Robert Anthony Alvarez
Legal Bio
Robert is a founding member of Avanti. Robert has been fighting for workers at the state and federal level, in all manners of employment issues, from collecting pay to multi-million dollar class-action lawsuits, since the early 2000s.
Before joining Avanti, Robert worked in the not-for-profit field, representing migrant farmworkers who were not being paid adequately, or at all. He later transitioned to private practice to offer bilingual legal services in the areas of immigration law, criminal defense, family law, and employment litigation.
Robert is now a nationally recognized employment litigator, having chaired several impact litigation cases, and having fought and won cases at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Robert is passionate about representing and advocating for people’s fundamental rights. His tireless defenses of employees across all spectrums of industry is why Avanti Law Group is responsible for recovering over $5 million in unpaid wages.
Personal Bio
Robert is from Texas, but is a Michigander at heart. He is married with four kids and two grandkids. He is a “mama’s boy” if there ever was one. He has played more practical jokes on the office than we’d care to admit (He also gets much more joy out of them than his victims! ahem). He can quote every Star Trek episode every made and lives by morals brought to us by Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. He is generous to a fault and probably the best dad you’ll ever know. You can find him grilling in his backyard or snuggling with one of his four dogs.
Raquel A. Salas
Legal Bio
Raquel is a founding partner and the managing member of Avanti. Raquel heads Avanti’s criminal defense practice and is also experienced in business law, family law, and bankruptcy. Raquel has a reputation for her aggressive, thorough, creative, and compassionate approach to defending her clients — and for her superb results for her clients. She is a fearless straight-shooter that is happy to settle, but not afraid to go down in a fight for her clients.
Raquel represents defendants in misdemeanor and felony cases throughout the state of Michigan.
Raquel has been named Michigan Weekly’s Women In The Law, Michigan Super Lawyer’s Rising Star, West Michigan’s 40 under 40 Business Leaders, and has been recognized multiple times as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan by the Grand Rapids Business Journal. In 2008 Raquel was honored to be a guest of President George W. Bush to the White House and in 2015, she was honored to be invited to the White House by President Barack Obama to attend a policy briefing for leaders from across the country. Raquel writes and lectures on business, law, and entrepreneurship. Her writings have been published in legal and business journals.
Raquel graduated from Michigan State University College of Law, Magna Cum Laude. She is licensed in both Michigan and California.
Prior to founding Avanti, Raquel worked in the family, litigation, and business practice groups of Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP where she assisted in the representation of high-profile clients such as Whirlpool Corporation, Alticor, Macatawa Bank, Chemical Bank, Fifth Third Bank and East Jordan Iron Works
Personal Bio
Raquel was born in the Dominican Republic and brought her fierceness with her when she immigrated to the US. She is a born entrepreneur. If she’s not kicking butt for her clients, she is strategizing about growing her current businesses and searching for new business opportunities. Raquel adores her family and is passionate about travel (anywhere, anytime!). You can find her on top of Mount Kilimanjaro, which she submitted in 2017.
Meghan E. Moore
Legal Bio
Meghan is a founding partner of Avanti and manages Avanti’s immigration practice. She attended law school with the sole intention of becoming an immigration lawyer and now devotes her practice exclusively to that area of the law.
Meghan focuses her practice on family-based immigration, naturalization, U and T visas, and waivers of inadmissibility. She is proud to have advised individuals, families, farmworkers, small businesses, Fortune 500 Corporations, universities, professional athletes and artists, and renowned scientists in all immigration matters.
Meghan is fluent in Spanish. She speaks nationally and internationally about immigration law, legal ethics, and the intersection of the two. She is a proud graduate of Carleton College and Chicago Kent College of Law.
Personal Bio
If Meghan weren’t an immigration lawyer, she would not be a lawyer at all (she does not have a confrontational bone in her body). Instead, we think she might start a farm, which would be home to lots of cuddly animals, and be full of dahlia fields. Meghan loves gardening and outdoor adventures with her husband and two kiddos. She can also eat her weight in blueberries. You can find Meghan taking her best friend dog, Juneau, on long walks in the woods.
Amy Nicole Grauman
Amy Grauman practices family law for Avanti Law Group. Her flair for helping families in need drove her to pursue family law.
