Sylvia Ontaneda-Bernales

Sylvia Ontaneda-Bernales, a seasoned attorney, is licensed in Maryland and DC with admissions to the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. She has established the Law Offices of Sylvia Ontaneda-Bernales in Maryland, Ontaneda-Bernales Law in Nevada, and Ontaneda-Bernales LLC in New Mexico. Her extensive Immigration practice covers Relative Petitions, Fiance Visas, Naturalizations, Green Card Applications, Business and Investor Visas, and DACA, among other services. As a mediator, she contributes to the District Court of Maryland ADR Program. Additionally, she serves as a Spanish language consultant, translator, and interpreter, recognized in the Maryland Court Interpreter Registry.

Ms. Ontaneda-Bernales is actively involved in professional organizations and served as Past President (2009-2010) of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University National Law Center and holds an MA in journalism and a dual BA in journalism and social psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is also a graduate of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Lima, Peru (BA).

Her journalism career spans print and broadcast media, including roles as a freelance feature writer, book and newsletter editor, literary translator, television producer, documentary producer/director, and media consultant. Governor Martin O'Malley appointed her to the Maryland Health Care Commission in 2007 and the Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland in 2010. In the same year, Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appointed her to the Wage Commission.

In recognition of her contributions, The Daily Record named her one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in 2008. Super Lawyers Magazine recognized her as a Maryland Rising Star in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and Baltimore Magazine has ranked her as a Top Lawyer in Maryland.