Fragomen, the world's leading provider of global immigration services, announced the election of 14 new Partners across its individual corporate entities, effective January 1, 2012. In addition, the firm has appointed three new Of Counsel attorneys. The knowledge and experience possessed by these individuals strengthens Fragomen's global leadership, and contributed to the firm's continued success across multiple jurisdictions worldwide in 2011. The tireless commitment demonstrated by Fragomen’s Partners and of Counsel attorneys has also led to consistent domestic and international accolades for the firm, including being named the leading global immigration firm by The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for the past five consecutive years, and 2011 Law Firm of the Year – Immigration Law by U.S. News – Best Lawyers.
“As the corporate environment for many companies continues to become more globalized, immigration is becoming increasingly important,” said Austin Fragomen, Managing Partner. “Companies need to be able to quickly, efficiently and effectively mobilize their international workforces to respond to growing demands for their products and services worldwide. Fragomen’s ability to meet client needs across the world in today’s complex environment has led to our continued expansion domestically and abroad, and we are pleased to recognize the hard work and dedication of these attorneys as a key factor in successfully partnering with our clients.”
The 14 new Partners include:
Kevin Aiston, Chicago, Illinois USA
Kevin joined the firm in 2003, and focuses his practice on advising large manufacturing and pharmaceutical clients with respect to all aspects of U.S. immigration law. Prior to joining Fragomen, Kevin served various roles with the U.S. Department of State, working primarily in the Visa Office. His domestic assignments included positions as Deputy Chief of the Legal Advisory Opinions Division of the Visa Office, Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services and Deputy Chief of the Visa Office's Post Liaison Division. Kevin also previously served as a consular officer at the U.S. Embassies in Paris, France and Victoria, Seychelles. Kevin drafted the Child Status Protection Act of 2002, as well as worldwide guidance on key topics such as B-2 domestic partners, visa refusal rules, INA 212(a)(9)(B), waivers of inadmissibility, and visa revocations. Kevin earned his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University, and was awarded his Juris Doctor summa cum laude from Tulane University Law School.
Robert Casazza, New York, New York USA
Since joining Fragomen in 2000, Robert has focused on various aspects of immigration law, including managing the accounts of a number of the firm’s multinational technology clients. In 2006, Robert joined the firm's Appearance Team, where he handles all appearance issues at local USCIS offices in the New York metro area and at various USCIS offices around the country. His work at local USCIS offices often involves attending NSEERS interviews, obtaining emergency travel authorizations, inquiring about and closing out long-pending cases, and meeting with key senior-level immigration officials. Robert is often called upon to provide internal firm training on his knowledge of local USCIS office practices, the immigration interview process, and complicated citizenship issues. Robert received his bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and earned a Juris Doctor from Pace University. During law school, Robert lived in Guatemala, where he worked as a human rights advocate for the local indigenous population.
Chad Ellsworth, New York, New York USA
Chad joined Fragomen in 2002. His practice focuses on the representation of individual and business clients on a wide variety of corporate immigration and related employment matters. Chad’s work on behalf of clients also includes advising corporations—including Fortune 500 companies—on the immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions, reductions in force actions and other corporate restructurings. Chad also writes policies for corporate clients and trains human resource employees, recruiters and managers on immigration laws and procedures including Form I-9 compliance and the Social Security Administration’s “No-Match” Letter program, Employment Standards Administration Wage and Hour Division Labor Condition Application investigations, and related immigration workforce enforcement and compliance issues. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Compliance Group. Chad received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California, and his Juris Doctor from Tulane University School of Law.
Sharon Finkel, New York, New York USA
Sharon has worked as an attorney at Fragomen since 2001. She represents multinational corporate clients in the investment banking, financial services, legal, strategic communications, electronic products manufacturing, and art auction industries. In addition to advising clients on the immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate restructurings, Sharon also assists in the development of immigration policies and conducts training for human resources employees, recruiters and managers on immigration laws and procedures. Sharon earned her bachelor’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School. While attending New York Law School, she served as the Executive Notes and Comments Editor for the New York Law School Journal of Human Rights and was selected for a National Association for Public Interest Law (NAPIL) summer fellowship with the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project in Florence, AZ.
