Read Cynthia's Acceptance Remarks
In 1990, Cynthia Aziz founded the law office of CA Aziz P.A., now recognized as Aziz Law Firm. From its inception, its focus has been U.S. immigration and nationality law. Cynthia is a North Carolina State Board Certified Specialist in immigration and nationality law. Her professional memberships are numerous, and she has often served in leadership roles for these organizations.
Originally from New England, Cynthia is of Lebanese descent. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and her juris doctorate from New England School of Law in Boston. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar and, following her move to the South, was admitted to the North Carolina Bar and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Recognized for her knowledge and commitment to the field of immigration law, Cynthia is often invited to plan, present, and/or write for CLE programs both at the state and national level as well as other community and professional symposiums throughout the state. Cynthia has provided pro bono work when called upon by the Mecklenburg County Bar, Piedmont Legal Services (now Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy) the Refugee Office of Catholic Social Services, Immigrant and Refugee Children’s Project of UNHCR, and faith communities.
Cynthia has been acknowledged as a mentor to her professional colleagues when in 2001, she was recognized for her generous spirit. She was presented with the Elizabeth Gervais Gruen Award—a Mentor Award given by the Carolinas Chapter of the AILA. In 1999, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Chapter of Phi Delta recognized Cynthia as an honorary member of the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society of International Scholars for her significant contributions to Charlotte’s international community. In 1992, the mayor of Charlotte and Board of County Commissioners appointed Cynthia to serve on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Advisory Committee.
Cynthia is a member of or affiliated with numerous civic and professional organizations. Cynthia was a past Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association – Carolinas Chapter. She currently serves as an Immigration Court Liaison. She is affiliated with the National Immigration Project and the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children of UNHCR and AILA. Cynthia served on the Board of Directors for the Board of Directors for International House, North Carolina Justice Center and the Mecklenburg County Bar. Cynthia currently serves on the Board of Specialization for North Carolina State Bar and has previously chaired the Committee on Immigration and Nationality. In recent years, she has been venturing outside of her comfort zone tutoring second graders in reading at Druid Hills Academy in Charlotte.
Cynthia is recognized by her legal peers for her dedication to the immigration sector. She was described by her nominator as showing “constant commitment to an ever-changing, complex, and often controversial area of the law.” She is considered a local expert in the field of immigration law who “has shown substantial and significant service to the community and the justice system and embodies model conduct, integrity, and competence.”
It is for these reasons and many more that we are delighted to award Cynthia Aziz the 2023-24 Ayscue Professionalism Award.