Our Immigration Practice Group advises companies in the U.S. and abroad on how to structure and streamline their hiring of foreign nationals. We also represent clients in worksite enforcement investigations, I-9 and E-Verify compliance and audits.  We partner with senior management and human resource professionals to handle temporary and long-term visas and immigration matters through such innovations as:

Our Immigration Practice Group advises companies in the U.S. and abroad on how to structure and streamline their hiring of foreign nationals. We also represent clients in worksite enforcement investigations, I-9 and E-Verify compliance and audits.  We partner with senior management and human resource professionals to handle temporary and long-term visas and immigration matters through such innovations as:

  • Dedicated access to an experienced immigration attorney who will partner with you to make the crucial decisions regarding the initial hiring of the foreign national, and how best to retain his/her services as he moves from a temporary visa to ‘green card’ and U.S. citizenship;
  • Timely preparation of L-1, E-1/E-2, H-1B and PERM cases within pre-established deadlines (“deliverables”), with special services for clients with high volumes or fluctuating case loads;
  • Experience in handling Homeland Security and ICE enforcement on Social Security no-matches, security and background checks, I-9 and E-Verify compliance and new restrictions on visa issuance and international travel;
  • Comprehensive I-9 and E-Verify compliance training to keep up with changes in ICE enforcement and state law sanctions;
  • Creative solutions to anticipate or minimize the impact of caps, quotas, backlogs and delays, including strategic advice for retaining foreign nationals awaiting issuance of ‘green cards’ while employed on temporary visas;
  • Use of Blanket L-1, E-1/E-2 and other transfer visas for employees of foreign subsidiaries, parents and affiliates working temporarily on assignments in the United States;
  • In-house training and client alerts so that your company can stay ahead of upcoming changes in the fast-paced and often confusing area of immigration law;
  • One-stop services for work and business visas for U.S. personnel traveling overseas or to Canada or Mexico;
  • A web-based case preparation and management system (LawLogix™) that provides foreign nationals with on-line questionnaires and access to case status, and the employer with access to status reports showing expiration dates and milestones; and
  • Innovative pricing options which include fixed-fees per visa, project pricing, or a blend of fixed and hourly fees that encourages in-house training of staff to handle routine and repetitive matters.

 

Worldwide Immigration and Employment Services

Businesses require immigration advice on more than in-bound visas to the United States for foreign nationals. Other countries have followed or reacted to U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiatives. The result is tighter immigration controls worldwide and the need for timely advice on a global basis - whether it’s on the processing of a visa for an Indian national to attend IT training in Paris; or for a U.S. service technician to repair an electrical substation in Moscow. We also recognize that long-term transfers overseas can raise international employment law issues requiring the assistance of counsel.

At Williams Mullen in the United States, we have considerable experience in applying for overseas visas for U.S. employees with filings at the Foreign Consulates in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and other major cities. To meet these global challenges, Williams Mullen provides a full range of legal services, including immigration and employment, through affiliations with firms abroad. We have developed these relationships to ensure timely and quality results.

Our representative services include:

  • Business visitor visas for all foreign countries requiring visas for your key managers, executives or specialists, whether U.S. citizens or foreign nationals;
    Experience in representing Indian and Chinese nationals working in the United States who may encounter special issues affecting business travel to Europe and the Americas;
  • Foreign Consulate visa processing to meet differing document requirements and assistance with urgent matters for foreign travel;
  • Work visas abroad for specialists, technicians, managers and craft employees;
  • Renewal or extensions of work permits and changes in status from visitor to work classifications, after entry into the foreign country;
  • Transfers of managers and executives between a company and its foreign affiliate or subsidiary;
  • Advice on the use of technical advisory or business visitor categories;
  • Alerts on changes in standards for security checks and entry clearances;
  • Representation in obtaining waivers for past criminal convictions or visa violations;
  • Participation in strategic planning with our clients regarding evaluation of the cost, time to approval and feasibility of transfers of key production or technical staff between countries;
  • Advice on foreign treaties and their application to visa issuance, including Treaties of Foreign Commerce and Navigation affecting investment and trade visas; and NAFTA (Canada and Mexico). Bill Benos, chair of the immigration practice at Williams Mullen, is Canadian. As honorary consul of Canada, he offers a unique perspective on NAFTA-related matters; and 
  • Management of international employment project work and advice on harmonization of international employment contracts with domestic or local legal regulations and requirements.

 

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS

  • Information technology and telecommunications companies
  • Fortune 500 manufacturers and service firms
  • Engineering and construction companies
  • European and Japanese multinationals
  • Energy companies
  • Financial Services firms
  • Research laboratories and R&D entities
  • Foreign manufacturers doing business in the U.S.
  • Entertainment industry, including companies, groups and individuals involved in film, dance, music and other fields
  • Foreign investors in U.S. businesses and commercial properties

 

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