John Vazquez joined Protogyrou Law in 2022 and currently leads the firm’s Immigration Law Section. Fluent in Spanish, his practice areas include criminal defense, insurance defense, and immigration law.
The son of Cuban immigrants, John grew up primarily in Norfolk, Virginia where his father retired as a Navy Senior Chief. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Virginia Military Institute and served twenty-five years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an Infantry Officer. As a Marine, John conducted numerous worldwide deployments to include multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also had extensive experience as an advisor, trainer, and instructor with foreign partners from across the globe.
After retiring from active duty, John attended the University of Miami School of Law where he earned his Juris Doctor with an area of focus in immigration, asylum, and citizenship law. While in law school, John served as a Legal Intern with the Miami Law Immigration Clinic and as a Fellow for the Professional Responsibility and Ethics Program. Additionally, he provided support for immigrant legal services as a volunteer with Americans for Immigrant Justice and Catholic Legal Services.
As an attorney, John has tried criminal and civil cases across the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as cases before the U.S. Immigration Courts. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Virginia Beach Bar Association, the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association, and the Cuban-American Bar Association.
Education
- BA, Virginia Military Institute, with Distinction
- JD, University of Miami School of Law
Service
- Lieutenant Colonel (retired), U.S. Marine Corps
- Infantry Officer; Latin America Foreign Area Officer
Bar Admission
Professional Associations
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- Virginia Beach Bar Association
- Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association
- Cuban-American Bar Association (CABA)