Nadine Goldfoot, London, United Kingdom
Nadine assists clients across a broad range of industries to navigate the transactional and strategic implications and nuances of the UK’s Points Based System. She advises multinational corporate clients on immigration strategy, with a focus on efficiencies and costs-saving methods. In addition to her commitment to her corporate clients, Nadine manages a thriving private client practice which advises on matters spanning the spectrum of UK immigration law, including investor and entrepreneur applications. Nadine received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Sussex and her Master of Laws from University College in London. She is admitted as a Solicitor to the Supreme Court of England and Wales, and is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales.
Audrea Golding, Los Angeles, California USA
Audrea joined Fragomen in 2000, and represents multinational corporations in the professional services, aerospace, engineering and information technology sectors. She has extensive experience with a wide variety of employment-based temporary and permanent visas, immigration compliance matters, family-based permanent residence applications, and applications for U.S. citizenship. Audrea also assists production companies, athletic organizations, and individual entertainers, artists and athletes in securing visas for to perform and work in the U.S. Audrea received her Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Hyla Kaplan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Hyla began working with Fragomen in 2001. Her practice encompasses all aspects of corporate immigration law. Hyla represents individual clients, small and medium-sized for-profit and non-profit organizations, and Fortune-500 companies in various industries, including management consulting, information technology, financial services, telecommunications, insurance, chemical manufacturing, and professional sports. Hyla received her bachelor’s degree from Emory University and earned her Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law. While attending law school, Hyla served as the Recent Developments Editor for the Administrative Law Review and represented Afghani women seeking asylum through an internship at Hogar Hispano in Falls Church, Virginia.
Karin Lestelle, New York, New York USA
Karin has practiced immigration law with Fragomen for more than fifteen years. She provides immigration policy guidance, strategic planning and advice, and program support to international corporations, including numerous French companies. She also provides counsel on all major employment-based temporary and permanent visa categories, representing a broad array of companies in the financial, energy, information technology, education, science, entertainment, luxury goods and consumer packaged goods industries. A native French speaker, Karin is active in the French business community in the New York area and is a frequent speaker on immigration law topics. She earned her bachelor’s degree from New York University and her Juris Doctor from George Washington University.
Dirk Nuyts, Brussels, Belgium
Since 2005, Dirk has led Fragomen’s Benelux practice which manages immigration into Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. Prior to joining Fragomen, Dirk was employed by one of the leading business law firms in Belgium. He was also previously a junior partner to one of Belgium's top immigration law firms. Dirk is a member of University of Leuven’s Centre for a Common Law of Europe, and serves as the Secretary General of the International Young Lawyers Association/Association des Jeunes Avocats (AIJA). He has authored several academic articles related to immigration law, international social law, international private law, and nationality law, and is an editorial staff member of the immigration law review Tijdschrift voor Vreemdelingenrecht (Die Keure) and the 'Administratieve Wegwijzer voor Vreemdelingen, Vluchtelingen en Migranten' (Kluwer). Dirk is also a lecturer and member of the Law Faculty of the University of Leuven. He earned a Law Degree from Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium in 1998. Dirk is fluent in the Dutch, French, German and English languages.
James Pack, Irvine, California USA
Jim joined the firm in 2000, and provides immigration counsel to companies in a wide range of industries, including wireless technologies, animated feature film production, video game development, and pharmaceuticals. He has developed large-scale, efficient, and cost-effective PERM programs for large multinational technology companies, and filed numerous applications for extraordinary scientists, artists and engineers. Jim earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and was awarded his Juris Doctor from Arizona State University College of Law.
