Jonathan A. Bartell is a nationally recognized immigration and criminal defense attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience representing individuals and families throughout Ohio and across the United States. As a founding partner of Bartell Georgalas & Juarez, Jonathan has built a reputation for aggressive advocacy, compassionate client service, and successful results in complex immigration and criminal matters.
Jonathan’s passion for immigration law began long before he attended Case Western Reserve University School of Law. After graduating from Ithaca College in 1993, he traveled to Thailand for what was intended to be a short internship. Instead, he accepted a position with a nonprofit organization affiliated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where he spent years working directly with Laotian Highlanders, Cambodian refugees, and Vietnamese families preparing to resettle in the United States.
During his time working inside the Phanat Nikhom Refugee Camp in Thailand, Jonathan witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that changing U.S. immigration laws had on refugee families seeking safety and opportunity in America. Motivated to help vulnerable individuals navigate the immigration system, he began assisting families with immigration waivers and legal advocacy matters. That experience ultimately inspired his lifelong commitment to immigration law and defending the rights of immigrants facing difficult legal challenges.
Jonathan has appeared in immigration courts throughout the United States and routinely represents clients in highly complex deportation and asylum proceedings. He also defends clients facing criminal charges in both state and federal courts across Ohio, giving him a unique advantage in cases where criminal allegations may affect immigration status.
Because many immigration matters overlap with criminal law, Jonathan’s combined experience in both practice areas allows him to strategically protect clients from immigration consequences that may arise from arrests, convictions, or plea agreements.
