Maura Petersen has practiced immigration law for over twenty years and been in private immigration practice since 1991. She completed her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of California, and also studied at the School of East European and Slavonic Studies in London, England. Ms. Petersen grew up in the United States and France, and speaks four languages: English; French; Spanish and Russian. She studied Russian Studies as an undergraduate and has traveled extensively in the former Soviet States. Her background is multi-disciplinary, including knowledge of law, the arts, language, and business. Ms. Petersen has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 1985.