A boutique immigration firm, BAL works across multiple industries and offers clients a balanced advisory and litigation practice. Texas-based Jeremy Fudge leads the team, overseeing significant expansion in the team, and opening up a brand-new office in Los Angeles, alongside Freida Garcia, who leads from the West Coast and counsels leading Silicon Valley multinationals. Kelli Duehning‘s longstanding experience with the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS make her the sought-after adviser for immigration involving urgent political crises, such as the war in Ukraine. Jeff Joseph operates from the Denver office and has built a reputation for successfully challenging government policy on behalf of his clients. Lynden Melmed leads the firm’s government strategies team, which seeks to influence the legislative and regulatory landscape, whereas Edward Rios focuses on embedding advanced tech solution for global mobility programs from the Boston office. Ashley Foret Dees is the key contact for clients in industries that rely on temporary and seasonal workers, whilst Stephanie Pimentel caters to both large conglomerates and start-ups. In the Dallas office, Kortney Gibson oversees global immigration programs for corporate clients. Josiah Curtis, Matt Gross, Nassim Mahzoon, and Ruth Clark are other key names in the practice.

 

 

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP works in close tandem with its business immigration group to advise on complex immigration matters such as NIEs and extraordinary ability visa petitions. The group is notable for representing major corporates such as Meta Platforms, financial services companies, leading talents in the entertainment industry and luxury brands. Other areas of expertise include defending companies in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, and Department of Justice enforcement actions. Co-leading the practice is Mark Koestler, who advises clients on their mobility strategies and compliancy issues, and Matthew S. Dunn, a specialist in the hiring and retention of foreign national executives. Allison D. Gray leverages her knowledge and expertise in employment-led immigration matters advising key clients in the advertising, arts and universities sectors, whilst Scott A. Gorski represents a wide-ranging client base aiding in temporary work authorizations and permanent residence status. Lawyers are based in New York.

Praised by clients as ‘one of the largest and most sophisticated immigration teams’, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP commands strong capabilities in the area of non-US visas and work permits, immigration issues relating to corporate transactions, foreign employment laws, taxation and compliance. Catering to a wide-range of international and high-caliber clients across a range of industries such as technology, media and entertainment and financial services. The strong bench is widely regarded as doyens in the fields of H-1B (nonimmigrant) visas, PERM and compliance. ‘Skilled legal professional’ Shannon Donnelly co-leads the team from the Washington DC office alongside Eleanor Pelta. Donnelly assists her clients on immigration issues arising from corporate transactions and movements of key executives and managers, while Pelta provides strategic advice on immigration programs designed to aid staff retention and talent hiring. The two co-leads are supported by Washington DC-based Eric Bord, who spearheads the firm’s immigration compliance and risk management practice, and Laura Garvin, who focuses on employment-based immigration law from the Miami office.

Working across a diversity of sectors, Akerman LLP provides a full-service immigration offering advising a range of clients on immigration strategies, compliance issues, pre-immigration tax and visa planning. The team are also adept at strategizing on corporate expansion and filing petitions in the EB-5 investor category. Recent standout work includes the filing of over 150 immigrant petitions for Adventist Health System. The practice is led by a triumvirate of experts, Eric Gordon chairs the labor and employment practice group from West Palm Beach, alongside Maria Casablanca, who serves as chair on the immigration and compliance practice in Miami. Third co-head, Denise Gavica Perez, also operates from Miami and represents a wide range of sectors on both investment-based immigration and employment-based immigration matters. They are supported by Anthony El-Hashem in Miami, a former trial attorney at the U.S Department of Justice, who brings extensive experience in handling nonimmigrant visas, employment-based immigration petition and I-9 compliance issues.

Duane Morris LLP works in close tandem with its trade, customs, international, tax, and corporate groups to provide a full-service to a wide range of multinationals and US corporations. Ted Chiappari focuses on acquiring temporary work permits and permanent residence status for foreign employees and heads up the practice from New York. Also in New York is Pierre Bonnefil, who is noted for his in-depth knowledge of online commerce, manufacturing and technology industries. The San Francisco office is home to Maxien Bayley, who combines employment-based immigration and naturalization expertise, and Lisa Spiegel, a specialist in immigration and nationality law. In Washington DC, Denyse Sabagh assists corporate clients with inbound and outbound employment immigration and is recognized for her expertise in business immigration programs and policies. Alejandra Vargas is another practitioner of note based in New York.

