Meet Our Attorneys

Ryan Barshop, Esq., US Immigration Attorney

Ryan Barshop, Esq., is an American national, educated at Suffolk University (B.S. American History, Cum Laude) and Thomas M. Cooley Law School (Juris Doctor, Cum Laude).

Originally from New York City, Ryan first arrived in the Philippines in 2003 as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer working with underprivileged youth through the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Tarlac City. After successfully completing Peace Corps, Ryan moved to Hong Kong where he spent two years working in education before entering law school.

While in law school, Ryan has received several academic awards, served as an associate editor of law journal, and externed at the Superior Court of Guam where he drafted numerous Decisions and Orders for the court.

He serves as a US Immigration and Consular Practice/ Direct Consular Processing Lawyer providing in-depth US immigration services and consular processing advice to clients in the Philippines and abroad.

A member of the New York State Bar and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Ryan is licensed to practice immigration law throughout the United States and federal territories.

He is well-versed and highly knowledgeable in the complex system that composes U.S. immigration law and consular processing at the US Embassy in Manila.

Specialization

  • U.S. Immigration Law
  • Consular Processing
  • Corporate/ Investor Visas
  • Student Visas
  • Employment Visas
  • Family-Based Petitions
  • K1 Fiance(e) Visas
  • LGBT Same-sex Fiance(e) visas
  • S. Citizenship
  • Waivers of Inadmissibility

Specialization

  • U.S. Immigration Law
  • Consular Processing
  • Corporate/ Investor Visas
  • Student Visas
  • Employment Visas
  • Family-Based Petitions
  • K1 Fiance(e) Visas
  • LGBT Same-sex Fiance(e) visas
  • U.S. Citizenship
  • Waivers of Inadmissibility

Education

THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

Juris Doctor, Law
2007 – 2010
Cum Laude

Activities, Achievements, and Societies:

  • Certificate of Merit in Constitution Law I
  • Certificate of Merit in Evidence
  • Certificate of Merit in Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Certificate of Merit in Property II
  • Teacher’s Assistant in Constitution Law I
  • Associate Editor for the Thomas M. Cooley Law School Journal of Practical and Clinical Law
  • Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
  • Intra-School Moot Court Competition

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY

B.S., American History
1999 – 2003
Cum Laude

Activities, Achievements, and Societies:

  • History Honors Society
  • Member, College of Arts and Science Honors Society
  • Member, Forensics Honorary Society
  • History Book Prize Recipient
  • 2002 Senior of the Year Nominee
  • 2002 Romney for Governor Campaign (Massachusetts), Volunteer

Publications

Four Major Misconceptions Regarding U.S. Tourist Visas

March 2012
AmCham Philippines Business Journal
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Repatriation Remedy for Destitute U.S. Citizens

March 4, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

K-1 Fiance Visa or IR-1 Spousal Visa in the Philippines? That is the question

April 1, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Demonstrating “Extreme Hardship” Under an I-601 Waiver of Inadmissibility

April 2012
AmCham Philippines Business Journal
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Purchase the American Dream with an EB-5 Investor Visa

April 29, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Three Things Not To Do When Reapplying for US B1/ B2 Visitor Visa

May 13, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

J Trainee Visas for U.S. Companies in lieu of B1/ B2 Visitor Visas

May 2012
AmCham Philippines Business Journal
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Caveat Emptor on Hiring Unregulated Immigration Consultants

May 27, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Establishing American Citizenship for Children Born in the Philippines

June 24, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Obtaining Notarized Services

September 17, 2012
Expat Philippines
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Things to Consider When Bringing Employees to the U.S.

July 22, 2012
Expat Newspaper
Author: Ryan Barshop, Esq.

Videos

Expert: No reason to fear US travel amid Trump win

How Trump’s order affected green card holders

US president’s immigration policy proposal could dash many Filipinos’ American dream

Move by U.S. immigration agency to reduce overseas field offices not seen to affect PH

USCIS Manila Field Office to close in July

Social Media Accounts need to be declared

Reina Mesa, Esq., Founder

Reina is a licensed attorney and an entrepreneur.  She is the founder of Reina Mesa Law, a boutique law firm in the central business district of Makati City.

Her firm offers comprehensive legal advice and innovative solutions for a wide range of legal issues and caters to diverse clientele which includes multinational companies, local businesses, entrepreneurial start-ups and private individuals.

Aside from specializing in corporate and business law, the firm also focuses on property acquisition and divestment.  They provide assistance to clients in various real estate transactions. Additionally, the firm handles family law cases, such as annulment of marriage, recognition of foreign divorce, adoption, guardianship, and support.

Prior to establishing her own law firm, Reina worked as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of the Philippines. There, she gained in-depth knowledge and insights on the different facets of commercial, property, and family laws.

Reina is a member of the Philippine Bar in good standing for more than 11 years. Since 2017, she has been serving as a volunteer attorney at the Ateneo Legal Services Center, a public interest center that provides free legal services to the poor and the disadvantaged.

​A lifelong learner, Reina is currently part of the Executive MBA Program of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). She obtained her Bachelor of Laws from San Beda College and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from the University of the Philippines (UP) in the Visayas.

Reina hails from the small coastal town of Sagay, at the northernmost part of Negros Island. She is the fourth and youngest child of a proud farming family. She plays volleyball and enjoys cross-country cycling during her free time.