Vilerka Solange Bilbao

Attorney At Law
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Vilerka Solange Bilbao

Founder, Attorney & Federal Immigration Litigator

Personal Experience

Vilerka Solange Bilbao is the Founder, Owner, and CEO of Bilbao Law, LLC, an immigration and human rights law firm based in Jacksonville, Florida. A former immigrant herself, Vilerka built Bilbao Law with a clear mission: to turn fear into freedom by defending immigrant families, challenging unlawful government action, and using the law as a tool for dignity, accountability, and justice.


Vilerka focuses her practice on detained immigrant representation, removal defense, and federal litigation. Her work includes habeas corpus actions challenging unlawful detention, unlawful arrests, prolonged ICE custody, denial of bond, denial of access to counsel, government violations of due process, excessive force, prisoner-rights violations, medical neglect, and other abuses arising inside immigration detention. She also represents individuals and families in Federal Tort Claims Act matters when government misconduct, negligence, or abuse has caused harm.


She is admitted to practice in Florida and before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. She also frequently appears before federal courts through pro hac vice admission in complex immigration detention, habeas, and civil-rights litigation. Through this work, Vilerka has developed a litigation-focused approach to immigration defense, particularly in cases involving detained immigrants, ICE custody, unconstitutional detention conditions, prolonged detention, access-to-counsel violations, and systemic barriers to due process.


Before becoming an attorney, Vilerka worked as a paralegal at a Miami-based civil litigation practice, where she gained experience in complex civil litigation, real estate closings, foreclosure defense, and trusts and estates. That foundation in litigation and client service continues to inform her practice today, particularly in high-stakes federal litigation and cases involving government accountability.


Vilerka earned her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2018 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Criminal Justice, from Florida International University. During law school, she was recognized as a Dean’s Scholar, National Moot Court Champion, and recipient of awards for oral advocacy, brief writing, and pro bono service. Since becoming licensed, she has dedicated her career to defending immigrants and advancing human rights through removal defense, humanitarian immigration relief, federal litigation, advocacy, and pro bono representation.


Vilerka is deeply involved in the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She serves on the Board of the AILA Central Florida Chapter, helped organize the 2025 AILA Central Florida Chapter Conference, and serves as head of the chapter’s Detention Committee. Through that role, she works alongside organizations including the ACLU, Americans for Immigrant Justice, Florida Detention Coalition, Miami Circle of Protection, Baker Interfaith Alliance, and the Florida Immigration Coalition to monitor immigration detention conditions, identify systemic abuses, and support litigation and advocacy efforts affecting detained immigrants in Florida.


Her recent detention advocacy has focused heavily on Florida detention facilities, including Alligator Alcatraz, Baker County Detention Center, Baker Correctional Institution, and other facilities where detained immigrants have reported barriers to counsel, unsafe conditions, medical neglect, excessive force, retaliation, solitary confinement, and other human-rights violations. Vilerka’s work is rooted in the belief that every person, regardless of immigration status, deserves due process, humane treatment, access to counsel, and protection from government abuse.


In addition to her private practice, Vilerka provides extensive pro bono representation and legal advocacy. She was recognized by the American Immigration Lawyers Association as a 2021 Pro Bono Champion for her service to the Jacksonville immigrant community, including representation of detained immigrants, families separated at the border, and individuals affected by unsafe detention conditions. She also participates yearly in congressional advocacy meetings at the federal and state levels, representing AILA and advocating for immigrant rights, detention oversight, due process protections, and legislation that supports immigrant families in the United States.


Vilerka is frequently featured in local, state, national, and Spanish-language media on immigration enforcement, detention conditions, family separation, due process, access to counsel, and the impact of changing immigration policies on families and communities. She has been quoted and featured by outlets including News4JAX, First Coast News, Telemundo, Jax Today, and other media platforms regarding Florida immigration enforcement, state-run detention facilities, local law enforcement collaboration with ICE, and immigrant rights.


Bilbao Law has been recognized as a Best of Florida Regional winner in the Immigration Law Firms category and has again been nominated for Best of Florida in 2026. Vilerka has also been selected as an Elite Lawyer, with Elite Lawyer listing her recognition since 2022 and identifying her as a 2026 Elite Lawyer recipient.


As the leader of Bilbao Law, Vilerka continues to expand the firm’s impact beyond traditional immigration representation. Her vision is to build a firm that combines excellent legal work, creative litigation, community education, and fierce human-rights advocacy. Whether representing a detained client, filing a federal habeas action, pursuing accountability for government abuse, or advocating for legislative reform, Vilerka’s mission remains the same: to defend immigrant families, challenge injustice, and fight for a legal system that recognizes the humanity of every person.



Outside of her legal work, Vilerka loves spending time traveling the world with her husband and learning about different cultures. She is a yogi, an art lover in every form — music, dance, painting, poetry, and spoken word — and enjoys bringing creativity into every part of her life. She also collaborates with her husband’s technology startup, loves recreating recipes and experimenting in the kitchen, and enjoys life at home with their puppy, Lucy, and four backyard chickens. Vilerka and her husband are expecting their first child in 2026.

Media, Awards & Recognition

Attorney Vilerka Solange Bilbao and Bilbao Law have been featured in local, statewide, national, and Spanish-language media for their work on immigration enforcement, detention conditions, due process, family separation, access to counsel, and immigrant rights.


Featured in the Media


Awards & Recognition


Vilerka continues to collaborate with legal, faith-based, and community organizations to monitor detention conditions, protect access to counsel, challenge unlawful government action, and advocate for immigrant families across Florida and the United States.

Areas Of Practice

Admitted To Practice


Education

  • Florida Coastal School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor, 2018
  • Florida International University
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts, 2015


Professional Memberships