Welcome To Apostol Law Firm Immigration Attorneys

Our passion for immigration law is rooted in the immigration story of our founding member, Florina Apostol (Flory). For her, immigration law is more than a career choice – it is a true calling.

Flory was born in Romania. In 2000, she received her LL.B. Bachelor of Law from the Ecological University Law School, one of the most prestigious law schools in Romania. In the same year, she found the courage to immigrate to the United States. Her courage was justified by her strong belief that there is no greater reward than the American Dream. She arrived in the United States, the land of opportunity, with her 7-year-old daughter, 2 suitcases, a strong determination, and a burning desire to work hard and succeed.

As a new immigrant, Flory faced many challenges and difficulties. One difficulty that she faced was the language barrier. She enrolled in the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program at Seminole State College in Florida in order to navigate her new life in America. Like many immigrants, Flory experienced the emotional difficulty of coping with the culture shock. She went through the honeymoon phase, the crisis phase, the acceptance phase and finally after 2 years she reached the adjustment phase.

However, the most difficult challenge for Flory was her struggle through a variety of legal issues. During her immigration process, she made one big mistake, representing herself instead of getting the help she needed from an experienced immigration attorney. She listened to tidbits of advice from her well-meaning friends and family, which were out of context, based on their incomplete understanding of her unique circumstances and the law. These “tidbits” became a slow-ticking time-bomb threatening to erode her immigration opportunity and the future of her loved ones. She experienced first-hand what it looks like when one of those “tidbits” blows-up.

Her immigration case was denied, and she went through lots of fear, guilt, anxiety, and uncertainty about her immigration status. In addition, she experienced unnecessary expenses, and a significant delay in obtaining her lawful permanent resident status. However, this temporary defeat triggered an “aha moment” in her life. It reminded her of a lifelong lesson about the true power of expertise and specialized knowledge. It changed her mind-set about the true meaning of expense versus investment. With her denial notice in hand, she took immediate steps to invest in her and her family’s future by getting the help from an experienced immigration attorney, which gave her peace of mind, a sense of security and faith that her dream would come true. Her attorney took the necessary legal steps and won her case. Finally, after 6 years, Flory and her daughter became U.S. citizens and their American Dream Came True.

Having been through the immigration process herself, Flory developed a passion to make a difference in the life of thousands of immigrants, one at a time. In 2005, Flory obtained her paralegal certificate from Seminole State College in FL. She gained extensive immigration experience by working for diverse healthcare companies, law firms and multinational companies where she diligently and efficiently managed a heavy immigration caseload. In 2014, Flory graduated from the LL.M., Masters of U.S. Law program at Florida Coastal School of Law, in Jacksonville. Shortly after that, she passed the Washington State BAR exam and became an attorney. After a few years working for other law firms, Flory decided to open her own law firm so that she could provide more value and treat her clients as she would want her family to be treated.

As a daughter, mother, immigrant, entrepreneur, and attorney, Flory can relate to what her clients are going through, and she is committed to providing zealous, compassionate representation with the highest level of ethics and professionalism. Flory dedicates her entire legal career to helping and educating immigrants. She states:

“I do what I love: helping courageous men and women around the globe who seek new opportunities and a better life to make the American Dream Come True. Nothing is more fulfilling than standing next to happy clients when they are swearing in as U.S. citizens and reciting the pledge of allegiance together. Every day I am fueled with new energy, vitality, and strength from the courage of my clients. It does not matter where they come from, their American Dream is built on the same foundation – COURAGE. I know very well that you need courage to leave the only home you have ever known and leave many of the loved ones behind to start a new life in the United States of America. While it is a high responsibility, I am deeply honored when clients trust our law firm with their future and their children’s future.”

Flory is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), American Immigration Lawyers Association of Central Florida Chapter, and a member of the Washington State Bar Association.

Outside of work, Flory frequently volunteers with local charitable groups and is actively involved in non-for-profit organizations. Flory lives life to the fullest. She loves reading, gardening, ballroom dancing, yoga, and traveling with her family and dog around the United States. As an outdoor enthusiast, Flory explores all that Florida has to offer. Don’t be a stranger if you ever catch her jogging with her dog, Noodle, in the park or along the beach.