Teaching, Technology, and Trust: Immigration Attorney Teodora Purcell on Building an Authentic Legal Practice
1st November 2025
Date
Interviewee
Teodora D. Purcell
From Immigrant to Immigration Champion: How Teodora Purcell Built her Practice on Personal Experience, Mission, Authenticity, and Innovation
Teodora D. Purcell, Founder of Purcell Law APC
The decision to launch her own immigration law firm came at what some might call an unlikely moment. Teodora Purcell had teenage daughters, one starting college and another in high school. She had over two decades of experience but had never managed the business side of a practice. Yet something felt right about taking the leap.
"I was at a point in my life where I needed to redesign things a little bit," Purcell reflects from her San Diego office. But the real catalyst came from an unexpected source. "What really motivated me was my children. I've always tried to raise them to be independent and to believe in themselves, to know that if you really put your heart and hard work into something, you will succeed."
When she explained the risks to her daughters, their response surprised and energized her. They reminded her of her track record, of the countless clients she had helped over the years. Their confidence became her fuel.
Two years later, Purcell runs a thriving solo practice that reflects her values: mission-driven work, authentic client relationships, and a commitment to staying at the forefront of both legal developments and technological innovation. But her journey to this point began long before she hung her own shingle.
A Path Shaped by Personal Experience
Purcell's route into immigration law was unconventional, shaped by her own experience as an immigrant. After completing law school in her native Bulgaria, she came to San Diego to pursue a master's degree (LLM) in comparative law at the University of San Diego. The plan was to return home, but San Diego had other ideas.
"I liked it and I've always wanted to do something that has a more direct impact on people's lives and helps people," she says. "I thought I would do international law. That was my plan when I came here. But I didn't really know what that meant."
A career fair at USD changed everything. Someone from Casa Cornelia Law Center, a local nonprofit serving indigent immigrants, was presenting. Purcell volunteered, then became a law clerk, and found her calling.
"I realized that immigration is very inspiring. You work with different people from diverse cultures. And I liked that I could use my language skills," she explains. "So immigration law wasn't necessarily intentional, but staying in it has been intentional. To me, my work is very much mission driven."
That mission focus has sustained her through a career that, as she readily admits, is not the most lucrative practice area. But her personal experience as an immigrant gives her a unique perspective that strengthens her client relationships.
"Having gone through the process myself definitely gives me that different perspective. I completely understand what it means to wait for your work permit card because I've done it, and it helps me connect with clients."
The Education Imperative
For over a decade, Purcell has taught in UC San Diego's ABA- approved paralegal program, and this educational role has shaped her approach to practicing law. She sees a fundamental misconception about immigration work, both among the public and sometimes among aspiring attorneys.
"People think immigration application submission is just about filling out forms and you can do it on your own or you're just looking for cheap service," she explains. "There is a reason behind each box that you check on the form, and it can lead to not only denial, but sometimes people can be put in removal proceedings. So it's really not just form-based data entry at all."
This educational mindset carries directly into her client work. "A big part of what I do, especially these days, is educating clients. And that's my approach. I don't just give them solutions, I explain their options."
She notes that immigration law doesn't always make sense on its face and is heavily policy-driven. "So, you have to spend the extra time to educate clients, especially when they often say, but my friend got such and such case and it got approved without such and such document, why do you need it?"
Her teaching has also helped her learn from her students, understanding their challenges and interests, which in turn helps her deliver legal advice more effectively.
The Myth of "Just Paperwork"
Purcell is quick to dispel common misconceptions about immigration law. The biggest myth? That it's simple work anyone can handle.
"The biggest myth is that the public generally thinks immigration, and clients too, is more about just doing my paperwork and I'll get the visa. And that's really not how it works. It's more and more complicated. It's constantly changing."
She emphasizes the need for specialized expertise. "You need not just a professional, but you need somebody who specializes in this area and stays on top of the latest developments and changes."
Even within immigration law, she believes specialization is key. "Most immigration lawyers specialize within immigration, and I think that's a very good way of doing it because then you really become an expert, whether it's employment-based or family-based or both. Very few can do it all."
For attorneys considering immigration law as a side practice, Purcell offers a warning: "Doing immigration law as a side practice area, is not a good idea exactly because of the constant changes and the complexities that come with it."
Staying Current in a Constantly Changing Field
The challenge of keeping up with rapid policy changes is one Purcell takes seriously. Her strategy combines multiple approaches.
"Have a way of monitoring and tracking what's changing. It might be you sign up for agency updates at the very least, and check the American Immigration Lawyer Association (AILA) website. There's a lot of constant, up to date, comprehensive information," she advises.
She's also on multiple listservs where practitioners share experiences and trends. "Staying informed is really important. At the same time, I think you have to build a network of other immigration lawyers for support and to share ideas, and even to provide emotional support, honestly, because this is quite stressful not just for clients, but for lawyers as well."
When policy changes affect pending cases, Purcell takes immediate action. "As soon as I hear about some policy change that affects my cases, I immediately go over my case list to see who is immediately impacted, and I reach out to them proactively with some information."
