Ayda Aghnami Akalin is Managing Attorney and CEO of Aghnami Law Corporation.  Ayda advises foreign nationals and corporations on a variety of U.S. immigration matters, including temporary work visas for professionals, legal permanent residence, and naturalization. Her corporate clients include venture-backed startup and emerging growth companies in technology, engineering, advertising, and new media.  Ayda also represents foreign and multinational families and, specifically works with individuals and entrepreneurs with extraordinary ability in the performing arts, fine arts, sciences, business and athletics.  She has consistently obtained approvals from the government for H-1B work visas, EB-1 extraordinary ability and EB-2 exceptional talent-based green cards, national interest waivers, marriage-based green cards, and family petitions.

Ayda obtained her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.  She is admitted to the State Bar of California, the United States District Court – Central District of California, and the United States District Court – District of Colorado. Ayda has been named a Rising Star by Superlawyers Magazine (2012 - 2017) and has been listed as a Top Immigration Attorney by Pasadena Magazine (2013 - 2016).  She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association.

Ayda was born in the United Kingdom to Iranian immigrants.   She spent her early childhood in England, Turkey, Austria and Germany before immigrating to the United States at the age of five.  She is a U.S. Citizen and considers Los Angeles her hometown.  She is fluent in English and Farsi and conversant in Turkish and Spanish.

Ayda loves working in the field of immigration law because she finds it both inspiring and fulfilling. Her position gives her the unique opportunity to meet and work with some of the world’s most talented and promising individuals.  It also allows her to observe firsthand, the direct positive impact immigration can make in people’s lives.