To fulfill the needs of our clients, many of whom being new arrivals to this country and whom are often called to work in the most hazardous jobs, Roura & Melamed over 20 years ago brought Robert J. Shannon on board. Mr. Shannon, a former INS agent, has represented immigrants from throughout the world.
Our clientele ranges from international business people, professional athletes to blue collar workers who came to our country seeking the opportunities that this country can provide.
Our services include labor certifications, work visas, employment permits, student visas, citizenship, deportation and adjustment of status.
Partner Credentials
ROBERT SHANNON
Robert began his career with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1974. He was a Special Agent for 12 year and later served as a trial attorney for the service. His vast knowledge of immigration law has enabled his firm to help hundreds of clients for the past 20 years. He is a graduate of Brooklyn College and Touro Law School.
He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association, the New York State Bar Association and the New Jersey Bar Association.
His knowledge of H-1 and E–2 visas has helped the practice to grow enormously in the past five years. Additionally, the firm has acquired an outstanding reputation in obtaining labor certification approvals for many individuals.
Robert and his wife, Marguerite, have two children and live in Huntington, New York.
WALTER P. ROURA
Walter is a native of New York City. He is the son of a Catalan father and a Puerto Rican mother. He is a graduate of Manhattan College in the Bronx and Fordham University Law School in Manhattan.
With his partner, Martin Melamed, he opened Roura & Melamed in 1980 as a full service law firm with an emphasis on serving the Hispanic community. Together with Robert Shannon, the firm expanded to become one of the largest immigration firms in the City, and now serves immigration clients at two offices in Manhattan.
During his legal career, Mr. Roura has become a preeminent trial lawyer amassing numerous multi-million dollar verdicts for many of the firms’ clients. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and is a member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, the Association of the Trial Lawyers of America, the Brooklyn Bar Association, the Metropolitan and Women’s Bar Association and other legal groups. He is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association and of the Federal Courts in New York and New Jersey. He is also a member of the Board of Education in Alpine, New Jersey, where he lives with his family.
His wife, Susan Hernandez, is also a lawyer. They have 3 children. He is an avid sports fan and continues to coach and referee soccer, baseball and basketball.
MARTIN MELAMED
Martin was born and raised in New York City. He worked his way through the New York City University system and received scholarships to attend the University of Miami Law School from which he graduated in 1976.
Mr. Melamed began his career as a trial attorney but soon assumed the duties of a managing attorney at Roura & Melamed. Through his guidance, the firm became one of the leading firms in New York City dedicated to serving Hispanic clients. Mr. Melamed successfully expanded Roura & Melamed into the immigration field, teaming with Robert J. Shannon to provide quality representation to primarily Hispanic immigrants.
Martin Melamed has been honored by the Congress on Racial Equality and is a member of the American Trial Lawyers’ Association, the New York County Lawyers’ Association and the New York State Bar Association. He is also a member of the New York and New Jersey Bar Associations and of the Federal Courts of New York and New Jersey.
Mr. Melamed is married to a trial lawyer who also practices in New York City. He and his wife have 3 girls who attend school in New York City.