David Benham-Suk
About
David is the first attorney that most potential clients meet when they visit Landerholm Immigration for an initial consultation. David asks questions to understand each person’s circumstances and priorities, then recommends a legal strategy to meet their needs.
A Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law with the State Bar of California, David has broad immigration defense experience. Many of David's cases have involved complex criminal and procedural issues. He has won status for clients accused of marriage fraud and who were previously deported. He’s helped clients charged or convicted with multiple DUIs, drugs and firearms offences, car theft, assault, and murder. David has won removal order appeals at the Board of Immigration Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals. He has pushed stalled applications forward, challenged unconstitutional immigration detention decisions, and overturned visa and work permit denials before the United States District Court.
David also represents many clients without criminal convictions, prior removals, and appeals. He finds that his experiences with the most difficult cases helps him anticipate issues and provide better representation in every case.
Previously, David practiced general commercial and securities litigation at leading firms in New York City and San Francisco. David became an immigration attorney because he believes that no one is illegal and that every person should be free to live and work wherever they please. He enjoys helping his clients obtain the basic dignity of legal immigration status. He is proud to help his clients resist when deportation proceedings threaten to tear them from their homes, livelihoods, and loved ones.
David's own immigration story also informs his work. His grandparents immigrated from the Netherlands to Canada and his parents immigrated from Canada to the United States. David grew up in Michigan, went to college and law school in Canada, then returned to the United States to practice law. David is proficient in Spanish and French.
Education
- J.D., McGill University Faculty of Law (2016)
- Bachelor of Civil Laws, McGill University Faculty of Law (2016)
- Master of Public Policy, University of Toronto (2009)
- B.A., Economics, McGill University (2007)
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of California (2017)
- State Bar of New York (2017)
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (2021)
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (2018)
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California (2021)
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California (2021)
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (2021)
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (2021)
Honors
- Certified Specialist in Immigration Law, The State Bar of California (2024)
- Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star for Immigration (2023-2024)
- Canadian Association for Refugee Studies Graduate Student Essay Prize (2016)
- Dean’s Honor List, McGill University Faculty of Law (2013-2016)
- I.M.E. Prize in Commercial Law, McGill University Faculty of Law (2016)
Community Service
- Volunteer Attorney, Bar Association of San Francisco, Attorney of the Day Program (2019-2022)
- Volunteer Attorney, Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative, Southern Poverty Law Center (2018)
- Volunteer, Refugee Legal Aid Project, Cairo, Egypt (2013)