
TEODORA D. PURCELL
PARTNER
tpurcell@larrabee.com
Teodora (Teo) Purcell is a Partner
with Larrabee Albi Coker, LLP, with 20 years of diverse immigration legal
experience. An immigrant herself, she has a passion to help people and advises
on global mobility and business immigration issues. Ms. Purcell advocates for
the rights and opportunities of people of diverse backgrounds and counsels
corporate and individual clients on immigration compliance. She devises
strategies for bringing and retaining foreign talent to the U.S. and assists
individuals in complex family immigration and citizenship matters.
Ms.
Purcell is certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the California State
Bar Board of Legal Specialization. While she has experience in all facets of
immigration law, her focus is business and family immigration. Ms. Purcell’s
corporate immigration practice focuses on the life science, biotech, technology
and engineering sectors. She works not only with employers, but also
entrepreneurs, scientists, researchers, emerging companies, as well as
represents individuals in various immigration matters before the Department of
Homeland Security and its agencies. Ms. Purcell is sought after to provide
creative solutions to complex legal issues related to inadmissibility,
removability and eligibility for a wide spectrum of immigration benefits in the
U.S. She is a frequently invited speaker on immigration topics and a faculty
member in Immigration Law at the University of California San Diego ABA
approved paralegal program. Ms. Purcell obtained her LLM in Comparative Law
degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and her JD and LLM
degrees from the top Bulgarian law school, Sofia University. She is licensed to
practice in both the U.S. (California) and Bulgaria. Ms. Purcell is dedicated
to pro bono work and volunteers her time to assist victims of domestic
violence, human rights violations, or unaccompanied immigrant children, or
other immigrants who seek humanitarian relief or citizenship.
Ms.
Purcell is the recipient of many professional accolades, including the San
Diego Business Journal 50 Women of Influence (2023), San Diego Business Journal
Top 100 Leaders in the Law (2022), Thompson Reuters Super Lawyers (2015-2023),
Top 25 Women Super Lawyers in San Diego, CA (2019 -2021), KPBS Local Hero Award
(2016), Casa Cornelia La Mancha Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year
(2015), to name a few. Ms. Purcell is dedicated to community service and has
served in leadership positions for different local legal or industry
organizations. She currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Corporate
Directors Forum and for the University of San Diego School of Law. Ms. Purcell
loves to mentor newer attorneys and law students, and is a member of the
Diversity Fellowship mentoring program with the San Diego County Bar
Association.
Ms.
Purcell is an identical twin and a mother, who enjoys traveling, beach walks,
spending time with family and friends, yoga, taking care of her golden
retriever and her cat. She is a dual citizen of Bulgaria and the United States
and is fluent in Bulgarian and conversant in Russian and Spanish.
Duane Morris LLP
– Special Counsel, Aug. 2019-Sept. 2021
Tafapolsky Smith Mehlman LLP
– Senior Attorney, Nov. 2017- July 2019
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP
– Senior Attorney, July 2006-October 2017
University of California San Diego
– Faculty Instructor, Immigration Law ABA Approval Paralegal Program, 2013-
present
Aguirre Law Group
– Associate, 2004-2006
Casa Cornelia Law Center
– Staff Attorney, 2002-2003
California State Bar, Board of Legal Specialization
– Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law, 2011-present
San Diego County Bar Association
– Board of Directors, 2018-2021
– Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, 2020- present
– Immigration Law Section Chair, 2013-2015
American Immigration Lawyer Association
– Executive Committee Member/Treasurer, San Diego Chapter, 2013
– USCIS Committee, 2014
– Consular Corp. Liaison Committee Chair, 2014-2015
Casa Cornelia Law Center Inn of Court
– Benchers’ Committee, 2013-2016
Lawyers Club of San Diego, 2006-present
– Co-Chair, Lawyers Club of San Diego, Legal Community Outreach Committee,
2020- present
– Member, Professional Advancement, Community Outreach, Diversity Women
Committee Member, 2013-present
American Corporate Counsel, San Diego Chapter
– Pro Bono Committee, 2016-2017
BIOCOM San Diego, 2014-2017
– International Committee and Capital Development Committee Member, 2015-
2016
San Diego Human Resource Forum, 2015-2017
Women in Bio San Diego, 2015-2017
October 2022 – Partner Teodora Purcell was recently selected among the Top 100 Leaders in the Law by the San Diego Business Journal
Listed in Super Lawyers Top 25 Women Lawyers, 2019-2021
Listed in Super Lawyers San Diego, 2016-2021
KPBS Local Hero Award, 2016
Listed in San Diego Daily Transcript Top Attorneys, Immigration Law, 2014 and
2015
Corporate LiveWire Global Awards, Relocation Category, 2016
Casa Cornelia Law Center
– La Mancha Award, Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2015
– Pro Bono Publico Award, 2011 and 2014
State Bar of California
– Wiley W. Manual Award for Pro Bono Legal Services, 2002, 2012, and 2014-
2018
Vasil Levski Education and Cultural Foundation
– Board Member, 2007-2016


Bar Admissions
- California (2002)
- Bulgaria (2000)
Education
- University of San Diego School of Law, LL.M., 2001
- Sofia University, J.D. and LL.M., 1998