Attorney Profiles

Tahir Mella 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Member
phone (215) 640-9770
fax (215) 640-9775
email Email Me

Mr. Tahir Mella, himself an immigrant to the United States, is Senior Member of the Law Firm. He was born in Manila, Philippines on June 18, 1966, and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of the Philippines in 1987, where he also served for one year as Secretary-General to the University Student Council. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Ateneo de Manila School of Law in 1991, and served as Associate Editor of the Ateneo Law Journal. Mr Mella was admitted to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in 1992. Thereafter, he practiced shortly as Junior Associate at Mella, Posadas, Mauricio & Associates, a Law Firm established by his father, Atty. Ynocencio De Castro Mella. Mr. Mella continued his law studies at the Rutgers Law School in Camden, Rutgers University in 1992, and was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1993. Mr. Mella then performed pro bono work for the American Immigration Lawyers Association from 1993 to 1994. From 1994 to 1996, Mr. Mella worked as an Associate at the Law Offices of Jay Bagia, and from 1996 to 2001, he worked as Head of the Immigration Department at the Law Offices of Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C. In 2001, Mr. Mella opened up his own law practice.

Mr. Mella is now also admitted to the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. His other professional memberships include the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Philadelphia and American Bar Associations, and the Delaware Valley Asian-American Bar Association.

Mr. Mella's secondary languages include Spanish and three Filipino dialects - Tagalog, Bicolano, and Cebuano.

Mr. Mella has been a licensed private pilot since 2001, and is active in equestrian sports. His other hobbies include painting (acrylic, water color, and oil on canvass), composing music, and marksmanship. Mr. Mella especially enjoys writing, and his professional publications include: "In the Matter of Alien Immigration," Interpreter Releases, Federal Publications, 2000 (Also published in the Philadelphia Lawyer, PBA, 1999); and "Stock Market Unification," Ateneo Law Journal, ADMU, 1991. You may also obtain a copy of his illustrated children's book "Casyrole -- Ten Legendary Tales" by visiting www.Casyrole.com

Areas of Practice:
Immigration & Nationality Law
Asylum
Deportation
Citizenship
Visas
Personal Injury
Products Liability
Bar Admissions:
Pennsylvania, 1993
Philippines, 1992
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2003
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 2002
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 2002
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2002
U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
Education:
Ateneo School of Law, Manila, Philippines, 1991
Juris Doctor
Law Journal: Ateneo Law Journal, Associate Editor


Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Law - Camden, Camden, New Jersey, 1992


University of the Philippines, 1987
B.A.
Honors: Cum Laude
Honors: Secretary-General, University Student Council
Major:  Economics


Published Works:
"In the Matter of Alien Immigration" Interpreter Releases, Federal Publications, 2000


"In the Matter of Alien Immigration" Interpreter Releases, Philadelphia Lawyer


"In the Matter of Alien Immigration" Interpreter Releases, PBA, 1999


"Stock Market Unification", Ateneo Law Journal, ADMU, 1991


"Casyrole -- Ten Legendary Tales", www.Casyrole.com


Classes/Seminars Taught:
Faculty Speaker at an International Immigration Lawyers Conference in Kitzbuhel, Austria, Center for International Legal Studies, January 14, 2007 - January 21, 2007


Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Immigration Lawyers Association


Philadelphia Bar Association


American Bar Association


Delaware Valley Asian-American Bar Association


Past Employment Positions:
Mella, Posadas, Mauricio & Associates, Junior Associate


Law Offices of Jay Bagia, Associate, 1994 - 1996


Law Offices of Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C., Head of Immigration Department, 1996 - 2001


Pro Bono Activities:
Pro Bono, American Immigration Lawyers Association, 1993 - 1994
Languages:
Spanish
Filipino
Chinese