Sasha Westerman-Keuning, B.C.S.

Founding Partner

Sasha Westerman-Keuning is one of the leading immigration lawyers in South Florida.  She is one of only 72 lawyers in the State of Florida who is a Board Certified Specialist as an Expert in Immigration & Nationality Law. Board Certified Attorneys are "Evaluated for Professionalism and Tested for Expertise" by the Florida Bar. She was also named a 2018 Super Lawyers Rising Star, a prestigious designation reserved for less than 2.5% of attorneys in Florida. 

Mrs. Westerman-Keuning understands that when people hire an attorney, especially an immigration attorney, they are often experiencing very stressful situations.  These people need someone who cares about them.  Mrs. Westerman-Keuning prides herself on ensuring that her clients receive not only top-quality legal services, but also the support and resources they deserve.  She regularly represents clients throughout Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties as well as the Florida Keys and commonly handles cases for clients living in the areas of West Palm Beach, Naples, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville. Mrs. Westerman-Keuning also represents clients throughout the United States in complex immigration matters and is a highly respected attorney and national expert in the field of  LGBTQ immigration law.  

EDUCATION

Boston College, B.A. Magna Cum Laude

University of Miami School of Law, J.D. Cum Laude

Sasha Westerman-Keuning is a native of Boston, Massachusetts.  She was admitted to the Florida Bar in September 2009. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston College in 2006 with a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Hispanic Studies and History. While at Boston College, Mrs. Westerman-Keuning served as the President of the Boston College Hillel and held one of the highest ranking positions in the University’s student government. She devoted much of her time at Boston College to advocacy on the behalf of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender communities, religious minority communities, and for women’s and immigrant’s rights.
 

Following Boston College, Mrs. Westerman-Keuning attended the University of Miami School of Law where graduated cum laude in 2009.  Mrs. Westerman-Keuning has the distinguished honor of being a Dean's Merit Scholar all three years at UM Law School.  She received a CALI Future in Excellence Award which is awarded to the best student in the class for her Asylum & Removal Workshop taught by former Krome Immigration Judge, Kenneth Hurewitz.  During all three years at the University of Miami, she held legal internships in the field of immigration law.  She served as an intern at UM's Community Health Rights Education Clinic (now known as the Health & Elder Law Clinic) where she provided free legal services through Jackson Memorial Hospital to indigent clients, most of whom were HIV+ and homeless.  Also during law school, she worked as a law clerk at the law office of Julie C. Ferguson P.A., assisting Ms. Ferguson with her immigration cases.  She additionally interned at Church World Services during her first year of law school, a non-profit immigration organization offering low-price and free immigration services to indigent clients as part of a HOPE Fellowship awarded to her by UM's Center for Ethics and Public Service.  

Irina Rostova, Esq.

Founding Partner

Irina Rostova is an attorney who focuses her practice primarily on EB-5 investor green cards and business visas.  She is one of South Florida's leading attorneys in the field of the EB-5 investor program which allows foreign nationals to obtain lawful permanent residency or a "Green Card" in the United States by investing either $500,000 in a targeted employment area or $1,000,000 in a project in any location.   In 2017, she was named one of the Top 25 EB-5 Attorneys in the United States by EB-5 Investors Magazine.  

Both an economist and attorney by training, she is passionate about her work with foreign investors and is dedicated to providing clients with the comprehensive legal support necessary to assist them during the process of selecting a qualifying investment project, or in the establishment of their new commercial enterprise.  Mrs. Rostova offers step-by-step guidance through the EB-5 process from project selection and contract interpretation to preparation and filing the green card petition.  Ms. Rostova has vast experience in the field of EB-5 law, working with investors, Regional Centers and developers.  This inside knowledge allows her to understand all aspects of the EB-5 program from every angle, giving her the ability to provide the best EB-5 legal counsel in Florida.  Mrs. Rostova regularly speaks on panels providing EB-5 insight for esteemed organizations such as the American Immigration Lawyers Association and IIUSA (Invest In USA) and chairs the Russian Markets Committee for IIUSA.  

EDUCATION

University of Michigan, B.A.

University of Miami School of Law, J.D.

Mrs. Rostova earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from the top-ranked University of Michigan.  She subsequently attended the University of Miami School of Law where she graduated with honors.  

EXPERIENCE

Ms. Rostova founded her own law firm, Rostova Law Group, in 2013 before merging her practice with partner, Sasha Westerman-Keuning, in 2016.   Her firm focused on providing full EB-5 legal support and advising clients on the process of selecting a Regional Center project to ensure success throughout the immigration process.  She also represents clients in planning and developing a direct EB-5 project.  She also served as a consultant and legal analyst for some of the country's largest EB-5 regional centers, especially in the field of market expansion into the Russian-speaking community. Ms. Rostova represents a significant percentage of all EB-5 investors immigrating to the United States from Russia and former CIS nations.  Mrs. Rostova and Mrs. Westerman-Keuning together have supervised and filed hundreds of I-526 investor green card applications without any denials.    

