Education
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 2002
- Florida State University, B.S., 1998
Practice Areas
- Immigration Law
- Foreign Medical Graduates / Foreign National Physicians
- Employment – Business Immigration (Non-immigrant Visas & Legal Permanent Residence / Immigrant Visas)
- Employment Investigations and Audits
- Immigration Planning and Compliance
- Foreign National Investors (E-1 / E-2 Treaty Traders / Investors, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program)
- Family Based Immigration / Naturalization
- Administrative Law
- Appellate Law
- Federal Administrative and Appellate Immigration matters before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Office of Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, I & N Administrative Appeals Office and the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals.
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Representative Client Experience
- Counseled U.S. Employers in their hiring practices for foreign national employees, compliance with the government’s I-9 employment eligibility verification form requirements and the E-Verify process, and in connection with government audits of their I-9 forms. Subsequently conducted audit and training for same assessing compliance and improving internal procedures.
- Assisted foreign nationals in obtaining admission to the United States for employment purposes in a variety of non-immigrant classifications (including E-1/E-2 treaty traders/investors, H-1B specialty occupations for professionals, H-2A agricultural and H-2B seasonal workers, L-1 intra-company transferees, O-1 extraordinary ability aliens, P-1 international athletes, R-1 religious workers and TN NAFTA for professional Mexican and Canadian workers).
- Assisted employers in obtaining legal permanent residence status for their foreign national employees (including extraordinary ability petitions, outstanding researchers and professors, multinational executives and managers, foreign nationals with advanced degrees / professionals and PERM labor certification).
- Advised clients on U.S. Consular Processing worldwide.
- Counseled clients as to the immigration options available for international investors (including the EB-5 Entrepreneur Investment visa program).
- Represented Foreign Medical Graduates / Physicians seeking J-1 Visa Waivers, National Interest Waivers, H-1B Visas and Permanent Residency.
- Assisted individuals/families with all aspects of their Family-Based Immigration Law needs.
Admitted
- The Florida Bar, 2002
- Maine, 2003
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, 2005
- U.S. District Court for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, 2013
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Professional Associations
- The Florida Bar (since 2002)
- The Maine State Bar Association (since 2003)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (since 2006)
- AILA Distance Learning Committee – Business (2018-19)
- AILA USCIS Texas Service Center Liaison Committee (2018-19)
- National Healthcare and Foreign Physicians Committee (2016-2017)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association, Central Florida Chapter
- Board of Directors (2014 to present)
- Educational Vice-Chair (2016, 2017)
- Educational Committee, Chair (2018-19)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association, Rome District Chapter, Member
- Fall Conference Committee – 2019, Member
- International Medical Graduate Taskforce, Member
- American Bar Association, International Law Section
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers
- Tallahassee Women Lawyers Association
- Penobscot County Bar Association, President, 2008-2009, Vice President, 2007, Secretary-Treasurer, 2006
- John Waldo Ballou American Inns of Court, Secretary-Treasurer, 2009-2010
- Maine Migrant Health Program, Board of Directors 2008-2010
Community Activities
- Gulf Winds Track Club
Publications and Lectures
- Presentation to AILA Central FL Chapter (Annual Conference), October 27, 2018: “H-1B RFE’s and Denials: Our New Realty”
- Presentation to AILA Central FL Chapter (Annual Conference), October 27, 2018: “Alternatives to PERM: NIWs, Schedule A, Group II”
- Presentation to AILA Central FL Chapter: April 20, 2017, “Immigration Options for International Medical Graduates and Foreign Physicians”
- Presentation to Moffitt Cancer Center: June 17, 2017, “Immigration Under President Trump’s Administration”
- Presentation to Firm’s Healthcare Clientele: March 24, 2016, “Immigration Law Every Employer Must Know – I-9 Compliance”
- Presentation to Firm’s Healthcare Clientele: March 24, 2016, “Employing International Physicians & Foreign Medical Graduates”
- Presentation to Firm, February 19, 2016, “Immigration 101”
- Presentation to the Mississippi Association of School Board Officials (MASBO), September 17, 2015: “The ABC’s of Immigration Law & Immigration Issues Affecting Public School Districts.”
- Presented at the 2015 SHRM HR Tallahassee Conference and Expo, June 10, 2015: “Immigration Law Every Employer Must Know.”
- Presentation to the Moffitt Cancer Center, July 24, 2014: “Immigration Issues Affecting Foreign National Patients.”
- Presented at Adams and Reese, LLP’s Annual Labor and Employment Law Seminar, April 10, 2014:
- “Immigration Law Every Employer Must Know.”
- Published Client Alerts (Lexology):
“Good News in the July Visa Bulletin for EB-3 Employment-Based Immigrant Category!” – 7.2015
“Immigration Innovation: Will the H-1B Cap Be Raised This Year?” – 1.2015
“President Obama To Take Executive Action Allowing Millions of Undocumented Immigrants to Stay and Work in the U.S. Legally.” – 11.20.2014
“Immigration Options for Employment of International Physicians” – 06.25.2014
“EB-5 Financing for U.S. Developers and Business” – 03.2014