About
Hi, I’m Kim Felton.
I’m an immigration attorney and the founder of Onward Immigration – a boutique, fully virtual practice built on a simple belief: that navigating the U.S. immigration system should feel less like fighting bureaucracy alone, and more like having a guide who has your back.
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Why I do this work
A better way — and why I built it
I began my journey into immigration law in August 2016, halfway through my first pregnancy. I had my first son during my second year of law school and returned to class three weeks later – in January 2017, as U.S. immigration law and immigrant communities came under serious attack.
Exhausted, newly a mother, and watching the immigration system turn against the very people it should protect, I understood in a deeper way what is truly at stake when a person’s status, family, safety, or future hangs in the balance.
When I later entered traditional legal practice, I saw a profession that too often asks people to choose between meaningful work and being present for the people they love. I was not willing to accept that trade-off – for myself, my family, or my clients.
I also saw something that deeply troubled me: a breach of trust between immigrant communities and the immigration attorneys meant to serve them. Too many people had been overcharged, under-served, left in the dark, or treated as case files instead of human beings. Repairing that trust became one of my core missions.
That is why I built Onward as a virtual immigration law firm: to provide high-quality, honest, and deeply human legal counsel to people navigating the U.S. immigration process. Through a modern, client-centered approach, Onward helps families, couples, professionals, survivors, and individuals seeking protection move through complex immigration matters with clarity and care.
This work demands more attention, not less – more preparation, more transparency, more rigor, and more respect for the person behind the paperwork. All cases deserve guidance you can trust. I am intentionally selective about my cases so that each and every client gets my complete attention.
Law school taught me how to be an attorney. Becoming a mother taught me what it means to be an advocate. I bring both to every case: the legal skill your situation demands and the patience, honesty, and humanity it deserves.
Where I come from
Farmers, mostly
Every branch of my family arrived here from somewhere else. On my father's side, my great-grandfather's parents came from Denmark, and much of that line can be followed through Ribe, all the way back to 1656. On my mother's side, a Scottish fourth great-grandfather married an Irish woman and settled down where I live today. Across both sides of my family, we originated in Co. Tipperary, Ireland.
For generates, they were farmers both before and after they came to the U.S. I'm the first in the direct line on either side of my family to attend college and build a career outside of a field. My own path has included hard work – including seven years as a volunteer firefighter. I carry forward the same respect for difficult work, practical problem-solving, and showing up when people need you.
This is why immigration has never felt abstract to me. Every case is part of a larger family story – what was left behind, what was risked, who waited, and what future someone is trying to build. That understanding shapes how I practice: with careful preparation, honest guidance, and respect for the life behind the paperwork.
How I work
What working with me feels like
Personal, not a case-mill
As a boutique practice, your case is mine from start to finish – not handed off or lost in a queue. You get an attorney who knows your story, not just your file number.
Plain language, no jargon
Immigration is overwhelming enough. I explain your options in clear, honest terms and meet you with patience, because you deserve to understand every step of your own case.
Built to be accessible
Onward is fully virtual by design, so you can work with me securely from anywhere in the U.S. or abroad – the same boutique attention, without the commute.
Background & admissions
Credentials
The College of Saint Rose, B.A.
Founded Onward Immigration, 2020
Immigration is federal law, so I represent clients across the United States and overseas, wherever you happen to be.
Ready to move onward?
Every journey begins with a conversation. Let’s talk about where you’re headed,
and how to get you there.