Partner
Audrea Golding
Country / Territory
Get in touch
Languages
- English
- French
- German
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
2755 Orchard Pkwy
San Jose CA 95134
United States
Based in Fragomen’s Silicon Valley office, Audrea is a multi-jurisdictional attorney and trusted advisor who supports a diverse array of clients in the technology and biotechnology industries. Audrea is also a member of Fragomen’s Executive Committee, working to set the firm’s strategic vision and philosophy, manage its worldwide operations and ensure it remains progressive, agile, efficient, innovative and consistent across all its jurisdictions. She also serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Global Culture and Inclusion Committee, which provides guidance and makes recommendations to actively enhance inclusion and belonging throughout the firm.
Audrea’s practice focuses on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as startups, as they navigate the complex processes for obtaining temporary work visas and permanent residency for employees and entrepreneurs. Relying on her deep knowledge of immigration laws and procedures, Audrea also helps clients build solution-oriented immigration programs that expand with their company’s growth, while ensuring they remain compliant with legal requirements for recruiting and retaining highly skilled talent. She relies on the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley to support clients by keeping abreast of innovative immigration developments that can be leveraged for these companies to build successful immigration programs. She is also highly regarded for providing thoughtful counsel on U.S.-Canada cross-border immigration matters and supports individual and corporate clients with managing the nuances when working and conducting business on both sides of the North American border.
Audrea’s practice also involves assisting individual entertainers, artists and athletes, as well as production companies and athletic organizations in securing visas for foreign talent to perform and work in the U.S. and Canada. She has worked with a wide range of talent in the music industry, including award-winning musicians, creative producers, lighting designers, music rights advocates and others to obtain work visas and permanent residence based on their extraordinary ability.
Education
- York University, Osgoode Hall Law School, J.D., 1995
- McGill University, Montreal, B.A., 1992
More from Audrea
Admissions
Bar Admissions: California and Ontario, Canada
Court Admissions: U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Awards
Listed among “Thought Leadership” finalists, Women, Influence & Power in Law, 2025
Named to Corporate Counsel’s Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion, 2022
Corporate INTL Global Award, Individual Foreign Talent Immigration Attorney of the Year in California, 2014
American Bar Association Women Business & Corporate Advocates Practitioner Honoree, 2014
Super Lawyers (Immigration Law), 2011
John M. Langston Bar Association Attorney of the Year, 2011
Professional accomplishments
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Member, National Bar Association
Member, Canadian Association of Black Lawyers
Member, Black Entertainment and Sports Law Association
Former Immigration Law Section Chair, National Bar Association
Former General Counsel for Southern California, California Association of Black Lawyers
Former Member, Law360’s 2022 Immigration Editorial Advisory Board
Past Chair, State Bar of California, Council on Access and Fairness
Past Chair, Multicultural Bar Alliance of Southern California
Past President, Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation
Past President, Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Inc.
Experience
Worked with a multinational professional services firm to obtain State Department designation as a J-1 exchange visitor sponsor under the intern, trainee and specialist program classifications and served as an Alternate Responsible Office for the State Department programs.
Worked with a European aviation company to secure appropriate visas for the transfer of foreign software engineers to the U.S. to perform testing and training on upgrades to fighter aircraft test facility, developed by the U.S. Navy and purchased by foreign government, requiring U.S. government security clearance.
Worked with renowned Caribbean artist and designer to obtain an expedited temporary visa and permanent residence based on her extraordinary ability.
Publications and lectures
Quoted, “Tech’s H-1B Debate: Is Trump’s New Fee a Solution or Setback?” The Wall Street Journal, 23 September 2025.
Quoted, “H-1B visa holders will be required to renew in person starting in September.” NBC Bay Area, 10 August 2025.
Speaker, “Navigating the Changing Immigration Landscape for the Pharmaceutical Industry.” Fragomen, Webinar, 24 April 2025.
Quoted, “Tech companies are telling immigrant employees on visas not to leave the U.S.” The Washington Post, 31 March 2025.
Speaker, “Bay Area Breakfast Briefing: Fragomen and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.” Fragomen, San Jose, CA, 4 March 2025.
Quoted, “Canada’s tech sector never actually got a Trump bump.” The Logic, 5 February 2025.