F. Joseph Paldino, New York Office, New York USA
Joseph joined the firm in 2000, and provides counsel on all aspects of corporate U.S. immigration, including nonimmigrant visas, permanent residence, citizenship, compliance, and immigration support for corporate mergers and acquisitions. His practice includes representation of diverse corporate clients that range from established industry leaders to small start-up companies. Joseph represents clients in a variety of industries including financial services, banking, advertising/marketing and communications, law, internet services, retailing, biotechnology, insurance, natural resources exploration and production, manufacturing, and fine and performing arts. Joseph served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Reynaldo G. Garza, Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and his Juris Doctor cum laude from St. John’s University School of Law.
Son G. Pham, Washington, D.C. USA
Son joined Fragomen in 2001. He counsels small- and medium-sized organizations and large multinational companies on all major employment-based temporary and permanent visa categories. He also guides individual clients through the complexities of family-based permanent residence. Son’s clients include companies in industries such as aerospace, information technology, management consulting, financial services, flavor and fragrance, biotechnology, and biopharmaceuticals. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and was awarded his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law.
Rahul M. Shah, Matawan, New Jersey USA
Rahul has worked as an attorney at Fragomen since 2004. Rahul's corporate immigration experience includes a wide-range of nonimmigrant visa matters, as well as permanent residency matters involving PERM labor certification applications, complex immigrant worker petitions, multinational executive and manager petitions, and extraordinary ability petitions. He also advises clients on U.S. immigration compliance and provides counsel on the immigration implications of corporate mergers and acquisitions, Labor Condition Application (LCA) regulations, and USCIS anti-fraud efforts. Rahul has represented a variety of multinational clients across a broad range of industries, including software development and software consulting, satellite communications, consumer products, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and alternative energy. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and earned a Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law.
Becky Xia, Shanghai, China
As a leading authority in the increasingly complex area of Chinese immigration, Becky specializes in assisting multinational corporations, financial institutions, and other global employers with employment-based immigration and investor visas. Becky also advises clients on immigration-related compliance and strategies for the transfer of expatriate workforces into China and throughout the country. She has assisted multinational companies in the software, retail and manufacturing industries with obtaining work permits and residence permits for more than 10,000 employees across all provinces of China; advised a major global computer company on post-integration immigration requirements following major acquisition; assisted prominent artists and former diplomats with obtaining visas and work permits; assisted multinational companies with obtaining work authorization for employees from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau and overseas Chinese with U.S. permanent residence. Becky is a graduate of China Southern Yangtze University School of Law and is fluent in English, Chinese and Shanghainese.
The three new Of Counsel attorneys include:
Susan Bierenbaum, Los Angeles, California
Susan joined the firm in 1986. She manages legal teams that provide corporate immigration counsel to multinational Fortune 500 companies, small and medium-sized organizations, and individual clients, in such industries as oil and gas; arts and entertainment; information technology; interactive media; retail; and engineering. Susan has extensive experience with all major employment-based temporary and permanent visa categories, as well as family-based visa and residency applications and applications for U.S. citizenship. She received her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and her Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law.
Christina LaBrie, New York, New York
Christina has been an attorney with Fragomen since 2007. As a member of the firm’s Professional Practices Group, Christina monitors and reports on immigration law developments, provides guidance and input on complex legal issues, assists with direct case intervention, conducts legal training, and contributes to both legislative and regulatory initiatives. Christina manages the firm’s government relations cases and assists attorneys with complex or problematic matters. She also monitors adjudication trends through review of government requests for evidence, and maintains and updates content in the firm’s resources center. Christina earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law.
Susan Steger, Dallas, Texas
Susan joined the firm in November of 1998. Her practice includes all aspects of U.S. business immigration and employment-based immigration training for in-house professionals. Susan specializes in designing and implementing efficient business immigration programs and policies. She has advised a range of clients on the immigration impact of mergers and acquisitions, reductions in force, I-9 and LCA compliance programs, and government audits. Susan has represented clients in a number of industries including: semi-conductor, telecommunications, software, information technology, manufacturing, management consulting, banking, oil and gas, and consulting. Susan is a member of the firm’s Corporate Compliance committee. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and her Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law.