About Waxler Law

about THE FOUNDER- sherilyn’s story

Though I have been a U.S. citizen since birth, my first immigration case was my own. I was born in Australia to American parents, which meant I was a US citizen at birth. As a small child, my family and I moved to England because my father specifically chose a job that would allow his children to live in different countries.

I am so thankful to him for that. His choices and sacrifices meant that my sisters and I would learn, grow, and be exposed to the beauty of the many different, wonderful cultures that exist globally. Many of which I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing firsthand as an immigration lawyer here in Portland.

My parents insisted that my sisters and I return to our “home” country, the United States, to complete college. Similar to the many stories I’ve had the pleasure of hearing from current and former clients, my heart and mind felt like England, the country in which I had spent so many years living, was my home.  Because of this, I embarked on my own immigration journey: my very first immigration case. I ordered the paperwork to register as a British citizen and plead my case. Up until that point, I had been in England my whole life. This is where I belonged.  To my great joy, I was registered as a British citizen. 

With my British citizenship in hand, I returned to the United States to attend Reed College in Portland, Oregon and then the University of Washington School of Law.  And though I still feel English, drink tea, and call my mother “Mum,” the Pacific Northwest is also my home now.  I have lived here more than half my life and am raising my two boys here.  

I haven’t been back to England for more than 15 years but it is still, and will always be, a huge part of me.  My experience living in different countries, my exposure to the global community and the beautiful people I’ve met throughout my entire life, and because of my very own immigration journey, I became passionate about advocating for people who want to achieve the legal status to stay in the country that they now call home: the United States.

My wish for you is that you, too, can be with your loved ones and remain in the country that you now call home.

This is my passion and calling.  

For the past 20+ years, it has been a joy and an honor to work with people from all over the world, from over 60 different countries, and support them in their immigration journey.  I’ve had the privilege of hearing their stories, of meeting their families, and of seeing firsthand the beautiful effects that permanent status and citizenship has had in their pursuit of the American Dream.

I’m passionate about helping others find the best path to staying in the U.S. and honoring their courageous lives and the journeys that brought them to this country.

When you schedule a case evaluation with me, I will sit down with you and listen to your full story. We will dive into the details that can help open a door (or several) towards your journey to US citizenship.

There are so many paths to residency and naturalization, and often the key to finding that path lies in the delicate details of your valiant story.

And I’m ready to hear it.

EXPERIENCE