Foster LLP’s dedicated immigration practice combines attorneys with specialized expertise with the full breadth of immigration services. The group are well-equipped to handle nonimmigrant and immigrant cases, corporate transfers, individual family-based representation, immigration workforce compliance and removal proceedings. The team is co-led by founder and chairman Charles Foster in Houston, Robert Loughran in Austin, who specializes in immigration and nationality law, along with Houston-based Helene Dang, who manages employment-based immigration for employers, large multinationals and start-ups. Also, in Houston is Avalyn Langemeier, who’s practice focuses on employment and compliance particularly in the healthcare and academic sectors. Austin-based Delisa F. Bressler is well-versed in temporary US work visa permanent residency and naturalization along with Ryan Chargois, who focuses on work authorizations and work permits. In Houston, Layla Panjwani advises a diverse client portfolio on corporate immigration strategy whereas, Dorothee Mitchell specialized in the energy, education and IT industry from the Austin office. Todd Fowler, Sandra Dorsthorst and Vi Nguyen are other practitioners of note.

Jackson Lewis P.C. advises on state and local immigration, leveraging extensive experience in representing key executives facing immigration detention and fighting denials and removals at federal court. The team also provides counsel to a number of clients on regulatory compliance, for example I-9 employment eligibility and verification, and routinely represents clients and vendors in Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor investigations. Michael H. Neifach, operating from Washington DC, focuses on compliancy issues, serving a broad clientele of high-net-worth individuals, private equity firms and multinational corporations. In Omaha, Amy Peck handles complex compliance and workplace immigration matters alongside chairing the National Verification Committee for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Based in White Plains, Otieno Ombok specializes in the healthcare sector providing industry tailored advice to major pharma companies, healthcare providers, and manufacturers on their immigration policies. Nicola AI Ling Prall and Meredith Stewart are other key figures in the practice.

Bolstered by a strong international network, Mayer Brown International LLP is notable for corporate immigration and mobility staffing, while talent management, visa sponsorship, and spousal benefits are other areas of expertise. The Washington DC-based team also engages in high-profile asylum work representing families fleeing religious persecution in Nigeria and Afghan women refugees. The global mobility and migration group is co-led by Elizabeth Espín Stern, renowned for her work advising multinationals, and Grace Shie, a specialist on employee mobility in financial and equity markets. Carl Risch advises on global visa and passport function for the US government and foreign consulates, and Maximilian Del Rey assists with immigration-related compliance and risk management.

 

New York headquartered with a strong presence in the German market, McDermott Will & Emery LLP is a full-service corporate immigration practice well-placed to handle visa applications, executive transfers, I-9 compliance programs and government audits. The group also works closely with its private client practice to offer immigration advice to wealthy families and advises on immigration aspects arising from mergers and acquisitions. Strengthened by the considerable expertise of New York-based Joan-Elisse Carpentier, regarded by many as a leading figure in immigration and nationality law, leads the firm’s business immigration practice, supported by immigration-related disputes expert, Paul Hughes, who operates from Washington DC.

 

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. is distinguished for representing entrepreneurs, multinational corporations and investors entering the US market. Working across a diversity of sectors, the team deals with complex immigration cases often involving H-1B visas, inadmissibility waivers and matters in the EB-5 financing space. With strong relationships to federal agencies and US consulates, the group is co-led by Boston-based John Quill, who advises clients on the latest regulations and compliancy issues alongside Susan Cohen, an immigration specialist with a substantive pro-bono practice with deep experience in the field. Also in Boston, is William Coffman, who focuses on immigration and nationality law as well outbound emigration and international law and Douglas Hauer, an expert on EB-5 investor visa programs. Angel Feng assists clients with formulating their immigration policies and compliancy issues.

