The people who will handle your case

Luz Metz

Luz has practiced immigration law in the United States since her admission to the Washington bar in 2012.

Her practice covers family petitions, green cards and naturalization, waivers of unlawful presence, removal of conditions on a spousal green card after a marriage has ended, humanitarian relief, and work authorization. She has helped hundreds of clients become legal residents and citizens.

Luz has served on committees of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has spoken at immigration conferences. She has volunteered with the King County CASA program as a court-appointed special advocate for children.

Before becoming a Washington lawyer, Luz was a lawyer in Colombia, where she handled civil litigation and family law matters. When she came to the United States she went through the immigration process herself, and then became a lawyer through Washington's law clerk program, which requires four years of full-time work and study under the supervision of an experienced practicing lawyer.

Outside the office she plays piano, gardens, reads, dances, and spends time with her family.

Bar admissions

Washington, 2012

Education

Admitted through the Washington State Bar Association Law Clerk Program (APR 6)
J.D., Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Colombia, 1991
M.B.A., Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Colombia, 1998

Languages

Spanish and English

Joel Elena Hagaman

Joel went to law school to study international human rights and refugee law, and found a passion for U.S. immigration law instead. Since her admission in 2012 she has focused almost exclusively on immigration, representing individuals and families before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and defending clients in immigration court.

Her practice covers family and humanitarian petitions and removal defense.

Before joining Metz Law Group, Joel spent six years on multidisciplinary teams in New Mexico addressing domestic violence and sexual assault, including the state's Intimate Partner Homicide Violent Death Review Team, domestic violence task forces in Bernalillo and Valencia counties, a high-risk sex crimes community response team, and the board of Valencia Shelter Services.

Working with people from across the globe who are building their lives in the United States remains, in her words, a rewarding challenge.

Bar admissions

Washington, 2022
New Mexico, 2012

Education

J.D., University of New Mexico School of Law, 2012
B.A. History, Western New Mexico University, 2003

Memberships

American Immigration Lawyers Association, since 2012

Matthew Metz

Matthew founded Metz Law Group and represents plaintiffs in complex civil litigation. He takes a small number of civil cases at a time, chosen for their public significance.

He began working with immigrant communities in East Los Angeles in 1992 and practices in English and Spanish.

Full biography and trial record

Ana Ortiz

Ana has worked as an immigration paralegal for more than ten years, on family-based petitions, removal defense, and humanitarian cases. At Metz Law Group she works primarily on Special Immigrant Juvenile matters involving young people who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned, supporting clients through state court proceedings and keeping them informed at each stage.

She works with clients in Spanish and English. She holds an Associate in Technical Arts and a Legal Assistant Certificate. Outside of work she cooks and reads.

Margarita Quintana Salas

Margarita has been with Metz Law Group since 2024. She works on family immigration, humanitarian and special cases, and family-sponsored visas, and supports the firm's removal defense work. She keeps clients informed as their cases progress, gathers the evidence each case requires, and, as a fluent Spanish speaker, interprets and translates between English and Spanish for clients and attorneys.

She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington and an Associate of Science from Green River College. She lifts weights in her spare time.

Iris Mendez Pacheco

Iris handles much of the day-to-day work of the office. She creates client profiles, schedules appointments, translates for Spanish-speaking clients, and assists with payments and accounting. She is often the first person a client speaks with.

She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Washington. Outside of work she spends her time with her dog, Max.

Andrea Knight

Andrea manages the firm's accounting. She trained as an accountant in Colombia, with a degree in public accounting and a specialization in corporate management control, and has worked in accounting in Seattle since 2014, including nearly five years as a senior accountant at a technology company.