Borders Law Firm
3 lawyers · Established 2004 · City of Toronto
One of 2,347 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 426 handling Immigration Law.
About Borders Law Firm
Borders Law Firm is a Toronto immigration firm founded in 2004 by Andres Pelenur and Devika Penekelapati. It practises exclusively in Canadian and U.S. immigration law, and its lawyers represent clients ranging from multinational corporations to small businesses, families, and individuals. Devika Penekelapati is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a specialist in citizenship and immigration law; Andres Pelenur held the same certification from 2014 to 2019. Together they bring almost forty years of combined practice to the firm. The Toronto office works alongside a second location in Dallas, Texas, reflecting the firm's cross-border focus on both Canadian and U.S. immigration matters.
Andres Pelenur, who was raised in Brazil and Uruguay and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, holds degrees from McGill University and the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law and is also an attorney-at-law in Massachusetts. Devika Penekelapati earned law degrees from McGill University and the University of Ottawa and works in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, and Punjabi in addition to English. Across the firm, lawyers and staff offer services in Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, French, and German, and most legal services are billed on a flat fee basis rather than by the hour.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Andres Pelenur was a Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law from 2014 to 2019, spent time advising New Zealand's Central Government on policy matters, then returned to the firm as Principal Lawyer in April 2021 and resumed the role of Managing Partner in January 2024.
- Devika Penekelapati served as Borders Law Firm's Managing Partner from 2015 to 2024 and remains a Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law.
In the community
- Devika Penekelapati is a member of the South Asian Bar Association and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce.
- The firm keeps a blog tracking Canadian and U.S. immigration policy changes, with posts covering programs such as Express Entry, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, and Canadian citizenship by descent rules.
Fees & payment
Flat feeLawyers 3
Certified Specialists
A designation granted by the Law Society of Ontario, not a self-declared area of focus.
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Law schools
- McGill University, University of Toronto 2 of 3 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- Hindi, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Borders Law Firm's Toronto office is in Yonge and Eglinton, a midtown neighbourhood that functions as one of the city's business districts outside the downtown core. The area was originally a farming settlement, then incorporated as the town of North Toronto in 1890 before it was annexed by Toronto in 1912. Today it's home to corporate offices and sits over a major transit junction where the Yonge subway line meets the newer Eglinton Crosstown light rail. For a firm whose clients travel between Canada and the U.S. and often further afield, a base in one of Toronto's well connected commercial nodes fits the practice.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Borders Law Firm handle both Canadian and U.S. immigration cases?
- Yes. The firm practises exclusively in immigration law and handles matters on both sides of the border, including Canadian work permits, permanent residence and citizenship applications, and U.S. visa categories such as L-1, TN, and E-1/E-2.
- I run a small business and need to bring in a foreign worker. Can the firm help?
- Business immigration is one of the firm's main areas. It works with employers of all sizes, from multinational corporations to entrepreneurs starting a Canadian venture, on work permits, Service Canada applications, and the Start-Up Visa program.
- My immigration application was refused. Can Borders Law Firm still help?
- The firm represents clients on immigration refusals and appeals, including matters before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.
- Does the firm handle citizenship applications, including citizenship by descent?
- Yes. Its personal immigration practice covers citizenship via grant as well as Canadian citizenship by descent, along with permanent residence, sponsorship, and appeals work.
- What languages does the firm's team work in?
- Lawyers and staff at the firm offer services in Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, French, and German, in addition to English.
- How much does a consultation cost, and how do I book one?
- Consultations with the firm's founding partners cost $350 an hour plus HST for Canadian residents. Booking is done directly online, choosing a time with either Andres Pelenur or Devika Penekelapati.
Where to find them
2345 Yonge St #910, Toronto, ON M4P 1T7
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