Philadelphia Immigration Lawyer

Lolita Shaira Mella MacKenzie
Lolita Shaira Mella MacKenzie is the Deputy Director of Operations at the Law Offices of Tahir Mella.

Lolita Shaira is fondly called Princess, a nickname given to her by her mother and late father, Ynocencio de Castro Mella, a lawyer from the Philippines. Born and raised in Manila, Princess belongs to a family of lawyers - her grandfather Alejandro, father Ynocencio, and youngest brother, Tahir, to name a few. She was almost lured into the study of Law but her artistic inclination pulled her towards another direction. – Television and Film writing.

In 1984, after graduating from Maryknoll College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, with concentration in Mass Media, she joined one of Manila’s biggest film outfits, VIVA Films, Inc., as an advertising and promotions assistant. Later on, for almost 20 years, she worked in ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, as a television and film writer, during which she was involved in the conceptualization, development and production of TV programs and cinematic gems. Her film credits include "Tanging Yaman," "Kailangan Kita," and "Dubai," a film chronicling the experiences of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Dubai.

She has Master’s Degree credits in Education, and taught Film Theory and Practice to Communication students at Miriam College (formerly Maryknoll College).

She joined the law firm as a paralegal, handling simple to complex immigration petitions. An immigrant herself, her first-hand knowledge and in-depth understanding of the immigrant experience, give her a better appreciation of the needs and concerns of our clients. Now, as Deputy Director of Operations, she brings all her previous experience into the management of a busy legal office.

Princess has a working ability with the Spanish language, and is fluent in English and 3 Filipino dialects, Tagalog, Bicolano and Visayan.

In her free time, Princess enjoys painting, cooking, prose and poetry.