Education & Professional Background
Attorney Shenqi Cai earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, consistently ranked among the top dispute resolution programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Prior to focusing on immigration and personal injury law, she worked within corporate legal and business teams in the San Francisco Bay Area: contract review and legal audits, risk assessment and mitigation, cross-departmental project management.
Immigration Law
Employment-Based & Extraordinary Ability Immigration: EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) · NIW (National Interest Waiver) · O-1 (Extraordinary Ability or Achievement) · Strategic pathways combining H-1B and L-1. She has represented researchers, artists, creative professionals, tech entrepreneurs, designers, corporate executives, and public policy experts, and understands USCIS adjudication standards for “Extraordinary Ability” and “National Interest.” Her strength is deconstructing complex professional backgrounds and presenting them through a structured evidence framework.
Strategic Identity Planning: she designs timelines that bridge short-term status needs with long-term goals, aligning O-1, EB-1A, and NIW filings for a seamless path to permanent residency.
Family-Based Immigration: marriage-based green cards (Adjustment of Status and Consular Processing), family sponsorship for relatives of U.S. citizens and LPRs, and complex cases with status gaps or sensitive travel histories. She organizes the timeline of a couple's shared life and supporting documentation.
Personal Injury
Motor vehicle accidents (auto, pedestrian, bicycle, rideshare) · Premises liability (slip-and-fall, hazardous property conditions) · Workplace injuries. With a dual background in immigration and personal injury law, she helps F-1/OPT students, H-1B/L-1 workers, and new immigrants who worry how an accident claim might affect their immigration record, pursuing maximum compensation while advising on immigration implications.
International Media Mentions & Public Engagement
In early 2025 a SEVIS anomaly caused many F-1 students at major U.S. universities to be incorrectly marked “Terminated” without notice. Lingtu Law Office was among the first legal teams to respond. Attorney Cai coordinated with university International Student Offices, provided urgent counsel to affected students, and negotiated with USCIS and university administrations to correct status errors. She was interviewed by The Guardian and CBS News on the technical and legal causes of the SEVIS anomalies, the consequences for student status, and defense measures for students facing administrative errors.
