Giving Thanks for 30 Years of Showing Up and Caring
December 1, 2025 / Katy Lopez / 30th Anniversary Posts
Today I celebrate and honor my firm Weaver Schlenger LLP’s 30 years in business, giving thanks to founders Kirsten Schlenger and Mary Jane Weaver for their extraordinary vision in building an immigration law firm that is different.
Walking up Montgomery Street in the cool San Francisco morning air — twice a week since we went hybrid — I notice the wonderment and gratitude I feel at getting to do this work each day.
When I joined Weaver Schlenger nearly 15 years ago as a budding associate attorney, I was looking for a place to grow professionally, where I could develop deep and broad skills to help meet clients’ needs while receiving mentorship from women I admired and respected. I needed a professional home that upheld the highest standards of client service and integrity, where I would not be siloed but rather would experience the satisfaction and flow of working with all of the puzzle pieces to help clients.
At Weaver Schlenger I found all of this and more, working with some of the most committed and caring people I have ever met to help our clients meet their goals. Being mentored by the one and only Kirsten Schlenger has been one of the highlights of my career, as well as getting to mentor other attorneys such as Michelle Malison.
Employment-based immigration law as a field is highly complex and is constantly changing with the tides of politics, the economy and technology. Especially in times like these, being able to communicate with an attorney who knows your company and your matters, who truly cares about the people and the outcomes, and who actually responds is invaluable.
We may not be doing the “Macarena” these days, or toting our music in CD form, or learning how eBay works, like when Weaver Schlenger LLP opened its doors back in 1995. But the need for clear, informed and practical guidance from people who care has never gone out of style — and is still our north star 30 years later.
