Meet Your Attorneys

Legal Team at Sweet & Paciorek LLC

Philadelphia Immigration Attorney - Lindsey Sweet, Esq

Lindsey E. Sweet, Esq.

Philadelphia Immigration Attorney - Anna Paciorek, Esq

Anna Paciorek, Esq.

Lauren Amjed, Esq.

Lindsey E. Sweet, Esq.

Lindsey Sweet is one of the founding partners of Sweet & Paciorek, LLC.

A native of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Lindsey has also lived and studied in Veracruz, Mexico.  In 2003, Lindsey graduated with degrees in Political Science and Spanish from Haverford College.  Lindsey then worked with the Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program for 4 years where she provided supplemental education to the children of migrant farm workers in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Later, while in law school at Rutgers University School of Law-Newark, Lindsey provided legal outreach in Spanish to indigent farm workers across Pennsylvania regarding their legal rights as employees and to immigrant day laborers in Newark, New Jersey.

Lindsey has worked defending immigrant legal rights since 2006 and has been licensed to practice law in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 2009.  After working in several private firms, in August 2014, Lindsey united with Anna Paciorek to form Sweet & Paciorek, LLC, where she now manages the Avondale office and continues to focus exclusively on Immigration and Nationality Law.

She has performed extensive legal research and drafted briefs and motions to the EOIR and the BIA.  She works closely with individual clients and prepare applications and supporting documentation for Family-Based Petitions, Adjustment of Status, Removal of Conditions of Permanent Residency, Cancellation of Removal, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petitions, U Visa Petitions, T visa Petitions, Asylum and Withholding of Removal, Temporary Protected Status, Naturalization, Employment Authorization, Advance Parole/Travel Document, and various types of Inadmissibility Waivers.

Lindsey has served on multiple liaison committees of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.  She frequently gives talks and workshops on immigration-related topics of interest to Spanish speaking communities, social service agencies, government agencies, private companies, school districts, and universities in and around Southern Chester County Pennsylvania and Delaware. She is very involved in the community in and around her Avondale office, actively serving on the Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs for the Borough of Kennett Square and multiple Boards of Directors. Lindsey was named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers for years 2018 – 2021 and Top Lawyer in Immigration Law by Main Line Today Magazine for 2018 and 2019.

Anna Paciorek, Esq.

Anna Paciorek is one of the founding partners of Sweet & Paciorek, LLC.

A native of Warsaw, Poland, Anna Paciorek immigrated to the United States in 1988.  A transplant to Philadelphia, she then graduated from Temple University with degrees in History, French, and Philosophy in 1998.  In 2001, she received her L.L.M. in Transnational Law and J.D. from the James Beasley School of Law at Temple University.  Anna has worked with the immigrant community in Philadelphia since her arrival in the United States and has been licensed as an attorney since 2004.  Anna is admitted to practice in the state of New York and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Before joining forces with Lindsey Sweet, Anna was employed as a staff attorney for over a decade at Nationalities Service Center (NSC), a Philadelphia nonprofit agency that services immigrants and refugees.  During her time at NSC, Anna managed a case load of hundreds of asylum, removal defense, “crimmigration”, family based, Violence Against Women Act and citizenship cases, all while supervising generations of legal interns. She has worked directly with victims of torture through the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience, a joint project between NSC and HIAS and has done extensive work with victims of domestic violence especially in the asylum context. She has also directly instructed students and interns both as an adjunct professor at Temple Law School and as the intern coordinator at NSC.  Anna has served on the American Immigration Lawyers Association USCIS liaison committee Philadelphia Chapter for many years and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Asylum Committee for the Philadelphia Chapter.  She has given many trainings to the immigration and non-immigration bar on asylum, removal and family based matters.

Anna’s areas of expertise include asylum, removal defense litigation, and family based cases. Anna now manages the Philadelphia office of Sweet & Paciorek, LLC, where she leads the litigation arm of the firm and supervises the majority of student legal interns.  Anna also volunteers as the Chair of the Host Committee for Global Tastes, NSC’s annual fundraising gala.  She was named a 2018 Top Lawyer in Immigration Law by Main Line Today Magazine.

