Immigration

Burr & Forman’s talented and experienced immigration team takes a global approach to help employers secure the talent of highly-skilled foreign nationals, including multinational executives and managers, engineers, IT professionals, scientists, researchers, teachers, professors, and health care workers amongst others. Employers are often unfamiliar with the complex and constantly changing immigration landscape. We work closely with clients to achieve their overall business objectives by crafting temporary and permanent immigration strategies and solutions to meet their business needs.

Our immigration attorneys assist employers in obtaining visas and green cards for employees and complying with state and federal immigration laws in multiple industry sectors, including manufacturing, secondary and post-secondary education, healthcare, hospitality/tourism, and technology. Our immigration team regularly advises employers on I-9 and E-Verify compliance issues and assists clients navigating government audits at state and federal levels.

Our team works with clients throughout the immigration process, from case evaluation to interfacing directly with government agencies while a case is under review.

Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Visas

Whether a large, multi-national corporation in need of transferring an executive to their United States branch or a small U.S.-based technology business requiring the immediate services of a highly-skilled foreign national, employers regularly look to our team for creative temporary visa solutions to fulfill their work needs. Burr & Forman routinely assists clients in developing and executing H-1B, TN, L-1, E-1, E-2, B-1, O, P, R, and other visa and work authorization strategies before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. We pride ourselves on working collaboratively with clients from consultation to visa issuance to help achieve the end goal. Our immigration professionals also recognize business circumstances often change and routinely work with clients to navigate the implications of business decisions on temporary work visas, such as corporate restructuring and promotions or position changes, to limit business impact.   

Permanent (Immigrant) Visas/Green Cards

The road to Employment-Based Permanent Residence (Green Card) can be long and arduous. Burr & Forman’s immigration professionals take a strategy-based approach to guide employers through each step of the process in a deliberate and expedient manner. Our attorneys have significant experience preparing applications for, and obtaining approval of, all types of employment-based Green Cards, including EB-1, EB-2 (PERM and NIW), and EB-3 filings. When Permanent Labor Certification is required, we work proactively with clients to explain the PERM recruitment process, prepare ETA-9089 Applications, and respond to Department of Labor challenges. We also work directly with foreign nationals to navigate the often document intensive and confusing adjustment of status and consular processing procedures, including preparing clients for interviews. 

Citizenship Matters

After obtaining Permanent Residence, some foreign national seek naturalization. Naturalization applications can be complex and past criminal or immigration violations can further complicate the process. Our attorneys work with clients to set successful strategies from beginning to end.

Consular Representation

Unfamiliarity with visa processing at the U.S. Consulates and Embassies can lead to a host of problems, including long visa issuance delays and outright denials. Our immigration team advises clients on preparation of visa applications before the Department of State (DS-160 and DS-260 applications) to minimize interruption. We also counsel foreign nationals on what to expect and how to best address issues at visa interviews to ensure approvability.    

I-9 Workplace Compliance

Our immigration team knows from experience that the I-9 process is complex and can lead to significant civil penalties. Our attorneys help employers understand workplace compliance obligations by providing training and internal audits. Our attorneys guide clients through internal I-9 audits and defend them during Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations on state immigration audits. Our team has extensive experience in E-Verify—an electronic work authorization verification system that continues to grow in popularity as more and more states adopt E-Verify. Our capabilities in both immigration and employment law help employers meet their compliance responsibilities without exposing them to discrimination claims.

Family-based Immigration

While our practice primarily focuses on employment-based immigration, we also provide family-based immigration services for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. We regularly counsel clients on family-based immigration issues and prepare I-130 immigrant visa and related petitions.

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