In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time with her two children.
Christopher Acklin
Legal Bio
After graduating from Grand Valley State University, Chris earned both his J.D. and his Master of Laws (LL.M) in Corporate Law and Taxation from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. In his practice, Chris focuses on Immigration Litigation through the Executive Office of Immigration Review (“Immigration Court”). Additionally, Chris handles immigration appeals through the Board of Immigration Appeals, and various federal courts. Chris also practices business transactional law and litigation, civil litigation, real property matters, as well as appeals before various state and federal courts and agencies in these matters.
Chris joined Avanti Law group as an associate attorney in 2014, and in 2019 became a partner. Since 2014, Chris has expanded and developed Avanti’s deportation defense practice, representing immigrants in cases ranging from Cancellation of Removal, Special Cancellation, VAWA Cancellation, Adjustment of Status, and Political Asylum. Among his many accomplishments in this area, he has successfully challenged removability findings through the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Personal Bio
Outside of his professional life, Chris is a super dad to his son and super husband to his wife. Chris and his wife share a love of traveling, having visited numerous places around the world. They have plans to visit every continent except Antarctica. They also enjoy spending time with their son, walking, biking, and listening to a wide variety of music. In his free time, Chris has also been working to learn Brazilian Portuguese, while continuing to improve his ability to speak Spanish.
Chris is also an avid science and technology lover, whether it be various gadgets, or the latest in theoretical physics reports. In addition, he also likes to be involved in football, paintball, remote-controlled car enthusiast groups, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Chris has lived in Michigan his entire life. Born in Traverse City, MI, Chris spent his early childhood in Northern Michigan before moving to the Grand Rapids area. He resided on Grand Rapid’s North-East side for most of his childhood. Chris attended the Spectrum and John Ball Zoo School programs under Grand Rapids Public Schools before heading to City Middle/High School.
You can find Chris making someone laugh and spreading his neverending kindness wherever he goes.
Kristin Sage
Legal Bio
Kristin has been with Avanti since January 2017, when she started in the employment law practice and focused on federal litigation under the Fair Labor Standards Act. After approximately a year in this practice, she was afforded the opportunity to switch to Immigration Law, which she seized. Kristin has been a part of our Immigrtation Practice Group since 2018, which has allowed her to pursue her passion of helping some of the most vulnerable and legally disadvantaged members of our society.
Kristin focuses on family based petitions and consular processing. She frequently accompanies client to USCIS interviews and has appeared on behalf of immigrants in front of the Executive Board of Immigration Review. Kristin enjoys practicing immigration law and the opportunity it provides her to meet and assist individuals from different backgrounds.
Kristin attended Grand Valley State University where she obtained her B.S. from the Fredrick Meijer Honors College in 2012. During this time she focused her studies on Eastern European Politics and the current state of Democracy in the RUssian Federation. She then went on to Wayne State University Law School, where she excelled and graduated cum laude in 2016.
While at Wayne State University, Kristin made the most of her legal education by working for the Free Legal Aid Clinic Inc.(FLAC), the only student run free legal aid clinic in the country. She served as the Vice Chairperson for FLAC from 2015-2016. At FLAC, she assisted low income and elderly residents of Wayne County, all while expanding her legal skills. Kristin also worked the Legal Advocacy for People with Cancer Clinic, which allowed her to assist those struggling with both legal and medical issues. She was a Judicial Intern for Federal District Court Judge Gerald E. Rosen and a Research Assistant for Professor Eric Zacks. Additionally, she participated in the Mock Trial program, which allowed her to gain litigation experience while still in law school.
After Law School, Kristin returned to West Michigan to build her legal career. She passed the July 2016 Bar Exam and was admitted to the practice of law in Michigan on November 14, 2016.
Personal Bio
Kristin is a product of West Michigan, born and raised. She grew up in Holland, less than a mile from the Lakeshore. She has two older sisters and a younger brother, and attended West Ottawa Public Schools. It was at West Ottawa High School where she met her husband, Matt. You can find Kristin in the kitchen, baking sweet things so heavenly that her Avanti teammates have gained a few pounds as a result.