- Immigration Law
Shiva develops creative strategies for navigating the complex U.S. immigration system. She advises businesses on hiring key personnel, structuring global entities to facilitate talent mobility, and addressing immigration compliance issues. She creates immigration solutions for immigrant investors and entrepreneurs, as well as other specialized foreign nationals such as athletes and entertainers, religious workers, and expats. She represents clients across a range of industries including staffing, technology, healthcare, independent schools, and start-ups.
Shiva currently serves as a Trustee of the Boston Bar Foundation. Shiva is also chair of the firm’s Immigration Law Practice Group, managing director of the firm’s Boston office and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. In addition, she is also a chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Shiva is a long-time member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Previous to McLane Middleton, Shiva established and directed Karimi & Associates, PC for fourteen years. She has served as chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Immigration Law Committee, co-chair of the BBA’s Immigration Law Section, and was a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Immigration Law Steering Committee. She also served as a Council member of the Boston Bar Association and contributed to the authorship of the BBA’s Immigration Principles. She was a board member of the Lawyers Weekly Board of Editors, and Suffolk University Law School’s Law Alumni Board.
Shiva earned her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, and is currently admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. She received her B.A., cum laude, from Northeastern University.
Area of Focus
Admissions
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit
Involvement
- Boston Bar Association, Secretary (2024)
- Boston Bar Association, Executive Committee (2024 – present)
- Boston Bar Foundation, Trustee (2024 – present)
- Boston Bar Association, Council Member (2019 – 2023)
- Boston Bar Association, Finance Committee (2021 – present)
- Boston Bar Association, Law Firm Leaders Forum (2021 – present)
- Boston Bar Association, Women of Color Attorney’s Leadership Forum (2022 – present)
- Boston Bar Association, Amicus Committee (2019 – 2024)
- Boston Bar Association, Immigration Law Section, Co-chair (2017 – 2020)
- Suffolk Law Alumni Board (2017 – 2020)
- Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Editorial Board (2019 – 2023)
- Boston Bar Association, Beacon Award Steering Committee Co-chair, 2019
- USA 500 Clubs, Woburn Host, International Roundtable Member (2014 to present)
- ProVisors, Boston II Executive Committee, M&A Group, Transitioning Business Advisors Group (2013 – 2022)
- Boston Bar Foundation, Beacon Award Steering Committee, Co-chair (2019)
- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Leadership Program (2017)
- Friends of Fort Point Channel, Board of Directors (2010 – 2015)
- Operation Bootstrap, Inc. Board of Directors (2007 – 2009)
- Massachusetts Bar Association, Immigration Law Steering Committee (2006 – 2008)
- Boston Bar Association Immigration Law Committee of the International Law Section, Co-Chair (2002 – 2007)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (2000 – present)
Awards
- Best Lawyers in America 2024 – 2025 (Immigration Law)
- Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Top Managing Partners 2024
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers 2023 (Immigration; Business)
- Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers of 2021, 2022, 2023 (Immigration)
- Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Top Women of Law 2019
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2005 – 2014 (Immigration)
Additional Publications
- Immigration Practice Manual, MCLE New England, co-author – chapter 30: Current I-9 Employment Verification Procedures, Best Practices for IRCA Compliance, and Preparing for a Government Investigation
- Boston Bar Association, Immigration Principles
Speaking Engagements
- Enrollment Management Association, Tuesday Talks, Student Visa Trends (2024)
- Transaction Talk Podcast, Immigration Options for Investors (2024)
- Boston Bar Association, Career Path (2022, 2023)
- University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce Law School, Immigration Practice (2023)
- Business NH Magazine’s NH Futurecast: Immigration (January 23, 2020)
- ProVisors DEI Panel, Resilience and Women Leaders (2021)
- Babson College, regular guests lecturer (2022 – present)
- 2018 Human Resources Conference, Recordkeeping and the Form I-9 (June 15, 2018)
- McLane Middleton’s NH Employment Law Update, Immigration Law in the New Administration (May 16, 2017)
- New England Broker’s Association, Investor’s Visa E-2 and EB-5 (March 1, 2017)
- International Business Series, New Administration Expectations, (January 31, 2021)
- McLane Middleton’s MA Employment Law Update, Updates to the H-2B Temporary Worker Program (November 20, 2016)
- International Business Series, Crossing the U.S. Border Inbound and Outbound (November 4, 2016)
- New Hampshire Bar Association, Immigration Law 2016 CLE (May 19, 2016)
- Baystate Business Brokers, Investor’s Visa E-2 and EB-5 (May 17, 2016)
- Murphy Business, Investor’s Visa E-2 and EB-5 (March 2, 2016)
- International Business Series, Businesses with Foreign Branches (January 21, 2016)
- McLane Middleton, Immigration Issues for Businesses (February 17, 2015)
- Boston Municipal Court Department Judge’s Conference, Landlord/Tenant Law (2011)
- Boston College Law School, Guest Lecturer (2010)
- Massachusetts Bar Association, Immigration Basics (2006)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association 3rd Annual Symposium, Federal Court Litigation (2006)
- Boston Bar Association, Mandamus Actions (2004, 2006)
- ALRI/Boston Sabes, Adult Continuing Education (2006)
Latest News
- Eight McLane Middleton Lawyers Included in Massachusetts Super Lawyers (September 27, 2024)
- 60 Attorneys from McLane Middleton Recognized in 2025 Best Lawyers in America (August 19, 2024)
- Shiva Karimi Confirmed as Part of the Executive Committee of the Boston Bar Association (July 19, 2024)
- Attorneys Shiva Karimi and Vineesha Sow to Take Part in Panel Event for the Boston Bar Association (March 29, 2024)
- Shiva Karimi Named a Top Managing Partner by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (March 27, 2024)
- Shiva Karimi Named to McLane Middleton’s Management Committee (January 9, 2024)
- Six McLane Middleton Attorneys Included in Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers of 2023 (November 21, 2023)
- 37 McLane Middleton Lawyers Included in Super Lawyers (October 17, 2023)
- Shiva Karimi to Present on a Webinar Sponsored by Peridot Family Law (September 27, 2023)
- Shiva Karimi Confirmed to the Leadership Team of the Boston Bar Foundation’s Board of Trustees (August 23, 2023)