Nilendri Senanayake

Nilendri Senanayake is an immigration attorney focused on citizenship, visas, and family-based immigration, providing strategic legal guidance to clients.

Personal Mission: As an immigrant herself, Nilendri understands just how life-changing the immigration journey can be. That personal experience fuels her passion for guiding others through the process with clarity, compassion, and confidence. For her, immigration isn’t just legal work—it’s about protecting people, supporting families, and building futures. Legal Focus & Services:

Nilendri’s practice covers a broad range of immigration matters, including: Employment-based immigration Family-based immigration Asylum and removal defense Intercountry adoption She works closely with individuals, families, and businesses to prepare and file visa applications, advocate for clients in removal proceedings, and handle complex immigration challenges with precision and care.

Education & Credentials: Nilendri is a scholarly attorney with a multidisciplinary background in law, accounting, and contract management. She earned her LL.B. from the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka, where she was selected from among the top 5% in the country to receive free legal education, reflecting exceptional academic merit, and she maintained a scholarly record throughout her studies. Her accounting training through AAT Sri Lanka and CIMA complements her legal practice by strengthening her analytical, financial, and documentation skills, particularly in complex immigration matters. She later earned her LL.M. from Penn State Law, with a focus on immigration and asylum law, and completed a Contract Management Certification at UCLA Extension with a 4.0 GPA. She is licensed to practice law in New York, an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and holds additional certifications including Immigration Law Certification (COIL) from Catholic Charities (2024), Certified Contract Manager from UCLA Extension (2023), and Legal Research Certification from LexisNexis (2017).

Approach to Clients: Her core values are empathy, clear communication, and commitment. Nilendri’s goal is to make the immigration process feel manageable and meaningful. She’s a trusted advocate who listens closely and delivers thoughtful, informed solutions. Fun Fact: Nilendri loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures. But no matter where her passport takes her, she always returns home to her clever (and occasionally mischievous) cat, Lilly—who’s currently in training to master a few new tricks!

Pro-Bono Activities

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) (2024-2025), Lions club (USA) (2020-2023)

Rotaract (SL), Hashtag Generation (SL),Law Goes Green(SL), Students Association for charity (SL), Law Clinic (2018-2019) Past Positions

Fibi Lw Firm, Associate Attorney, 2024 to 2026

Steffas and Associates P.C., Associate Attorney, 2024 to 2025