 

New York headquartered with a broad international clientele, Pryor Cashman LLP boasts a full-service immigration offering, spanning immigration programs, international relocations and compliancy issues. Colleen Caden, renowned immigration specialist with an in-depth knowledge of the professional sports sector, co-leads the group along with Avram Morel, who represents several major clients in the financial services sector and corporate immigration specialist, Maria Fernanda Gandarez. Recent highlights for the group include large-scale employee relocation, immigration-related matters arising from major mergers and acquisitions and multiple entry business visas.

 

A several offices nationwide, Baker McKenzie LLP deals with complex immigration matters and works closely with employment, corporate and tax teams to offer provide a full-service offering. With extensive experience catering to global companies, the firm also marshals specialized knowledge of several industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, consumer products and finance. It is also notable for its expertise in guiding clients through rapidly changing compliancy issues following enhanced border security and labor validation requirements. The practice is led by the highly experienced Betsy Stelle Morgan, a specialist in corporate and employment-based immigration law. She is supported by Ginger Partee, who is especially knowledgeable of immigration in the context of manufacturing and engineering industries, and corporate immigration specialist, Melissa Allchin – both of whom practice in Chicago. Matthew Gorman operates from the Washington DC office and handles work visa petition, permanent residence and immigration compliance.

Cozen O'Connor provides clients with a full-service immigration practice and is well-equipped to advise global and multinational employers on temporary and long-term immigration solutions. Bolstered by a multidisciplinary team of tax, labor and corporate specialists. Particular areas of expertise for the firm involves handling large volume employment-based transactions, transfer of key executives and investment-based immigration. The team is led by Scott Bettridge, who operates from Miami, representing both corporate and individual clients in the financial services, media, energy and healthcare sectors and is skilled at handling non-immigrant visas, permanent residence, labor certification, and citizenship. He is supported by Frances Rayer, in Philadelphia, who focuses on employment-based immigration and New York-based David Adams, who focuses his practice on immigration and non-immigrant visas, PERM, permanent residency and consular processing issues. Chicago's Elizabeth Olivera, a specialist in the technology, engineering and manufacturing sectors, advises both domestic and international clients.

Dentons is bolstered by an extended network of offices across the US and possesses considerable expertise in the business immigration field. Key areas of the practice include personnel movement, assisting companies with hiring highly skilled professionals and the full range of business visa applications. The team is led by a quartet of specialists – Alexander Castrodale operates from the Pittsburg office and specializes in employment-based immigration, including temporary and permanent visas, family-based immigration, naturalization, and related issues. In Des Moines, Lori T. Chesser assists individuals and employers with all their immigration needs and brings an impressive client portfolio of Fortune 500 companies, Pittsburg-based Alexa Forte handles temporary and permanent visas for clients’ foreign national employees, and business immigration expert, Matthew Schulz who is based in Silicon Valley. Megan Lantz recently joined the firm from Barten Law and now practices in the Des Moines office.

A full-service immigration firm, Fisher Phillips provides expertise in three key areas: US immigration, global migration, compliance and enforcement. They assist employers in hiring foreign nationals, obtaining nonimmigrant visas, intra-company transfers and applications for permanent residence. Based in Atlanta, Shanon Stevenson co-chairs the firm’s immigration practice group along with business immigration expert, Jocelyn Campanaro, who operates from the Denver office. The third practice head is Memphis-based David Jones, who is an expert in immigration benefits and enforcement. The firm is further strengthened by San Francisco-based Jang Hyuk Im, Seattle-based Ralph Hua and Edwina Kye, as well as the highly experienced Davis Bae, also in Seattle. Another practitioner of note is Radhika Mehta,