Meet Our Legal Staff

Legal Staff at Sweet & Paciorek LLC

Legal Assistant, Department of State Specialist

Bardo Galindo Ulloa
Legal Assistant

Esmeralda Lara Vega
Legal Assistant

Petra Tovar Leon
Paola Lebron Muniz
Legal Assistant

Paola Lebron Muniz
Ethan Moreland
Legal Assistant

Ethan Moreland
Legal Assistant, Department of State Specialist

Bardo Galindo Ulloa

Bardo Galindo Ulloa (he/him) has worked as a Legal Assistant with Sweet & Paciorek, LLC since June 2019. A native of Mexico City, Bardo immigrated to the United States in 2016. Bardo earned his bachelor’s degree in law at the University of Guadalajara. Prior to joining Sweet & Paciorek, Bardo worked as an advisor and Technical Secretary in the LV (50th) Legislature in the Congress of Guadalajara and as an advisor for the Mayor of Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Drawing from his prior personal and political experience, Bardo is adept at navigating consular processing of both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas at US consulates worldwide. He also supports the firm’s USCIS clients with family-based petitions, fiancé visas, tourist visas, humanitarian visas (U & T), naturalization and more.

Legal Assistant

Esmeralda Lara Vega

Esmeralda Lara Vega (she/her) joined Sweet & Paciorek, LLC in November 2023, first in the administrative department and then transitioning to the role of Legal Assistant in July 2024. Esmeralda is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, proudly raised by her Mexican immigrant family. Interested in one day potentially becoming an attorney herself, she is pursuing a college degree in Political Science at Wilmington University. Esmeralda is a licensed notary in the State of Delaware and garnered experience in immigration law cases while working at several prior law firms. In her spare time, Esmeralda enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures, and sharing new experiences. She considers herself always ready to lend a hand wherever she can, participating in local events and volunteer opportunities in the community.

As the daughter of first-generation immigrants, she is very familiar with the hardship immigrants can encounter in their legal journey, and she delights in being able to have a part in providing some relief and helping families come together. She is committed to making sure that clients understand their immigration process while efficiently processing their paperwork. At Sweet & Paciorek, LLC, Esmeralda focuses on immigration benefits.

Legal Assistant

Petra Tovar Leon

Petra (she/her) is a Junior Legal Assistant and has worked with Sweet & Paciorek, LLC since January 2022. Fully bilingual in English and Spanish, Petra was born in Michoacan, Mexico. She immigrated to the United States at age 6 with her family, and has lived in Avondale, Pennsylvania for over 20 years. Petra graduated from Avon Grove High School in 2012 and is licensed Public Notary. As the daughter of immigrant parents and being an immigrant herself, she has witnessed the barriers that many immigrants face in accessing quality services in the community. Her own experience, and wanting better for her community, motivated her to join the legal team at Sweet & Paciorek, LLC where she helps clients with a variety of legal services. What she loves most about working with Sweet & Paciorek, LLC is being part of the process that brings families together and keeps families together in the United States.

Legal Assistant

Paola Lebron Muniz

Paola Lebron Muniz (she/her) joined Sweet & Paciorek, LLC as a legal assistant in June 2024. A recent graduate of Lehigh University, Paola holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies and French. Paola is fluent in English, Spanish, and French. Prior to joining Sweet & Paciorek, LLC, Paola acquired an interest in international immigration and migration issues while studying and volunteering in Montpellier, France and Cape Town, South Africa.

Passionate about an immigrant’s right to having competent and quality legal services, Paola found Sweet & Paciorek, LLC as the right fit for her career. Paola works with both benefits and litigation cases at Sweet & Paciorek, LLC

Legal Assistant

Ethan Moreland

Ethan Moreland (he/him) joined Sweet & Paciorek, LLC as a legal assistant in July 2024. A recent graduate of Swarthmore College, Ethan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. Ethan is fluent in Spanish and English. He has traveled extensively in Latin America, studying and working in both Belize and Cuba. In his free time, Ethan enjoys playing and coaching soccer.

Proud to be a Philadelphia native, Ethan is committed to working on impactful immigration cases that affect the wellbeing of the Philadelphia immigrant community and beyond. Ethan focuses on litigation cases at Sweet & Paciorek, LLC.

