Ileana J. Montes, Esq. has 25 years of experience dealing with multifaceted legal issues as an attorney. She is a staunch advocate for clients, committed to providing highly personalized legal services in immigration, family law, civil and criminal matters, and bankruptcy proceedings. As an immigrant woman from Colombia, she understands and relates to the problems of the immigrant community. Ms. Montes has helped immigrants navigate the complex and broad American immigration system. With one eye on the law and the other on the needs of her community, she has consistently achieved family unification. Her legal expertise in the field of Immigration extends to lectures to community groups, advice to non-profit organizations and lobbying for immigrant rights.
Ms. Montes is the General Counsel for the Colombian Consulate in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and serves as Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Immigration and American Citizenship Organization. In her multiple capacities, she has represented hundreds of refugees and victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and violent crimes.
After earning an undergraduate degree in Psychology, cum laude, from the University of East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania, Ms. Montes attended Seton Hall University School of Law. Her legal career began as a law student intern at the law offices of Linares & Coviello, P.C., Brown & Brown, LLP, and the Law Office of Antonio Martinez in New York City. She also interned with the late Hon. Jack Kirsten, Essex County Superior Court Judge and was a judicial clerk for Hon. Judge Hector Velasquez of Hudson County Superior Court.
Ms. Montes had the distinct privilege of being nominated and confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate as the first Hispanic Director of the Division on Women. As Director, she reviewed proposed legislation affecting women’s rights and testified before the State Senate and Assembly at legislative hearings.
Ms. Montes also served as Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office for the Department of Community Affairs of New Jersey. In that capacity, Ms. Montes represented the employees of the department, making sure that that they were afforded the protections under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.
Throughout her legal career, Ms. Montes has served on numerous professional committees, including but not limited to the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Municipal Courts, the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns, the Governor’s Hispanic Advisory Council, the Governor’s Disparity Study Commission, the Governor’s Gender Equity Advisory Committee, and the Governor’s Equal Employment Opportunity in Public Contracts Committee.
In addition, Ms. Montes has been an active member of the legal and the Hispanic community. She is a former president of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and former Co-Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Diversity Committee. Ms. Montes has been honored by New Jersey legislators and numerous organizations in recognition of her outstanding and invaluable service to the community. She is married and has two children.