Speaker, “Driving Real-World Representation: Institutionalizing Diversity for Clinical Trial Impact.” Women of Color in Pharma (WOCIP) 8th Annual Conference, Scottsdale, AZ, 9 November 2024.
Co-Author, “U.S. Citizen Filings from Consular Posts.” AILA’s The Consular Practice Handbook 5thEdition, pages 393-414, 30 May 2023.
Discussion Leader, “Making Your Global Mobility Program an Ally to DE&I: An Innovative Workshop.” Worldwide ERC 2022 Global Workforce Symposium, Las Vegas, Nevada, 27 October 2022
Quoted, “Visa Delays Spur Businesses To Try Remote Work Abroad.” Law360, 2 August 2022.
Speaker, "TN Status Holders: Avoiding Preconceived Intent and Applying for LPR Status." AILA Agora, Webcast, 9 July 2020.
Quoted, “U.S. visa change creates roadblock for Canadian workers.” Troy Media, 19 August 2019.
Presenter, “Moving People Across the Border: Immigration Considerations for Investors.” 2019 SelectUSA Canada Conference, Toronto, ON, February 14, 2019.
Presenter, “Legal in the USA - Immigration Issues for Professionals.” Association of Chartered Accountants in the United States, webinar, September 25, 2018.
Interviewee, “The Hurdles Facing BigLaw's Minority Women.” Law360, 18 June 2018.
Presenter, “What Every U.S. Immigration Lawyer Should Know About Outbound Business and Employment Visas.” Seminar, American Immigration Lawyers Association Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 2016.
Presenter, “Cross-Border Business Travel Webinar: Best Practices for Travel Between Canada and the United States.” Webinar, hosted by The Consulate General of the United States for Toronto and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Toronto, ON, 2016.
Interviewee, “5 Tips For Rocking A Musician's Visa Application.” Law360.com (February 22, 2016): n.pag. Web.
Presenter, "The Master Series: Managing the Complexities of Immigration Compliance in a Changing Immigration Landscape.” Seminar, Worldwide ERC, Toronto, ON, 2016.
Interviewee, "Immigration Essentials: With each case there is a very human story to consider." Metropolitan Corporate Counsel: Vol. 24., No. 1 (January 5, 2016): 14-15. Print and web.
Interviewee, “Gold Medalist's Green Card Loss Shows Hazards For Coaches”, Law360.com, (September 21, 2015): n.pag. Web.
Co-Author, “A Rising Tide: Navigating the Rules for Immigration Compliance for U.S. Employers.” Los Angeles Business Journal, (January 20, 2014): 22. Print.
Presenter, “What Matters Most to the C-Suite.” Lecture, Global HR News, Global Leader Conference, Century City, CA, 2013.
Presenter, "Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession." Lecture, USC Gould School of Law 2013 Tax Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 2013.
Presenter, "Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession." Lecture, USC Gould School of Law 2013 Institute on Entertainment Law and Business, Los Angeles, CA, 2013.
Presenter, “The Business of International Entertainment: Immigration Law Considerations for Entertainment and Sports Lawyers." Lecture, Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference, St. Thomas, VI, 2008.
Presenter, "An Update on Diversity in the Legal Profession." Lecture, Corporate Counsel Women of Color Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, 2008.
Presenter, "Where in the World Is Waldo? Trends for Global Mobility in an Ever-Changing World." Lecture, Southern California Relocation Council Quarterly Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, 2008.
Presenter, "Helping Transatlantic Businesses Navigate the Waves of Homeland Security and Protectionism." Lecture, British American Business Council Transatlantic Business Conference, Los Angeles, CA, 2007.
Presenter, "Cross Border Strategies for Corporations and High Net Worth Clients." Lecture, National Bar Association Annual Convention, Detroit, MI, 2006.
Co-Author, "Deportations and the ’Danger to the Public’ Provisions of Canada’s Immigration Act." A Report to the National Court Challenges Program, 1997. Print.
Researcher & Writer, "A Review of Canada's Citizenship Act." A Report to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Citizenship & Immigration, 1994.
Audrea’s insights
September 23, 2025 | Media mentions
August 11, 2025 | Media mentions