Prior to establishing her own law firm, Ms. Rostova was an Associate Attorney at the prestigious Miami immigration law firm of Bernstein, Osberg-Braun P.L. where she was trained by some of South Florida's most respected immigration attorneys.   Ms. Rostova also previously had a successful career in management at J.P. Morgan Chase in Sunny Isles and worked at commercial litigation law firms, specializing in insurance and contract dispute matters.  Ms. Rostova personal experience overseeing various family business and investments allows her to extend practical and strategic legal advice to investors and entrepreneurs seeking business visas.   

LANGUAGES

Ms. Rostova is fluent in Russian and proficient in Lithuanian.   She utilizes her fluency in the Russian language and understanding of the business culture of CIS countries to facilitate a smooth transition for clients seeking to conduct business and place investments in the United States.

Email: irina@usainvestorvisas.com. 

Jose de Wit, Esq.

Senior Associate Attorney

Myriam Rojas

Legal Assistant

Ms. Rojas is a highly experienced immigration paralegal, having worked at highly respected immigration law firms in Miami and Los Angeles for well over a decade.  She has a vast range of experience processing cases filed with USCIS and the immigration courts and provides excellent customer service and attention to each and every client.  

A native of Colombia, Ms. Rojas has a degree in journalism from the Universidad Externado de Colombia.  Prior to immigrating to the United States, Ms. Rojas had an extensive journalistic career in Colombia working for major media organizations such as Noticiero TV-Hoy and Noticiero Nacional where she reported on political and environmental matters.  Due to her excellence in journalism, Ms. Rojas received a scholarship to study English and journalism in the United States.  She has received countless awards for her journalism and broadcasting skills including the Simon Bolivar National Journalism Award and the Utah Excellence in Journalism award.  

Ms. Rojas is one of the most valued members of the Rostova Westerman Law Group team.  She is fluent in English and Spanish.  Email: myriam@usainvestorvisas.com.

Alexey Blagoveshchenskiy

Legal Assistant

Alexey joined Rostova Westerman Law Group in 2015 and in a short time has become a vital contributor to the team's success.   Alexey focuses his skills not only on top-quality legal assistance, but in office management and organization--fields which he excels in.  Alexey attended Omsk State University in Russia where he was an undergraduate in Translation Studies.  He is a trained translator and interpreter in the Russian and English languages. Alexey is also an official notary for the State of Florida and is available to notarize documents and even conduct marriage ceremonies.  

Prior to working in our office, Alexey had a thriving career in hospitality and sales in which he was often the top earner/sales associate at his previous employers.   Alexey brings his invaluable expertise in client relations and time management to our practice.  Email: admin@usainvestorvisas.com.

Karine Westbrook

Receptionist/Legal Assistant

Karine brings a warm smile to each and every person who walks through the door of our Fort Lauderdale office.  Behind her smile is an intelligent young woman who studied International Communications at the Donetsk University of Management in Ukraine.  She previously worked in business development at a California company where she dealt with logistics, marketing, client relations and managed a team of nine employees.    

Karine is fluent in English, Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian.  

Email:  karine@usainvestorvisas.com

Yi "Ami" Song, Esq. 

Associate Attorney

Education:

Florida State University, B.S. – International Relations

St. Thomas Unversity School of Law, Juris Doctor

Experience: 

Yi "Ami" Song joined Rostova Westerman in the Florida Overseas division in January of 2017.   She oversees the Miami office, assisting the firm's partners with all EB-5 filings.  Ms. Song is in charge of working with clients and overseas agents in developing the investor's source of funds documentation.  She applies the EB-5 case law and regulations to her analysis of each investor's source of funds to ensure compliance with all EB-5 laws and the highest chance of success in the approval of the investor's I-526 position.  She is fluent in the Mandarin (Chinese) language and an integral member of the Florida Overseas team.  Contact Ami with any questions regarding the EB-5 process generally and lawful source of funds. 

Prior to working for Rostova Westerman, Ms. Song worked as an Associate Attorney in a well-known Miami immigration law firm where she handled employment-based immigration cases as well as asylum and removal proceedings.  While attending St. Thomas Law School, Ms. Song participated in the law school's prestigious immigration law clinic where she provided live-client services.    

E-mail: Yi@EB5Florida.com

Galina Urman, Esq.

Of Counsel - Urman Law Group

Ms. Galina D. Urman is an of counsel to Rostova Westerman Law Group and the owner and founder of Urman Law Group P.A.   She graduated from Thomas M. Cooley School of Law in Michigan with honors.  She obtained her Bachelor's of Arts in International Relations from Michigan State University, graduating with Honors.  Ms. Urman practices both real estate and corporate law.  

Ms. Urman assists our law firms' clients with opening up their businesses in the State of Florida.  She provides a variety of corporate and business services such as:  

• Registering/Incorporating a Business in the State of Florida
• Obtaining an Employer's Tax Identification Number
• Serving as the Registered Agent for a corporation
• Drafting Operating/Membership Agreements
• Issuing Stock Certificates
• Opening a Business Bank Account
• Obtaining all applicable business permits, licenses, and insurance policies
• Setting up Payroll Services

Ms. Urman's services allow our clients to smoothly transition to running a business in the United States which complies with all applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations.