Helena Tetzeli, Esq.

Helena M. Tetzeli is a partner at Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A.

Her practice focuses on business immigration, commercial litigation, and representation and advice to business and institutional clients.

Ms. Tetzeli has a nationwide reputation as a leading immigration attorney. She is frequently asked to write and speak on immigration law topics. Her primary immigration practice areas include E and L visas, EB -5 visas, Extraordinary Ability visas and National Interest Waivers for clients in the sciences, arts, business and athletics, as well as federal and administrative court litigation. Her immigration clients include unions for major league professional athletes, high profile US and foreign companies, individual investors and others seeking to do business or immigrate here, as well as US start-ups in a variety of business and industrial sectors.

In addition to her immigration law practice, Ms. Tetzeli also represents her clients in federal and state courts and in arbitration and mediation proceedings in a variety of complex commercial matters including substantial collection cases and defense of discrimination, FLSA, ADA and other employment law claims. She also advises her business and institutional clients on a variety of compliance and policy matters to minimize the risk of litigation.

Ms. Tetzeli has been recognized by Who's Who in American Law, The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Chambers and LawDragon. Because of her successful track record and high degree of ethics in all of her professional endeavors, she has received the highest possible AV Preeminent* peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Education

• University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California
  • J.D.
• Florida International University
  • B.A.
  • Honors: cum laude
  • Honors: With Honors
  • Major: International Relations

Admissions

• Florida, 1988

Honors

• Recognized by Who’s Who in American Law for Immigration work; and both International Who’s Who listings
• Listed As One of the Best Lawyers in The Best Lawyers in America for Immigration Law and in Florida’s Super Lawyers
• Named One of South Florida’s Top Attorneys in the Field of Immigration by Miami Metro Magazine’s South Florida Legal Guide
• AV Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, 2011
• Florida’s Top Lawyers, 2008

Classes & Seminars

• Sports Immigration Conference – September 3, 2021
• 41st annual AILA South Florida Immigration Law Conference from February 27th and 28th
• Catholic Legal Services Summer 2021 Immigration law Seminar
• Best Lawyers panel on the DACA Supreme Court decision in June 2020
• Federal Bar Association Immigration Litigation Symposium in December 2019
• John and I spoke at the AILA National conference in 2020.
• AILA SF CLE panel on Business visas in November 2020
• AILA SF Business and Immigration Committee seminar in fall 2020 on COVID 19 travel restrictions for business travelers and immigrants

Published Works

• Articles, Immigration Law, Florida Bar
• The Impact on O and P athletes of Work Stoppages: from Strikes to Pandemics, Immigration Options for Artists, Entertainers, & Athletes (AILA), 3rd Edition, 2020

Professional Associations

• AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association), Member
• AILA South Florida Media Advocacy Committee, Chair, 2021 to Present
• CBP Liaison Committee, Co-Chair, 2021 to Present
• Hispanic National Bar Association, Member
• Federal Bar Association, Member

Languages

• English
• Spanish