George Katsivalis

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Of Counsel | Immigration Attorney
Founder and Former Partner

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George Katsivalis is a founder and former partner of Katsivalis & Anderson Law and now serves as Of Counsel to the firm. With more than three decades of experience in immigration law, his current work is focused on consulting, strategic planning, public speaking, and advising attorneys and clients on complex immigration matters involving enforcement, criminal issues, and high-risk procedural posture.

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Mr. Katsivalis previously served as a United States Immigration Judge and as a senior government attorney, including as Chief Counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago and as District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He also served as a Special Assistant United States

Attorney  in the Northern District of Illinois. These roles give him a deep, practical understanding of immigration enforcement and adjudication from the government’s perspective.

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In his Of Counsel role, Mr. Katsivalis is frequently consulted by attorneys and clients on matters involving criminal-immigration issues, denaturalization defense strategy, detention and bond considerations, and complex removal proceedings. His work centers on case assessment, issue spotting, procedural strategy, and advising on legal risk, rather than routine case handling.

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He also engages in public speaking and professional education, drawing on his experience as an adjudicator and government attorney to provide insight into immigration court practice, enforcement trends, and strategic considerations in high-stakes cases.

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Mr. Katsivalis is known for his direct, practical approach and for helping attorneys and clients understand how immigration cases are likely to be evaluated within the enforcement and adjudicatory system.

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Areas of Focus

• Strategic consulting and case assessment

• Criminal-immigration issues and immigration consequences of criminal convictions

• Denaturalization defense strategy

• Removal defense strategy and procedural analysis

• Public speaking and professional education

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Education

• Bachelor of Science, Elmhurst College

• Juris Doctor, The John Marshall Law School

• Master of Business Administration, Rosary College

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Bar Admissions

• Illinois

• United States Supreme Court

• United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

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Professional Affiliations

American Immigration Lawyers Association