Meet the Team
Pikes Peak Immigration LLC
ALEXANDER MCSHIRAS
Attorney
Alex McShiras represents individuals, families, and businesses regarding their immigration matters. He also does criminal defense in traffic matters and other misdemeanors (including DUI cases). Most of the criminal defense work he does relates directly to immigration cases.
Bar and Court Admissions
He is licensed to practice at U.S. Supreme Court, 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, Federal District Court for the District of Colorado, the BIA, all immigration courts, and all courts in Colorado.
Experience
Alex has experience in all types of immigration cases, including business immigration, family immigration, consular processing, and removal (deportation) defense. In addition, he specializes in victim-based cases such as U-Visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, VAWA, and asylum. Also, we have substantial experience representing criminal defendants who are not citizens. We do post-conviction relief cases, advisements to criminal defense attorneys, and appeals related to the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. He has experience regarding immigration business visas such as R, H1-B, H2-B, EB-1, E-2, TN, L-1, EB-2, EB-3, and O-1 visas.
He is one of a handful of immigration attorneys in Colorado who litigates immigration cases in the federal district courts and at Circuit Courts of Appeals, such as the Tenth Circuit and Fifth Circuit. He is admitted to practice at the U.S. Supreme Court as well. He is considered an expert in immigration law in Colorado and has been cited by or mentioned in the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Colorado Springs ABC affiliate KRDO, the Denver Post, and Colorado Public Radio.
He has public speaking experience and has taught a number of Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) presentations that fellow lawyers take for credit to continue their education. These presentations include a wide array of topics, including Federal Litigation, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, asylum, the intersection of family law and immigration law, the immigration consequences of certain criminal convictions, motions to reopen, motions to suppress, and motions to terminate.
Education
- University of Denver Sturm College of Law
- J.D., 2012
- Marquette University
- M.A. in International Relations (2008)
- Boston College
- B.A., 2005
- Magna cum laude
- Major in International Studies
- Major in History
- Minor in Hispanic Studies
Recognition
- 2023 Super Lawyer
- 2022 Rising Star From Super Lawyers
- 2021 Rising Star From Super Lawyers
- 2020 Rising Star from Super Lawyers
- A Top Attorney in Colorado Springs per Colorado Springs Style Magazine
- A Superb 10.0 rating from Avvo
- An A+ Rating from the Better Business Bureau
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Meet Our Team
We speak English and Spanish
CAMILA MARINHO
Law Clerk
Camila Marinho is a Law Clerk at Pikes Peak Immigration and a proud immigrant herself. Originally from Brazil, she is currently earning her Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the University of Colorado Boulder. A licensed attorney in Brazil, before moving to the U.S., Camila practiced law for over ten years, where she handled more than 500 cases—mainly in family law, including divorce, child custody, and property division. She also has extensive experience supporting women and children facing domestic violence, helping them seek protection, stability, and justice through the legal system.
Camila’s work is guided by compassion, integrity, and a deep belief that the law can change lives for the better. She also holds a degree in Sociology, which helps her connect with clients from all walks of life and understand the social and emotional challenges many immigrants face.
Since arriving in Colorado in 2023, Camila has focused on learning the U.S. legal system, especially immigration law. She speaks Portuguese and English and is currently learning Spanish. As someone who has walked the immigrant journey herself, Camila brings empathy, dedication, and cultural understanding to every case. She is passionate about helping others navigate the legal system and build a safe, secure, and hopeful future in the United States.
VANESSA BLANKENHORN
Managing Paralegal
Vanessa Blankenhorn works as a paralegal at Pikes Peak Immigration. She is originally from Colombia. She graduated from the University of El Rosario in Bogota, Colombia, with a B.A. in International Affairs and Political Science. She worked for the Colombian government, helping the victims of violence. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 2011 to continue with her second degree in communications at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She met her husband in 2015 and moved to Denver. As an immigrant, Vanessa knows the importance and meaning of helping other immigrants. She is determined to help fellow immigrants with their immigration situation. Vanessa enjoys volunteering, reading, watching movies, and traveling.
PAULA KOHOUTEK
Paralegal
Paula Kohoutek works as a legal assistant at Pikes Peak Immigration. She is originally from Colombia. She moved to Idaho in 2002 and married a military service member in 2014. Paula and her husband have three children together. The Army brought her and her husband to Fort Carson, Colorado, in 2014. Paula graduated from the University of Colorado Denver in 2020 with a BA in Criminal Justice. She is passionate about helping our community members. Paula is fluent in both English and Spanish. She has experienced firsthand the struggles of our immigration system. This has inspired her to work to help immigrants here in Colorado. Paula cares about immigrants, and she understands the challenges of U.S. immigration because she immigrated to the United States. She has great rapport with our clients, and she works hard to help families stay together. Paula enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, trying new foods, and helping others.
STEPHANIE GARCIA
Office Manager
Stephanie works as an assistant office manager at Pikes Peak Immigration. Stephanie is originally from Mexico. She came to the US at the age of five and has resided here in Colorado ever since. Stephanie is fluent in English and Spanish. She enjoys being a part of our team because we work hard every day to help clients with their immigration cases and we make a big difference in people's lives. Stephanie is in charge of coordinating that the entire work team has the necessary tools to carry out the tasks. She is usually the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave. She loves sharing her free time with her family and her pets.
ALEJANDRA SCHATZ
Admin/Legal Assistant
Aleja joined Pikes Peak Immigration in 2024, initially supporting the team with social media and working part-time as a receptionist. She later became an administrative assistant and is currently transitioning into the role of legal assistant at our immigration law firm.
Originally from Colombia, Aleja earned her degree in Communications from the University of Antioquia. She spent several years developing communication strategies for university departments and political campaigns in Colombia. Her interest in the legal field began while serving as Secretary General of a municipal council, where she gained valuable experience with legal and governmental procedures.
Now based in Colorado with her husband, a U.S. citizen, Aleja remains deeply connected to her Colombian roots while embracing her life in the United States. She is passionate about helping immigrants navigate the complexities of the legal system.
AMBAR MEDELLIN
Admin/Legal Assistant
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Ambar brings both professional skill and personal connection to her role as a Receptionist and Legal Assistant at Pikes Peak Immigration.
She holds an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University, further deepening her knowledge and commitment to the legal field. With a strong sense of purpose rooted in her own family’s immigration journey, her mother is originally from Mexico.
Ambar is passionate about helping others navigate the immigration system with confidence and care. As the first point of contact for many clients, Ambar welcomes everyone to the office with warmth and professionalism. She manages front desk operations, schedules appointments, answers phone calls, responds to inquiries, and helps guide clients through the intake process. In her legal assistant role, she also supports the legal team by preparing case documents, managing client communications, and ensuring every detail is handled with precision and empathy. Ambar is fluent in English and is actively learning Spanish to better serve clients from diverse backgrounds.
She is proud to support her hometown community and be part of a team dedicated to helping individuals and families build a better future.
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