She also maintains an active LinkedIn presence, regularly posting updates about important developments. "I don't have a marketing team and a knowledge team that can provide those updates, but I regularly post a short blurb with the link to where more information can be found."
The time investment is significant. "It takes at least an hour, if not more during the day to do that. So if you don't manage to do it in real time, although it is important because many of these changes are effective immediately, I catch up on weekends or as soon as I can, because it can't be missed. It's that simple."
Embracing AI While Maintaining the Human Touch
Purcell has been an early adopter of artificial intelligence in her practice, but she's thoughtful about its application and limitations.
"AI is definitely changing our practice. And I am using AI. I have a clause in my agreement with clients that I'm using AI," she explains. "It's making me more efficient. It's mostly for extracting information from documents, summarizing intake forms that automate information and workflows when preparing cases."
She's found AI particularly valuable in understanding her clients' technical work. "I do a lot of work with scientists and EB1s and O1s, national interest waivers, but even other professionals, and I don't have that background. So AI has really helped me understand better not just terminology, but what kind of work they do and then how I can make a better argument."
However, she emphasizes the critical importance of attorney review. "We have to be very careful and make sure that whatever AI-generated content we have, we as lawyers review that. The confidentiality and the privacy is another thing that's important. So you have to make sure to not use client names."
Purcell rejects the notion that AI threatens legal jobs. "I was at a conference where somebody asked, why are we talking about this? AI is taking our jobs away. And I don't think that's true. I think it's enhancing our abilities and it makes us more efficient. The people who don't use it are going to be left behind, because it can be a great too that can make us even better lawyersl."
She sees AI reshaping the market in practical ways. "It will allow us to handle a larger case volume because of the efficiency. I think entry-level legal assistant positions might not be eliminated, but definitely changed."
Yet she's adamant that AI cannot replace the human element. "Especially in this practice area, the human element of not just the analysis but understanding your client, their cultural background, their needs, especially if you do humanitarian type of work or asylum, AI is not going to be able to do that."
Building a Practice on Trust and Authenticity
When asked what advice she would give to other attorneys considering starting their own practice, Purcell emphasizes that there's no one formula.
"Have faith and have a network of people who will support you, and not just colleagues, but family, business advisors. Really, it takes a village. You have to take good care of yourself and have a plan, but it's not enough. You have to be flexible. Believe in yourself. You can do it, but you need to be strategic."
She acknowledges that the business side was new and challenging for her despite two decades of practicing law. "You also need to focus on the business side of practicing even more than the actual practice."
Purcell was fortunate to have built a strong client base before launching her firm. "I was already established as an immigration lawyer with expertise and clients, and my clients have followed me. So I think it's very important to also have authentic relationships with your clients. It's a relationship of trust, because clients follow attorneys they trust that do good work, not the firm name."
She describes what clients can expect when they work with her: "All my clients throughout my career know what they'll get when they hire me. They know they'll get high quality work. They'll get direct communication, prompt responses, empathy and expertise."
A Vision Rooted in Service
Unlike many law firm founders, Purcell doesn't speak in terms of growth metrics or revenue targets when discussing her vision for the firm's future.
"I don't have a big plan because I'm really more focused on the sustainability of the business and helping clients these days, especially in this constantly changing environment," she says. "It's not that I want to have five associates or a $5 million book in five years. No, I want to do good work, help people, be a great lawyer, and make a difference for my clients."
She is working to expand her service offerings to include global immigration services, building a network to support clients with international mobility needs. But the core mission remains unchanged.
"My vision is to keep doing excellent work, help clients, and enjoy the ride," Purcell explains. "These days, even providing knowledge and advice without the actual solution, because oftentimes there aren't solutions, is a service to clients because there is a lot of misinformation out there."
Navigating Unprecedented Times
Purcell is clear-eyed about the challenges facing immigrants, immigration attorneys, and the broader community in the current political climate.
"These are unprecedented times for everyone, immigrants, US citizens, immigration lawyers, other lawyers, especially in this space," she acknowledges. "Emotional wellbeing and taking care of yourself is important, being informed is important. But also I think it's where having a community is absolutely critical."
Despite the challenges, she maintains an optimistic outlook grounded in the resilience she's witnessed throughout her career.
"I think with the right support, we are all in it together, and immigrants are just built to adapt and be agile and not only I think will we survive, will thrive even in this climate," she says. "These are challenges that I hope will also create some positive changes at the end, as well as opportunities for growth. But don't be on your own. Get the support you need from your community."
For Purcell, immigration law is more than a career; it's a calling informed by personal experience, sustained by mission, and grounded in authentic human connection. In an era of rapid technological change and policy uncertainty, her practice stands as a reminder that the most powerful legal work happens when expertise meets empathy, and when an attorney truly understands the life-changing stakes behind every application, every form, and every case.
As she prepares for a trip to Bulgaria and an AILA conference in Frankfurt to deepen her global immigration expertise, Purcell embodies the adaptability and lifelong learning she counsels in her clients. Her message to those navigating the immigration system is simple but profound: find an expert who specializes, who stays informed, and who understands that behind every petition is a human story that deserves care, attention, and respect.
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