Chioma Azi is a seasoned and multi-dimensional attorney in the Greater Philadelphia area with core expertise in immigration law, non-profit operations and small business development.
Chioma began her legal career as a law student representing impoverished clients with the Defenders Association of Philadelphia and the Office of the Public Defender of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. After completing law school, she gained admission to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bars and started her own practice. Chioma handled a variety of legal matters including immigration, small business consulting and civil cases.
In 2012, Chioma joined as a staff attorney at the African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc. (ACANA), a community-based non-profit organization that assists African and Caribbean immigrants in their resettlement in the United States. Under her eight year leadership, Chioma played a major role in the resurgence of the organization. She established the legal department serving close to 100 individuals & organizations with various immigration, civil and criminal matters. She assisted with the roll out of a burgeoning health department and oversaw the revitalization of the arts and culture department where she was the assistant director for the annual African Festival presented by PECO & the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation for six and half years straight. Not stopping there, Chioma took a lead in grant writing, program development and management and organization operations. Solidifying her growing influence in African and Caribbean communities nationwide, in 2021 Chioma joined a New York based non-profit working at the intersection legal service delivery, advocacy and power building. She served as national legal director for two and a half years. Today, Chioma continues to expand her legal horizons and currently serves as a senior staff attorney with the Philadelphia Board of Ethics, where she works on training and guidance on the City’s rules of ethics, lobbying, campaign finance and financial disclosures.
Chioma has consulted with various local government entities including the Philadelphia City Council and the administration of former Mayor Michael Nutter on immigration and employment law policy issues. In April 2021, she was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Commission on African African-American Affairs. She was reappointed for another term by Governor Josh Shapiro.
In 2015, Chioma was the recipient of the Exemplary Service Award from the Nigerian Lawyers Association for her “demonstrated a commitment to public service and has used legal expertise and skills to serve the needs of the members of the community at large.”
In addition to her legal work, Chioma is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Philly Nigerian Professionals- a professional development and networking group that brings African students and professionals together for social, networking, charitable and volunteer events in and around the Philadelphia area. She is also a co-founder and executive director of the Norah Anena Foundation-a non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting young people of Ugandan descent through education, career development and cultural awareness.
Born to a Nigerian father and Ugandan mother in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Chioma still makes her home in Philadelphia with her son and husband and also splits time between Uganda and Nigeria.