Community Highlights: Meet Christina Liao of Law Offices of Jane Oak & Associates

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Liao.

Hi Christina, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
 In a low point in my life when I couldn’t land a full-time job, my boss, Jane, hired me as a legal assistant in July 2015. I’ve been working for the Law Offices of Jane Oak & Associates (fondly known as “LOJO” among the staff) ever since. I enrolled in the California State Bar “Study in a Law Office” program and worked-studied at LOJO until I completed the program in 2020. I sat for the bar exam and got licensed to practice law in California in 2021. Jane then sent me to San Diego to build out our branch office here. The timing of my move happened right between the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our San Diego office has taken a lot of removal defense cases and continues to advocate for clients in deportation proceedings in the face of continually changing legislation/precedent. We handle other types of immigration cases too – family, business/employment, humanitarian – and our SD team is excited to meet more immigrants through handling a greater variety of cases.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

The road was as smooth as it could be with me pivoting away from healthcare to law. Immigration law is one of the most complex areas of law in the U.S. (second only to tax law, says my colleagues). Part of the complexity is the fact that administration changes every 4-8 years have a huge impact on how immigration law is interpreted/enforced. Another part is geopolitical issues that affect global migration. For us in San Diego, geopolitics affect who shows up at our southern border, and the administration determines how cases are handled for various populations. There’s no way to systematically learn this, so I’ve had to learn to ask a lot of questions, actively network with more experienced practitioners, and choose hope.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

The Law Offices of Jane Oak & Associates, P.C. (fondly known as “LOJO” by staff) is an immigration law firm established in 2000. We can handle just about any immigration matter, from family to business/employment to removal/deportation defense. I am an associate attorney in the firm and the lead (and currently, only) attorney at our San Diego branch office. Our firm is unique in how spiritual we are and how much we value individuals. Many of my coworkers and I would not have been hired at other law firms, but our time at LOJO has been healing for many of us. Our staff is tight-knit, and we provide outstanding service to our clients (you can check out our Yelp reviews). I am most proud that our clients love us and want us to take care of cases for their family members and business associates. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We provide free initial consultations because we don’t want there to be any barriers for people seeking reliable immigration legal advice. We are very willing to pray for and with our clients as needed. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lawofficesofjaneoak.com/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/law-offices-of-jane-oak-and-associates-p-c-san-diego
• Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/law-offices-of-jane-oak-and-associates-los-angeles