Harris Beach attorney Azin Ahmadi called it a “true honor” to be named to City & State’s first “Power of Diversity: Middle Eastern and North African 50” list, adding the publication’s focus on individuals with connections to MENA is a watershed moment for the region’s diverse ethnic, religious, and national communities in New York.

The willingness of City & State to focus on MENA individuals and communities and publish such thoughtful articles and interviews are a testament to the incredible work that an eclectic array of people have been doing in politics, activism, law, and academia,” Azin said.

Azin, listed at No. 43, is part of the firm’s Immigration Law Practice Group, where she counsels employers and individuals on both non-immigrant and immigration visa options (H-1B, O-1, TN, E-1, E-2, L-1, and B-1), as well as employment-based green card options through PERM Labor Certification, EB-1, EB-2 and NIW, and EB-3 categories. Azin, based in Albany, also works with individual clients on a range of matters involving family-based/individual immigration.

City & State wrote that it is putting a “spotlight on this often overlooked group, highlighting MENA individuals who are making a difference in politics, business and nonprofits and advocating for better representation and recognition in government.” The list features individuals from across the state who represent every pocket of the MENA region.

The publication hailed Azin for providing legal counsel to those “navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration system.”

“Inspired by her own experience as an Iranian immigrant who was raised in Germany, Ahmadi supports clients with employment, humanitarian and family-based visa options.”