Fragomen Announces Five New Partners and Nine New Counsel

NEW YORK – January 6, 2024 – Fragomen, the world’s leading provider of immigration services, proudly announces the promotion of five immigration professionals to Partner and nine to Counsel, highlighting the firm’s dedication to nurturing its global talent.

"The 2025 promotions class underscores Fragomen’s commitment to fostering excellence, cultivating diverse talent and delivering innovative solutions to our clients. Each of these accomplished individuals brings a depth of unique experience, further reinforcing the firm’s reputation as a trusted advisor," said Lance Kaplan, Fragomen Co-Chair.

Fragomen’s new Partners:

Naomi Goldshtein, London: Oversees Fragomen’s UK Immigration Compliance & Audit and Education teams, as well as the International Internship Programme, and helped develop the firm’s global employment verification technology, WorkRight™.

Gustavo Kanashiro, São Paulo: Develops immigration strategies for businesses and high-net-worth individuals in industries like finance, healthcare and energy, while leading Brazil’s Customer Relationship team to ensure exceptional service.

Rick Lamanna, Toronto: Guides corporate clients on Canadian immigration matters, focusing on intra-company transfers, Labour Market Impact Assessments and compliance, with active engagement in student immigration initiatives.

Lunga Mani, Johannesburg and Nairobi: Leads immigration operations across Sub-Saharan Africa, driving regional growth and delivering exceptional client service through strategic planning and operational excellence.

Joseph J. (JJ) Shepherd, New York City: Advises on US immigration and compliance for multinational clients across diverse industries including technology, financial services, food and beverage, defense, news and entertainment, while contributing to policy advancements as a published author and AILA leader.

“These promotions, spanning multiple regions, reflect Fragomen’s unwavering dedication to cultivating a diverse and inclusive team that mirrors the clients and communities we serve. Together, our newly appointed Partners and Counsel will continue to elevate the firm’s presence and drive excellence in immigration law and global mobility,” added Enrique Gonzalez, Fragomen Co-Chair.

Fragomen's new Counsel:

Jordi Bayer, Los Angeles: Advises on US business immigration, focusing on employment-based visas, extraordinary ability cases and pro bono advocacy for underserved communities.

Samuel Chow, New York City: Represents multinational clients in nonimmigrant visa petitions, permanent residence matters and removability issues.

Pamela Debias, Detroit: Partners with corporate clients on employment-based immigration, providing strategic guidance on talent retention and compliance.

Eda Derhemi, New York City: Advises on employment- and family-based immigration and volunteers with CUNY Citizenship Now to offer free legal services.

Suzy Gaber, New York City: Supports multinational clients with US immigration matters, including nonimmigrant visas and permanent residence applications.

Christopher Gregorio, New York City: Advises clients across industries on employment-based visas, short-term work visas and permanent residence, and serves as an Ambassador for Brooklyn Independent.

Jessica Laumanns, New York City: Provides strategic counsel on employment-based immigration for clients in financial services, IT, education, scientific and manufacturing sectors.

Sara Mailander, Boston: Assists clients with employment-based immigration, including visa and residence sponsorship, and is active in pro bono work and AILA.

Tiffany Chang Wu, Irvine: Develops strategic plans for employers and foreign nationals in industries such as engineering, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and entertainment.

 

About Fragomen 

Fragomen is a leading firm dedicated to immigration services worldwide. The firm has 6,000 immigration professionals and support staff in more than 60 offices across the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. A member of the Am Law 100 and Am Law Global 100, Fragomen offers immigration support in more than 170 countries. Fragomen’s professionals are respected leaders in the immigration field, and the firm is regularly recognized as a leading employer of minority and female attorneys. 

The firm supports all aspects of global immigration for corporate, academic, nonprofit, and individual clients, including strategic planning, quality management, reporting, case management and processing, compliance program counseling, representation in government investigations, government relations, complex matter solutions, and litigation. 

Fragomen is a long-time leader in the immigration technology space and continues to lead the way in the digitization of the immigration journey. It has created Fragomen Technologies Inc., a Fragomen subsidiary focused on the nexus of law and technology to further enhance its technology offering.  

Its business travel technology, Nomadic, is focused on delivering innovative global short-term immigration compliance management and transactional solutions.  

These capabilities allow Fragomen to work in partnership with individuals and corporate clients across all industries to plan talent strategy, facilitate the transfer of employees worldwide, and navigate complex challenges. For detailed information about Fragomen, click here. 

Media Contacts: 

Ela Friel, Communications & Public Relations Director
+1 301 785 4306 
[email protected] 

Alison Swenton Arjoon, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer
+1 732 637 2507
[email protected]