OLIVIA SERENE LEE
Partner, Immigration and Nationality
[email protected] | 415-946-7107
Olivia Serene Lee is a Partner at Minami Tamaki LLP in the firm's Immigration and Nationality practice group, specializing in a variety of employment-based immigration matters. She has in-depth experience and knowledge of advising businesses in a full range of immigration matters, including strategic planning, and management of successful immigration programs and policy concerns.
In addition to her legal practice, Olivia has been active in professional and civic affairs. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the national association of more than 16,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. Currently, Olivia serves as an Elected Director on AILA's Board of Governors as well as a member of the Editorial Board for AILA's Law Journal. Since 2009, she has served on the Advisory Council of AILA Northern California, having served as Chair of AILA Northern California from June 2016 to June 2017. Olivia has served on several AILA National committees, including University, Annual Conference, Membership Engagement, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) committees. She chaired AILA National's DEI Committee from June 2020 to June 2021, and now serves on the American Bar Association's DEI Advisory Council as an AILA representative.
Olivia is regularly invited to speak on local and national AILA CLE panels on topics such as H-1Bs, O-1s, entrepreneur visa options, practice management, DEI initiatives, and business immigration litigation in federal court. Olivia authored the chapter “Gathering Evidence for Researchers in Private Industry” for Immigration Options for Academics and Researchers, 3rd Ed (AILA 2021). In recognition of her work, Olivia received an AILA Presidential Commendation in 2021, AILA's Annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award in 2022, and the Unity Award from the Minority Bar Coalition in 2018.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Olivia attended San Francisco Chinatown's Nam Kue School which is the location of the birthplace of Wong Kim Ark (U.S. birthright citizenship case). She is the first in her immediate family to obtain an undergraduate degree. Olivia holds a bachelor's degree in Asian American Studies and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from the University of California, Davis. Olivia received a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law, where she interned at the San Francisco Immigration Court and argued an immigration case before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
HONORS, AWARDS & RECOGNITION:
AILA National Elected Director on the Board of Governors, 2021 to present
AILA Law Journal Editorial Board, 2022 to present
ABA DEI Advisory Council, 2020 to present
AILA National Annual Award for DEI, 2022
AILA National DEI Committee, 2016 to 2022 (Chair 2020-2021)
AILA National Presidential Commendation, 2021
AILA NorCal Elected Board Member, 2013 to 2018 (Chair 2016-2017)
Minority Bar Coalition's Unity Award, 2018
Included in Chambers USA, 2023 to present
Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, 2024 to present
Included in Who's Who Legal – Corporate Immigration, 2019 to present
Included in Best Lawyers in America for Immigration Law, 2018 to present
Included in SuperLawyers, 2014 to 2024 (Rising Stars 2014-2020)
EDUCATION
J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law
B.A. and B.S., Asian American Studies; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Davis
ADMISSIONS
California
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
PROFESSIONAL
American Immigration Lawyers Association
American Bar Association
Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area
Bar Association of San Francisco
COMMUNITY
Chinese for Affirmative Action, Board Member
