Ricky Palladino, Esq., ’03, found his calling as an immigration lawyer after an on-campus career fair.

A visit to the office of Ricky Palladino, Esq., ’03, looks like a trip around the globe.

The attorney decorates his office with keepsakes from the families he helps through the immigration process.

“One of the biggest challenges for people when they immigrate to the United States is that their ability to travel back to their country is limited,” Palladino said. “And they typically can’t travel back until they get a green card or become a lawful permanent resident. So, in some instances, the person is here for three years, five years, six years, even nine years before they can travel. So almost all of these gifts are from someone that finally got the ability to travel back home. And they were kind enough to think of me while they were there and brought back these beautiful gifts.”

As a partner at Palladino, Isbell, and Casazza, the La Salle alumnus has found his passion supporting families through the immigration process. That spark began at 20th and Olney.

Palladino remembers visiting La Salle for the first time during an open house. As a first-generation college student, there was a bit of intimidation and anxiety when it came to the application process.

However, Palladino felt welcomed on La Salle’s campus as soon as the initial visit.

“I just felt comfortable at La Salle from the day I stepped foot on campus,” he said. “And it was an easy decision for me. In terms of where to go it’s a decision that I’ve never regretted.”

As a communication major and philosophy minor, attending law school wasn’t the first thing on Palladino’s mind. But as an undergraduate student, he learned how to communicate and was challenged on topics like existentialism which allowed him to see things from new perspectives.

Palladino become increasingly involved on campus including being elected as president of the Students’ Government Association. This role allowed him to be a voice for the student body and find mentors within the University’s administration.

“The community is what made La Salle special,” he said. “Whenever I wanted there to be a connection, you know, I wanted to meet a lawyer or I wanted to talk with someone that was involved in whatever it was that I was looking for, that community provided a person to give me guidance. The community was comforting and supportive, which was really helpful for someone like me.”

That community is what opened the doors to law for Palladino. After attending an on-campus career fair, the then-student was hired as an intern at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now known as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). Working with the law and immigration attorneys motivated Palladino to become one himself.

Now working in immigration law for almost two decades, Palladino continues to navigate the ever-changing world. While the laws themselves often don’t change, the policy and governance of those laws do, causing the firm to consistently pivot.

“So, in some ways, it’s a scary endeavor to constantly have the changes, but there’s also an opportunity to really challenge yourself and to adapt your practice to best serve your client,” Palladino said.

Immigration is a personal and vulnerable experience for Palladino’s clients. They often are working with the firm for years due to the length of time it takes to become a U.S. citizen and often because they begin working on other family members’ paperwork. This is what makes the firm a safe space for clients to ask questions outside of their case.

“Very often we’re the only lawyer and sometimes the only professional that someone knows,” he said. “So, they rely on us to guide them in the right direction, not just for their immigration case, but for lots of different areas of law. Even though we practice immigration law, we are involved daily in helping people with driver’s licenses, Social Security, employment, or helping them if they get involved in other legal matters. They come to us to guide them in terms of who they should be going to, to refer them and to give them advice throughout the process.”

Palladino said the attorney-client relationship is a beautiful one and allows for an opportunity to make a direct impact on someone’s life. It’s why many of his clients invite him to weddings, baptisms, and other big life events.

As immigration policy continues to ebb and flow, Palladino takes it all in stride as he provides clients with a multilingual team who is there to support them every step of the way.

He also remembers his Lasallian Catholic values every day in his work.

“Whenever I showed an interest in immigration law, I was always fully supported by the Christian Brothers that I knew at La Salle because it fits into the Catholic mission,” he said. “Being that Catholicism is very pro-immigrant, pro-human rights, it was kind of the core message that I took into this work.”

-Meg Ryan, M.A. ʼ24