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Washington, D.C.
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Attorney-Advisor
United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Falls Church, Virginia
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Education
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Ph.D. (2014) | Anthropology
Honors: Dissertation Completion Fellowship, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; INTERSECT Fellowship, “Cultures of Law in Global Contexts,” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Osnabrück Graduate Summer Institute on the Cultural Study of the Law, Osnabrück, Germany; Collegio Carlo Alberto Fellowship in Italian Studies (Visiting Professor), Turin, Italy; UIUC-KU Leuven Faculty Exchange Program (Visiting Scholar), Katholieke Universities Leuven, Faculty of Canon Law, Leuven, Belgium; Phi Kappa Phi “Love of Learning” Award; Graduate College Dissertation Travel Award, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Nelle M. Signor Graduate Scholarship in International Relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Law & Society Graduate Student Workshop, Chicago, IL.; Summer Pre-Dissertation Research Award, Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship (Italian), University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign; Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship (Italian), University of Virginia Summer Language Institute; Verde Frazier Young Scholarship
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University of Iowa
M.A. (2007) | Anthropology
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University of Iowa
J.D. (1991) | Law
Honors: Law Review, American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Civil Procedure, American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Professional Responsibility
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Iowa State University
B.B.A. (1988) | Business
Honors: Graduated from Iowa State University with Honors and Distinction; Iowa State University Honors Program; Admitted to Iowa State University with Recognition and Award
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Professional Associations
Illinois State Bar  # 6319011
Member
Current
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American Anthropological Association
Member
Current
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Illinois State Bar Association
Member
- Current
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Antropólogos sem Fronteiras/Anthropologists without Borders – United States (ASF-US)
Founding Member of Board of Directors and Secretary-Treasurer
- Current
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Antropólogos sem Fronteiras (Anthropologists without Borders), Itaparica, Bahia, Brasil
Board of Directors and Secretária Adjunta (Adjunct Secretary)
- Current
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Publications
Articles & Publications
“Policy-Making in the Italian Courts: The Affermazione Civile Project and the Struggle over Recognition of Rights for Same-Sex Couples in Italy”
Anthropological Journal of European Cultures 23(1):40-58
Websites & Blogs
Website
Law Office of Lauren A. Anaya
Contact & Map
101 West Tomaras Avenue
Savoy, IL 61874
Telephone: (217) 693-2952