About Batya
Batya Ehrens built her academic foundation across two coasts. She earned a B.A. in International Relations and East Asian Studies from Emory University in 1999. She returned to school to combine law and business, completing a J.D. and an MBA in International Business at American University in 2004.
Her early career moved quickly from consultancy to firm practice. In 2005 she worked as an immigration law consultant at the Law Offices of Michael H. Markovitch in New York. The next year she took on a lead role in immigration at Neil A. Weinrib & Associates. By 2008 she was practicing at Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP. Alongside private practice she began teaching. In 2011 she joined the faculty of the CUNY School of Professional Studies as an adjunct professor in immigration law and completed an Advanced Certificate Program in Immigration Law Studies there.
In 2012 Ehrens started her own firm, founding Schwartz Ehrens Immigration Law PLLC. The move put her in charge of a practice she had already been shaping for years. As founder she has overseen the firm's matters and guided its development. She maintains admission to both New York and New Jersey, anchoring her work in the tri-state region.
Her professional involvement extends beyond the office. Ehrens has been active in the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 2006, participating in the New York City Area chapter’s Advocacy and Corporate Practice Committees. She served as a Pro Bono Benefactor for AILA from 2010 to 2013 and has been listed as a Pro Bono Guardian since 2014. She also serves as a New York Chapter Ambassador for the American Immigration Council, a role she has held since 2010. Those roles reflect long-term engagement with legal organizations and community work related to immigration.
Students and colleagues have seen her translate classroom instruction into practice. Her teaching at CUNY emphasized practical aspects of immigration law, and her advanced certificate underscores a commitment to legal education. Over the years she has moved between client work, firm leadership, and public-facing roles in trade associations and educational programs.
Today she leads Schwartz Ehrens Immigration Law PLLC from its New York base. Her practice handles immigration matters for clients in New York and New Jersey and she continues to teach and participate in professional groups related to immigration law.
