Attorney Profile

Jonelle Ocloo, the founder of The Law Offices of Jonelle Ocloo, LLC (LOJO), is an experienced attorney who concentrates her practice in all areas of immigration law.  She is a member of the Maryland State Bar and the District of Columbia Bar, and Chair of the Immigration Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association.

Ms. Ocloo represents individuals and corporate clients in all immigration matters. She frequently speaks at national seminars on immigration law and guest lectures at law schools. She also performs regular community service work. Prior to opening her own law practice, Ms. Ocloo was an associate at the Murthy Law Firm (one of the nation’s largest immigration boutique law firms), where she was Supervising Attorney of the Green Card Department.  Before joining Murthy Law Firm, Ms. Ocloo worked at Just Law International P.C. in Virginia, where her practice focused on immigration law.

Jonelle Ocloo is a graduate of Yale Law School.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.

Awards and Honors

• Selected to Super Lawyers (2021-2022)
• International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers (2016 and 2017)
• Maryland State Bar Association: Presidential Best Section Award (2015)
• American Immigration Lawyers Association: Outstanding chairperson award for organizing pro bono citizenship clinics in MD, DC, and VA (2012 and 2013)
• Maryland’s Top 100 Women (2012)
• Associated Black Charities’ Emerging Leader Award (2012)
• Leading Women Award by the Daily Record honoring women 40 years of age or younger on the tremendous accomplishments made so far in their careers (2011)

Professional Appointments

• Admitted to practice law in Maryland and District of Columbia
• Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA).
• Chair, Immigration Law Section (2014 – 2015)
• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
• Attorney Liaison to the USCIS Baltimore District Office (2013 – present)
• Vice Chair, AILA National Practice Management Committee (2013 – 2017)

Publications

• “What Will Happen to Your Law Practice if Something Happens to You? Contingency Planning for Solos”, AILA Insight, December 2016“.
• Financial Management: Stay Out of the Red and In the Black”, co-authored with Kirby Gamblin Joseph, AILA, December 2014“.
• Marketing Your Immigration Practice by Following the Headlines”, AILA, January 2014.“Opening a New Practice: What I Wish I Knew When I Started”, co-authored with Becki Young, 2014 AILA Immigration Practice Pointers
• “Building Referral Networks: How to Use Your Current Contacts to Build Your Practice”, co-authored with Bernadette Ginger McGuire and Douglas R. Penn

Recent Presentations, Lectures, and Seminars

• Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA)
  • Presenter on Employment-based Immigration at MSBA Legal Excellence Week (2021)
    Faculty Member, Immigration Spring Conference (2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013)
  • “Complex H1Bs –Anticipate the RFE, Don’t Get Burned” (2019)“
  • Navigating Immigration Practice in the Trump Era” (2017)“
  • New Immigration Regulations on High-Skilled Immigrants” (2016)“
  • The President’s Executive Actions on Immigration” (2015)
  • “I-601 Provisional Waivers” (2013)
• Annual Conference Speaker (2020, 2018, 2014)
  • “Immigration Consequences in Mergers and Acquisitions” (2020)“
  • Advising Clients on Immigration Compliance in the Era of Worksite Enforcement” (2018)
• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • “Does Anyone Still Work at the Office Anymore? Filing PERM Labor Certifications for a Mobile Workforce” (2018)“
  • PERM and the Off-site Worker – 2016 Update,”
  • AILA Web Seminar (2016)Annual Conference Speaker (2014)“Family-Based Consular Processing,” AILA Web Seminar (2013)
  • “PERM and the Off-site Worker” AILA Web Seminar (2013)
  • “Strategic Issues Relating to K-1 Fiancé Visas,” AILA Web Seminar (2012)
  • Faculty Member at Fall Regional Conference for DC, MD, and VA (2015, 2012, 2011, 2010)
  • Presentation on PERM Labor Certification Presentation on Child Status Protection Act Presentation on INA Section 245(i)Presentation on Advanced Issues of Adjustment of Status
• The Bar Association of DC
  • “Pivoting your Immigration Practice in the New Normal.” (2021)“A Day in the Life of an Immigration Lawyer” (2020, 2019)
• Bar Association of Montgomery County
  • “The President’s Executive Actions on Immigration”
  • University of Maryland, Carey School of Law
  • Guest Lecturer on Employment-based Immigration
  • University of Baltimore School of Law
  • Guest Lecturer on Employment-based Immigration

Community Involvement

• Howard County Higher Business Accelerator for Women or Minority-Owned Small Business Enterprises (2021)
• Board of Directors, Luminus Network for New Americans (formerly FIRN), assisting immigrants in Howard County, Maryland (2016 – 2022)
• Leadership Howard County premier class of 2016Recognized by the County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland for pro bono service to the immigrant community (2017)