Chelsea HaleyNelson

Chelsea HaleyNelson is an Oakland immigration attorney and founder of a practice devoted to immigration and nationality law. She focuses on complex removal and deportation defense, political asylum, detention issues, immigration consequences of criminal matters, and federal court litigation. Her practice also addresses applications involving LGBTQ people and family-based immigration. She represents individuals and families confronting proceedings that can affect their ability to remain in the United States and maintain their family relationships.

Chelsea earned an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, studying Political Science and Security and Peace Studies. She graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2005 with a Certificate in Public Interest Law. Her academic focus on rights and public interest advocacy connects with her work representing immigrants facing removal or seeking humanitarian protection. She was admitted to the California Bar in 2005 and later became a California State Bar Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law.

Chelsea has worked on asylum claims, criminal and detention issues, federal immigration litigation, and applications affecting LGBTQ immigrants. She has provided pro bono representation through the National Center for Lesbian Rights and mentored other lawyers handling complicated immigration cases. She also works with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights on asylum-related advocacy and advises criminal defense counsel about immigration consequences. Her work brings immigration litigation together with community-based legal assistance and professional training.

Chelsea HaleyNelson has been selected to Northern California Super Lawyers lists and has served in leadership and advisory roles with immigration and LGBTQ legal organizations. Her service includes involvement with the National Lawyers Guild, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the BALIF Foundation. She has published and spoken about asylum, human rights, family petitions, and immigration issues affecting LGBTQ people. Her practice pairs direct representation with efforts to improve legal advocacy for vulnerable immigrants.

Law Office Affiliations

• Principal, HaleyNelson Law PC
• Member, The State Bar of California
• Mentor Attorney and Regular Panel Speaker, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
• Co-Chair, National Lawyers Guild, San Francisco-Bay Area Chapter’ Immigration Committee
• Advisory Board, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Northern California Chapter
• Mentor Attorney, California Rural Legal Assistance LGBT Program
• Volunteer Attorney, Centro Legal de la Raza
• Board Member, BALIF Foundation
• Advisory Board, NCCIJ
• Of Counsel, National Center for Lesbian Rights

Licensed State

• California

Education

• University of California Santa Barbara
  Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Security and Peace Studies

Awards & Badges