Paris Etemadi Scott

Paris is a Staff Attorney in BAL’s Santa Clara office. She advises clients on a broad range of employment-based immigration matters, including both nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processes.

Prior to joining BAL, Paris spent nine years as the legal director of a DOJ-recognized nonprofit organization, Pars Equality Center. She led the organization’s immigration legal services program, supervised attorneys and legal staff, and oversaw a diverse portfolio of family-based and humanitarian immigration matters, including asylum, Violence Against Women Act petitions, U visa applications, Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals cases.

Previously, Paris was a senior associate at a law firm representing individuals and families in complex family-based immigration and removal defense matters. Earlier in her career, she worked with refugees in Hong Kong, representing asylum seekers in resettlement claims before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Paris also practiced commercial and insurance litigation in San Francisco and completed a full-time externship with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Paris has served as a member of the San José for All Advisory Group and the City of San José Equity Task Force, and was a mentor to Afghan women judges. She currently serves on the case review committee of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund.

Paris is a member of the Iranian American Bar Association and American Immigration Lawyers Association. As an immigrant herself, she is passionate about helping individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of the immigration system and achieve their goals.