Elissa Stiles

Elissa Stiles is an Oklahoma immigration lawyer and Senior Litigation Attorney at Rivas & Associates whose practice is devoted exclusively to immigration law. Since joining the Oklahoma Bar in 2019, she has handled matters before US District Courts, Immigration Courts, and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Her work focuses on federal litigation, appeals, detention-related challenges, and other complex immigration disputes. She has litigated well over 150 habeas corpus petitions in federal courts across the country.

Elissa attended the University of Tulsa College of Law, where she pursued a J.D. and began working in immigration law as a student intern in 2017. She previously completed undergraduate studies at TU. During those years, she studied abroad in Peru, Brazil, and Madagascar, experiences that helped shape her interest in immigration law and advocacy.

Elissa handles appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals and federal circuit courts, mandamus petitions involving delayed immigration cases, and habeas corpus petitions for people detained by ICE. Her practice extends to federal litigation involving immigrant rights. In 2024, she served as local co-counsel with the ACLU in litigation challenging Oklahoma House Bill 4156 and helped secure an injunction against the law. Her work combines courtroom advocacy with persuasive legal writing in complex immigration matters.

Elissa Stiles continues to focus on immigration litigation and serves as Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Bar Association Immigration Section. She regularly presents continuing legal education programs for immigration attorneys and has published articles on immigration issues in the Oklahoma Bar Journal. She serves as President of the Board of Directors for the American Dream Center, a Tulsa nonprofit that provides immigration legal support to underserved communities.

Law Office Affiliations

• Senior Litigation Attorney, Rivas & Associates
• Member, Oklahoma Bar Association
• Vice Chair, Oklahoma Bar Association Immigration Section
• President, Board of Directors for the American Dream Center
• Local Co-Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Licensed State

• Oklahoma

Education

• University of Tulsa College of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Tulsa
  Bachelor’s Degree

Awards & Badges