Meet Our Admin Staff

Admin Team at Sweet & Paciorek LLC

HR /Business Operations Director

Amanda Vega
Client Services Coordinator

Amanda Gaytan
Administrative Assistant

Diana Almanza
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant

Victor Recarte
Social Media Manager

Gisell Hernandez
Fatima Mercado-Velazquez
Receptionist

Fatima Mercado-Velazquez
HR /Business Operations Director

Amanda Vega

Amanda Vega (she/her) joined Sweet & Paciorek, LLC as the Human Resources and Business Operations Director in January 2024.  Amanda is bilingual in English and Spanish and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Immaculata University.  Coming with Sweet & Paciorek, LLC with extensive experience in personnel and program management in several social service sectors, Amanda saw an opportunity to apply her skills in a different way.  Throughout her career, she has had the privilege to work closely with numerous immigrant families in her community at all stages of their immigration processes.  She has witnessed firsthand the resilience, courage, and determination of individuals navigating complex immigration processes. Those experiences deeply impacted her and fueled her passion for supporting this population, making her work not just a job, but a personal passion.  In her free time, Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.  She enjoys traveling, experiencing new adventures, dancing and cooking.

In her position, Amanda is committed to increasing Sweet & Paciorek’s operational efficiency as a firm while simultaneously supporting its mission to compassionately advocate for clients in their immigration processes.  She strives to create a workplace culture that values diversity and teamwork and creates an inclusive and welcoming environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Client Services Coordinator

Amanda Gaytan

Amanda Gaytan (she/her) is the Client Services Coordinator and has worked with Sweet & Paciorek, LLC since September 2021. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Amanda is the first point of contact for clients retaining Sweet & Paciorek’s legal services. Born in Delaware and growing up in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Amanda is the daughter of a Mexican father and Puerto Rican mother. After getting her GED and attending some college, Amanda realized that had a passion for working with members of the Latino and other minority communities. Before joining Sweet & Paciorek, LLC, among other things, she worked as a Family Advocate for Latina mothers and their newborn children and volunteered for the Hispanic Commission of Coatesville. Amanda enjoys working with Sweet & Paciorek, LLC because it is rewarding to help clients directly and see firsthand how many people struggle due to lack of information or a language barrier. Working directly with the attorneys of the firm gives her satisfaction in knowing that clients are on their way to receive potentially life changing information and help.

Administrative Assistant

Diana Almanza

Diana Almanza (she/her) joined the administrative department of Sweet & Paciorek, LLC in May 2023. Raised in Chester County, Pennsylvania and having also lived in Mexico, Diana is quite familiar with the needs of the immigrant community. Diana has extensive experience in customer service and is fully bilingual in Spanish and English. In her spare time, Diana enjoys adventures with her son, friends, and family and is an accomplished visual artist. As an experienced Administrative Assistant, Diana supports both the Avondale and Philadelphia offices to ensure a smooth client experience.

Receptionist/Administrative Assistant

Victor Recarte

Victor Recarte (he/him) has been the Receptionist/Administrative Assistant with the Philadelphia Office since March 2024. Born and raised in Honduras, Victor studied Psychology at the University of Technology (UNITEC), Honduras. He is fully bilingual in both English and Spanish. In his spare time, Victor enjoys spending time with his wife and his cats. Prior to joining Sweet & Paciorek, LLC, Victor completed a year-long internship with Nationalities Service Center in the Department of Survivor Services where he assisted immigrants, refugees and survivors of torture and trauma. Victor’s background and empathy for our clients allows him to effectively manage the administrative needs of the Philadelphia office.

Social Media Manager

Gisell Hernandez

Gisell Hernandez (she/her) has worked with Sweet & Paciorek since October 2019. Originally from Guerrero, Mexico, Gisell is fully bilingual in both English and Spanish. She enjoys working with the Sweet & Paciorek team because she is able to contribute to the process of making families’ dreams of immigration to the United States come true. Seeing client’ happiness when their cases are completed successfully is particularly motivating for Gisell to be excellent at her job. Gisell supports the administrative team of Sweet & Paciorek, focusing on billing, client communication and new client onboarding.

Receptionist

Fatima Mercado-Velazquez

Fatima Mercado-Velazquez (she/her) joined Sweet & Paciorek, LLC in July 2024 as the Avondale Office Receptionist. With over 5 years of experience in customer service, Fatima also has an Associates Degree in Applied Sciences, majoring in paralegal technologies. A native Spanish speaker, Fatima is able to greet clients fluently in English and Spanish. Fatima enjoys traveling, visiting museums, and spending time in nature, especially the mountains. Fatima’s skill set and warm demeanor make her a great asset to all clients visiting Sweet & Paciorek, LLC.