Grossman Young & Hammond provides a full-service immigration offering with a particular focus on asylum claims, family-based immigration and employment immigration. Humanitarian immigration is another area of strength for the group, collaborating with Interpol experts and the international protection group. Business immigration expert Becki Young co-leads the practice in Silver Spring alongside Sandra Grossman, who operates from Bethesda, MD and focuses her practice on representing clients before Interpol. Also working in Bethesda is Meg Hobbins, who brings deep experience in immigration and international human rights matters and Patrick Taurel, who specializes in complex removal cases. Yeon Me Kim and Adriana Robinson are other key practitioners in the team.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP‘s handles the full spectrum of immigration work from sponsorship, global immigration and compliancy issues. In Washington DC, Ian Band co-leads the practice and advises corporate clients on immigration and nationality law alongside Adam Rosser, who focuses on employment-based immigration as well as practice management, immigration pricing and employee retention matters. Suzan Kern assists banking, manufacturing and biotech companies to secure a variety of visas for employees, Shaena Rowland focuses on corporate immigration and compliancy and Lieselot Whitbeck, who operates from Miami, specializes in aiding companies with a global workforce. Recognized expert in Department of State policy and consular operations, Stephen Pattison is based in the Washington DC office. Sara Harlow, Brooke Hollmann, Farah Egal are other key names in the practice.

Laura Devine Attorneys LLC immigration practice is led by ‘highly knowledgeable’ New York-based attorneys Jennifer Stevens and Laura Devine and caters to a diverse portfolio of clients from a diversity of industry sectors. The group are further strengthened by their transatlantic partners based in the London office. The practice heads are supported by dual-qualified Miglena Ilieva and Jane Lee, who focuses on business immigration and compliance.

Skilled at advising clients on planning temporary employee assignments, BakerHostetler handle temporary work visas and other visa types, such as H-1B and E-3 visas, alongside petitions for green cards. Catering to a diverse client portfolio across a range of industries such as manufacturing, engineering and financial services. David Serwer co-leads the team from Chicago, and brings extensive expertise in employment-based immigration law. He is joined by Amy J. Traub, who co-chairs the team from New York. The two co-leads are aided by Pamela D. Nieto, who operates from Houston and assists small and large companies in their immigration planning whether managing employee transfers abroad or the hiring of foreign nationals. John Foerster specializes in corporate immigration from the Chicago office, meanwhile Michelle Barhorst leverages her in-depth knowledge of the healthcare and insurance industries in Columbus.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP caters to Fortune 500 companies, mid-size employers, small businesses and trade associations advising on immigration and nationality law, global mobility, and employment-based immigration matters. With an established presence in the German market, the group routinely assists German employers in the automotive and construction sectors. Business immigration specialist Teri A. Simmons heads up the practice.

Representing clients across a diverse range of industries, Bracewell LLP collaborates closely with its corporate, energy and tax team to provide full-service immigration offering. The practice is led by Victoria Garcia, who operates from San Antonio, advising domestic and international clients on employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Another area of expertise is family and employment-based applications for permanent residence and citizenship, employee transfer, and conflicts between US and foreign immigration regulations.

Greenspoon Marder LLP is led by New York-based Patricia Gannon, who focuses her practice on business immigration. Her team aids clients to secure work visas for corporate executives representing Fortune 500 companies, startups, and high-profile individuals as well as advising clients on changes in the immigration legislation and compliancy. Marcela Bermudez assists clients in variety of employment-based immigration, non-immigrant matters, I-9 issues, and family-based benefits and Ruijie Zhang brings extensive experience handling complex H-1B RFEs on specialty occupation, employer-employee relationship alongside DOL and USCIS procedures.

 

With strong presence in Kansas and the wider Missouri area, Husch Blackwell LLP, provide immigration counsel to a wide-ranging client base. Short and long-term work authorizations, immigration planning, I-9 compliance and U.S. consular representation are some of the key issues in which the firm is well-placed to assist clients with. The group is co-led by business immigration specialist, Kelli Meilink, and Christine Fabin, who focuses her practice on hiring talent abroad, sponsorship petitions and immigration policy development. The leadership team operates out of Kansas City.

Perkins Coie LLP is led by KoKo Ye Huang, an expert on the interplay between immigration compliance and litigation, who operates from Seattle. The group caters to clients from a diversity of industries such as technology, life sciences, retail and construction and is skilled in defending employers in DOJ and DOL investigations as well as assisting on compliance requirements.

Independent law firm Vialto Law formed in March 2023 and operates across the United States. The team is led by experienced immigration practitioner, Angelo Paparelli, formerly of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, who co-leads the practice from the Los Angeles office, The firm's expertise encompasses work permits/ business visas, consular support, document procurement, advisory services, crisis management and government liaison.