Gus M. Shihab

Gus M. Shihab, Esq., founder of The Law Firm of Shihab & Associates, has received several honors and is a seasoned lawyer with 32 years of experience relentlessly fighting for the rights of international investors, businesses, corporations, employers, and immigrants and for the advancement of their causes. He has an in-depth understanding of immigration governmental processes both nationally and globally and provides practical business immigration solutions for international investors, corporations, colleges, and university clients. Mr. Shihab represents corporations in the employment of highly skilled professionals and scientists in many areas including engineering, business, architecture, manufacturing, information technology, and healthcare fields. Gus M. Shihab is a lawyer who works hard for his clients and maintains a close relationship with them, assuring that they are not left in the dark amidst the maze of governmental immigration procedures.

Mr. Shihab is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, where he served on several important posts in that Bar Association including Chairman of the Ohio Chapter and member of the national Board of Governors. In addition, he served as Vice Chapter Chair for three years as well as Chairman of the Legislative Committee. Mr. Shihab is the first and only foreign-born individual to have ever received such honor in the immigration bar association in Ohio. On several occasions, Mr. Shihab chaired a delegation of lawyers from Ohio who met with members of the United States Congress in Washington, DC to lobby for the passage of sensible immigration laws. He has also testified before the Ohio Senate on matters affecting immigrants in the State of Ohio and their rights.

Mr. Gus M. Shihab is also a trial lawyer and has appeared on behalf of clients before State and Federal Courts as well as Courts of Appeals; one case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court challenging the retroactive application of certain immigration laws. Mr. Shihab is one of the few lawyers who is experienced in litigating Wage & Hourly cases before the US Department of Labor defending employers from unjust allegations of H-1B visa employees. He has also handled complex cases in immigration courts around the United States.

Mr. Gus M. Shihab has successfully secured non-immigrant visas such as H-1B, PERM permanent residence, and green cards for acclaimed scientists, professors, and researchers, as well as graphic designers, international performers, artists, and athletes in processes such as P-1, O-1, J-1 visas, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and national interest waiver (NIW) cases. In addition, Mr. Shihab processed L-1 and E-2 visas on behalf of multinational corporations and small investors. Mr. Shihab represents families to assure that they are united with their loved ones including spouses to U.S. Citizens, fiancé visa, K-1, K-3 visa, immediate relatives as well as children, sons, and daughters of permanent residents and U.S. Citizens. Even some of the seemingly simple family immigration matters require the skill of experienced immigration lawyers; for instance, the Child Status Protection Act assures that children are not excluded out of the immigration process as they age out. In addition, naturalization applications could involve certain issues relating to criminal history and good moral character that may affect its outcome.

Gus M. Shihab is the eldest of eight children born to his parents; as such, he has played a leadership role virtually all his life. Mr. Shihab arrived in the United States on July 10, 1979 as an F-1 student. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1983 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Afterwards, Gus M. Shihab worked as a construction engineer for an international contractor in Kuwait City. Mr. Shihab returned to the U.S. in 1985 where he joined the Ohio Department of Transportation and in a short time, he became the Chairman of the Highway Safety Program Committee and the State Director of the Ohio Highway Safety System. He is a licensed professional engineer – a fact that gives him an advantage when representing clients in highly technical matters.

Mr. Shihab has been interviewed numerous times by local and international newspapers, radio, and television media including the British Broadcasting Corporation and National Public Radio. He was invited as a speaker at numerous organizations including the Ohio State University, the Ohio Chapter for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Cleveland Bar Association. He has also been a speaker at several continuing legal and engineering educational seminars.

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

• American Bar Association

• Ohio State Bar Association

• Columbus Bar Association