Ecem Akcicek

Ecem Akcicek is an Associate Attorney at Barst & Mukamal LLP, where she focuses on complex U.S. immigration matters for both corporate and individual clients. Her practice spans employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions, including H-1B, L-1A/L-1B, O-1, EB-1, EB-2 National Interest Waiver, E-1 treaty trader, E-2 treaty investor, and EB-5 immigrant investor cases, as well as adjustment of status applications.

Ms. Akcicek regularly represents multinational companies, startups, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and individual professionals, and is deeply involved in preparing highly detailed petitions supported by extensive documentary and expert evidence. She has significant experience with extraordinary ability and multinational professional cases. Her work spans a broad range of industries, including financial services, apparel, media, hospitality, technology, advertising, transportation, and beauty.

She frequently advises clients on strategy, compliance, and long-term immigration planning, and assists with high-stakes USCIS filings and interview preparation. With an international legal background, Ms. Akcicek brings a global perspective and meticulous attention to detail to every case she handles.

In addition to employment-based matters, Ms. Akcicek represents individuals in family-based immigration cases, including Form I-130 Immediate Relative petitions, Form I-485 Adjustment of Status applications, K-1 fiancé(e) petitions, and naturalization applications, as well as complex adjustment of status matters involving inadmissibility issues and waiver considerations.

Prior to joining Barst & Mukamal LLP, Ms. Akcicek worked at a boutique immigration law firm in New Jersey, where she assisted clients with asylum applications and family-based immigration matters.

Ms. Akcicek received her B.A. from Eastern Mediterranean University with a full scholarship and earned her LL.M. from Fordham University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in New York and Istanbul, Turkey, and is a native Turkish speaker.

Languages Spoken

Turkish (Native)

Professional Associations and Memberships

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
New York State Bar Association
New York City Bar Association — Securities Regulation Committee (Former Member)
Istanbul Bar Association

Key Areas of Focus

Employment-based nonimmigrant visas (H-1B, L-1A/L-1B, O-1, TN)
Extraordinary ability and NIW immigrant petitions (EB-1, EB-2 NIW)
Treaty trader and investor visas (E-1 / E-2)
EB-5 immigrant investor petitions
Family-based immigration and adjustment of status
Inadmissibility and waiver-related cases

State and Court Admissions

New York
Istanbul, Turkey

Education

LL.M., Fordham University School of Law
B.A., Eastern Mediterranean University, Cyprus (Full Scholarship)