Robert Anthony Alvarez – West Michigan 25 most influential Latinos
Robert Anthony Alvarez
Founding Member
Avanti Law Group, PLLC
Robert Anthony Alvarez not only has successfully defended tens of thousands of immigrant workers, but he’s also mentoring the next generation of Latino legal professionals.
As an attorney and founding member of Avanti Law Group, Alvarez focuses on representing immigrant workers in employment matters such as wage theft and discrimination. He also fights for Latino small businesses in contract disputes with general contractors who attempt to take advantage of them.
“In my 20 years of practice I’ve represented well over 50,000 individual workers in single, group and class action cases in Michigan and across the country helping them collect millions of dollars in damages,” he said.
He also represents people and families in immigration court attempting to prevent their deportation and assisting them in gaining lawful status.
Having previously worked as a paralegal and as an attorney with Migrant Legal Aid, Alvarez has trained other paralegals and attorneys in matters of immigration and employment law.
“As a professional and business owner, I have mentored and employed well over 200 West Michigan Latinos, providing not only employment opportunities, but also through internships at my firm in cooperation with law schools, undergraduate universities and the Hispanic Center of West Michigan.,” he said.
The son of a single mother who was a Mexican immigrant, Alvarez worked the blueberry fields during middle school and high school. He completed college and law school within 7 years, all while having a full-time job and fathering four kids.
His oldest son now looks to follow in his footsteps and works as a paralegal at Avanti Law Group while studying at Grand Valley State University with plans to attend law school.
Alvarez also serves as general counsel for Latino Leaders for the Enhancement of Advocacy & Development and has been a member of the board of several West Michigan nonprofits aimed at advocating for and improving the lives of the Latino community.
