Sylvia L. Esparza is a relentless advocate for immigrant rights and for keeping families together. She handles numerous types of the case from affirmative filings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to litigating complex removal cases in immigration court up to the Circuit Court of Appeals. Although a native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Sylvia comes from an immigrant family and understands the difficulties that her clients and their families face and has dedicated her professional life to the service of immigrants. With over 16 years of experience in her private firm, Sylvia Esparza & Associates has obtained substantial knowledge in immigration laws and works with an uncompromising spirit to professionally assist clients in deportation defense, along with helping set a proper path for obtaining the immigrant dream—to become a U.S. citizen.
​
Sylvia is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in the State of Nevada, U.S. District Court of Nevada, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and in the country of Mexico. She has been invited to do oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals yearly, which is notable since less than 13% of cases go to oral arguments to be heard by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Sylvia L. Esparza, Esq.​
Actively involved in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Sylvia has held numerous leadership positions for the Nevada Chapter including Secretary and Vice-Chair. She is currently an ICE Liaison and sits on the SIJ and U visa committee.
Sylvia chose to experience different communities and cultures before settling down in her hometown of Las Vegas. She lived abroad and studied in London and Mexico. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Pepperdine University. While in Mexico, she obtained her Juris Doctorate from the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores in Guadalajara, Mexico. Originally setting out to become an expatriate, Sylvia ultimately decided to return to Las Vegas, Nevada to help families stay together and fight against deportations, and obtained her L.L.M. in Comparative Law from the University of San Diego.
​
Sylvia remains active in many community programs and has participated in numerous citizenship fairs, “Know Your Rights” presentations and DACA presentations with the Clark County School District. She has testified before the Nevada Legislature on Special Immigrant Juvenile Legislation and has been invited to speak to community and news organizations about current issues. She has provided pro bono services to the Legal Aid Center of Nevada, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and volunteered to represent detained individuals upon request by the Immigration Court.
​
She supports various non-profit organizations including the ACLU, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, UNLV Immigration Clinic, Compassion International-Child Sponsorship, Christian outreach programs for her local church, as well as student scholarships that award public service and minority students who attend Pepperdine University and University of San Diego School of Law.
​
Sylvia’s fighting spirit extends beyond the courtroom to her personal life as well. She is a mother to four children, two step-kids and two young daughters of her own, one with special needs, and has a spouse who suffers from a traumatic brain injury. Sylvia’s endless advocacy, patience, and compassion are evident in every facet of her life.