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Languages
- English
- French
- Spanish
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
333 W Wacker Dr 15th Floor
Chicago IL 60606
United States
Balancing precision and creativity, Michelle offers clients immigration solutions that are perfectly calibrated to their needs and objectives.
She represents clients of every size, hailing from every stage in the corporate lifecycle—startups, multinationals, companies in emerging markets and Fortune 500 enterprises. She especially enjoys helping startups and entrepreneurs grow and flourish.
Michelle creates—or reinvents—programs and policies based on the client’s business objectives, workforce size, risk tolerance and cultural profile. Institutional clients value her methodical, thorough approach to program design, while younger, more nimble companies praise her for novel approaches and perspectives.
Education
- Boston University, J.D., 2001
- Northwestern University, B.A., honors , 1998
More from Michelle
Admissions
Bar Admissions: Illinois
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Awards
Listed in Best Lawyers, 2021 to 2025
Named to Crain’s Chicago Business’s Notable Women in Law, 2022
Listed in Chambers USA, 2022 to 2024
Listed in Who's Who Legal: Corporate Immigration, Future Leader, 2020 to 2023
Listed in Who's Who Legal: Corporate Immigration, 2019 to 2022
Professional accomplishments
Policy Officer, American Bar Association (ABA) Section of International Law
American Bar Association Presidential Appointment, ABA Commission on Immigration
Chair, ABA Commission on Immigration, 2023-2024
Secretary, Board of Directors, Chinese American Service League
Experience
Counseled businesses on employment strategies, including strategic planning for hiring foreign national talent and development of best practices to establish efficiencies across multiple jurisdictions.
Advised corporate clients in developing compliance programs for defending workplace sanctions and establishing internal processes that ensure timely and compliant on-boarding of international personnel.
Conducted I-9 audits and advised clients on hiring and discrimination issues.
Drafted J-1 waiver applications of the two-year foreign residency requirement.
Submitted H-1B petitions for cap-exempt institutions affiliated with academic and research organizations.
Prepared and submitted religious worker petitions and counseled clients through onsite inspections.
Handled Schedule A Permanent Residency Petitions for Registered Nurses and Physical Therapists.
Managed nonimmigrant and immigrant employment-based visas applications, including PERM labor certifications, national interest waivers, and outstanding researcher and extraordinary ability petitions.
Counseled employers on corporate mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and other forms of corporate reorganization.
Publications and lectures
Speaker, “Activate Diversity – Insights into Border Policies and Legal Advocacy.” ABA, Webinar, 30 October 2024.
Speaker, “Remote, Roving, and Work-From-Home Employees in Different Employment-Based Settings.” AILA Chicago Chapter 2024 Employment Conference Series, 23 October 2024.
Speaker, “Immigration.” Undebates: A Three-Part Public Discussion Series on Hot Topics in the Presidential Election, Chicago, IL, 3 October 2024.
Speaker, “AI Disruption Across Industries – Alumni Panel.” Northwestern Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences: The Weinberg College Career Summit, Evanston, IL, 23 September 2024.
Speaker, “Law – Alumni Panel.” Northwestern Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences: The Weinberg College Career Summit, Evanston, IL, 23 September 2024.
Panelist, “SLG It Takes a Village: How Local Governments [or Chicago], Non-Profits, and Pro Bono Attorneys Are Responding to the New Wave of Immigrants.” 2024 ABA and State & Local Government Law Section Annual Meeting, 2 August 2024.
Speaker, “Making a Virtual Connection: Ensuring an Open and Productive Attorney/Client Relationship While Remote.” Panel Presentation, ABA Commission on Immigration, virtual, 2022.
Speaker, “PERM Audits – Beyond Business Necessity.” Panel Presentation, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Chicago, IL, 2019.
Speaker, “Increasing Diversity at Law Firms: The Role We All Play.” The Women, Diversity & Change Summit, Chicago, IL, 2019.
Speaker, “How to Advise Clients on Global Mobility Matters: Employment, Immigration and Tax Law, Oh My!” Panel presentation, American Bar Association, New York, 2018.
Speaker, “Compliance Issue in the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9: Raising Awareness for Employers.” Webinar, The Knowledge Group, 2015.
Speaker, “I-9 Verification and Compliance.” Lecture, 2014 Hospitality Law Conference, Houston, TX, 2014.
Panelist, “What you need to know about the latest compliance changes.” Panel presentation, The Forum for Expatriate Management, Oakbrook, IL, 2014.
Panelist, “Preparing for a Smooth Flight: Understanding Global Compliance.” Panel presentation, Midwest Relocation Conference, Rosemont, IL, 2014.
Moderator, “Going Global: A Corporate Case Study in Entering an Emerging Market.” Lecture, 2014 Spring Meeting of the American Bar Association’s Section of International Law, New York, NY, 2014.
Speaker, "The Globalization of Law Practice - Visa Pitfalls to Avoid when Practicing Overseas." Lecture, 2012 Fall Meeting of the American Bar Association’s Section of International Law, Miami Beach, FL, 2012.
Panelist, "Counseling Corporate Compliance in Today's Climate." Panel presentation, Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter’s 6th Annual Workplace Enforcement and Immigration Conference, Chicago, IL, 2011.
Panelist, "Corporate Compliance." Panel presentation, Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter’s 5th Annual Workplace Enforcement and Immigration Conference, Chicago, IL, 2010.
Panelist, "E-Verify, IMAGE, and SSNVS." Panel presentation, Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter’s 4th Annual Workplace Enforcement and Immigration Conference, Chicago, IL, 2009.
Panelist, "Future of Workplace Immigration Compliance: Verification and Storage." Panel presentation, Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter’s 3rd Annual Workplace Enforcement and Immigration Conference, Chicago, IL, 2008.
Panelist, "Future of Workplace Immigration Compliance: Verification and Storage." Panel presentation, Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter’s 2nd Annual Workplace Enforcement and Immigration Conference, Chicago, IL, 2007.
Michelle’s insights
October 30, 2024 | Media mentions
October 23, 2024 — October 30, 2024 | Conference
August 19, 2024 | Awards