Senior Associate
Anthony D. Pawelski
Country / Territory
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Languages
- English
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
444 South Flower Street, Suite 500
Los Angeles CA 90071
United States
Anthony is a Senior Associate at Fragomen’s Los Angeles office, where he counsels a broad portfolio of corporate clients from emerging companies to established multinationals across the biotechnology, finance, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, non-profit and software industries on nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters.
Anthony brings extensive experience in employment-based immigration law, spanning in-house, human resources and law firm environments. He has advised leading healthcare organizations, universities and biotechnology companies on strategies to recruit, retain and support international talent.
He worked in-house at an internationally recognized healthcare system, where he provided comprehensive guidance on both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa matters for physicians, researchers, trainees and professional staff. He managed a high-volume portfolio of nonimmigrant visa cases, including B-1, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, J-1, O-1 and TN petitions, supporting the workforce needs of one of the region’s largest private employers with more than 84,000 employees. Anthony also served as an Alternate Responsible Officer for one of the nation’s largest free-standing J-1 research-based programs, ensuring regulatory compliance and smooth program execution. In addition, he served as an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Training Program Liaison, supporting immigration matters for participants in a large graduate medical education program under the J‑1 Alien Physician category.
His in-house experience provides him with a practical understanding of the complex immigration or employment issues employers face, including remote work, unionization, statutory employer and payroll considerations, F-1 STEM OPT training plans (Form I-983), H-1B public access folder retention, international tax implications and I-9 compliance.
Education
- New England Law, J.D., 2010
- University of Arizona, B.A., summa cum laude, 2007
More from Anthony
Admissions
Bar Admissions: Massachusetts
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Professional accomplishments
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), 2011 to Present
Vice-Chair, AILA, National Media Advocacy Committee, 2024 to 2025
Member, AILA New England Chapter, 2011 to 2027
Local Legislative Liaison, AILA New England Chapter, 2020 to 2026
Media Liaison, AILA New England Chapter, 2020 to 2026
Member, NAFSA: National Association of International Educators, 2016 to Present
Medical Specialist, NAFSA Government Regulations Advisory Committee, 2023 to 2026
Member, NAFSA Government Regulations Advisory Committee, 2018 to 2023
Experience
Navigated complex immigration matters, including export control screening processes, corporate name changes, biological transport violations, labor relations issues, corporate acquisitions and restructuring, and payroll reorganizations.
Regularly engaged with the U.S. Department of State on J program operations and policy changes, including the review of consular denials and development of strategies to overcome denials, especially with applicants from export control countries or those subject to heightened scrutiny.
Managed labor certification matters, including special handling cases, and processed Conrad waivers for the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut, placing physicians in medically underserved communities.
Publications and lectures
Speaker, “Travel - Consular and CBP, Social Media Vetting.” NAFSA Region XI Spring Immigration Workshop, Webinar, 26 March 2026.
Speaker, “Permanent Residency for Beginners.” NAFSA Region XI Spring Immigration Workshop, Webinar, 23 March 2026.
Speaker, “Immigration Issues Facing Healthcare Institutions.” NAFSA 2025 Annual Conference & Expo, San Diego, CA, 27 May 2025.
Author, “The Social Security Paradox.” Think Immigration, 1 May 2025.
Speaker, “Audits, Ice, and Site Visits – A Compliance Overview.” NAFSA Region XI Conference, Springfield, MA, 6 November 2025.
Speaker, “Stranger Things? – TN, E-3, and O Visas Overview.” NAFSA Region XI Conference, Springfield, MA, 5 November 2025.
Speaker, “Permanent Residence: Comparative Approaches to Retain Talent.” NAFSA Region XII Conference, Pasadena, CA, 29 October 2025.
Speaker, “Reading, Responding, or Rationalizing a Request for Evidence.” NAFSA 2024 Region XI Conference, Hartford, CT, 29 October 2024.
Moderator, “Deconstructing U.S. Immigration: Myths & The Human Side of Immigration.” The Experimentally Structured Museum of Art (ESMoA), Lawndale, CA, 19 October 2024.
Author, “I Wish People Understood that the U.S. Healthcare System Depends on Immigrants.” Think Immigration, 18 July 2024.
Author, “Add that to the Tab – Rising Costs to Tour the United States.” Think Immigration, 27 February 2024.
Author, “Yesteryears Immigrants Wouldn't Make it Today.” Boston Herald, 2 December 2023.
Author, “How I Spent my Summer Vacation (or the Economic Impact of Immigrants).” 20 July 2023.
Speaker, “Dissecting Healthcare Institutions & U.S. Immigration.” NAFSA Region XI 2021 Virtual Conference Expansion Pack, Webinar, 29 September 2021.
Speaker, “GRAC Presents: Visa Issuance and Travel Update.” NAFSA Region XI Special Event, Webinar, 22 July 2021.
Speaker, “The Three Ds: Delay, Deny & Discourage.” NAFSA 2019 Region XI Conference, Worcester, MA, 30 October 2019.
Speaker, “Challenges in F and J Advising.” AILA New England Chapter Meeting, Boston, MA, 24 October 2019.
Speaker, “Working with an Immigration Attorney.” NAFSA 2019 Region XI Spring Immigration Workshop, Wellesley, MA, 22 March 2019.
