Partner
Patrick Shen
Country / Territory
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Languages
- English
- Mandarin Chinese
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
1101 15th St NW STE 700
Washington DC 20005
United States
Patrick is a partner in Fragomen's Government Strategies and Corporate Compliance Group. In this capacity, he works with U.S. and multinational clients to maintain compliant immigration programs.
Prior to rejoining Fragomen, Patrick was appointed by the President and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate as Special Counsel for Immigration-related Unfair Employment Practices in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. He also served as Policy and Planning Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Department of Homeland Security, and Chief Immigration Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Earlier in his career, Patrick spent several years as an immigration litigator for the Justice Department, having served as Assistant District Counsel of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and a trial lawyer in the United States Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, NY and the Justice Department in Washington, DC, representing INS and other agencies in federal courts. He also had a stint in private practice as Director of Government Relations for Fragomen prior to his presidential appointment.
Patrick is a volunteer with his local fire department in Maryland. He was an adjunct professor at American University’s Washington College of Law, and a sports reporter in Taiwan before returning to the United States to attend law school.
Patrick speaks English and Mandarin Chinese.
Education
- Brigham Young University, J.D., 1994
- Brigham Young University, B.A., 1990
More from Patrick
Admissions
Bar Admissions: District of Columbia, Colorado (Inactive)
Court Admissions: U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Awards
Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2021 to 2025
Special Act Award, Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice, 2003
Meritorious Award for Exemplary Service, Office of Immigration Litigation, U.S. Department of Justice, 2002
Director’s Award for Superior Performance, Executive Office for United States Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice, 2001
Sustained Superior Accomplishment Award, Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice, 1997
Professional accomplishments
Member, Asian-Pacific American Bar Association
Member, Asian-American Government Executives Network
Experience
Represented employers across all sectors in immigration compliance audits by the U.S. government, and assisted them with self-audits
Defended employers against charges of immigration-related employment discrimination before administrative law judges
Advocated before Congress and federal agencies on behalf of the country’s leading employers and trade associations for more efficient immigration and employment eligibility verification laws
Handled numerous pro bono refugee and humanitarian parole cases
Represented the United States government in hundreds of immigration-related cases before the federal district courts, courts of appeals, and administration tribunals between 1996 and 2003
Publications and lectures
Speaker, “Executive Orders, Immigration Enforcement, and Uncertainty: What the New Administration Means for Global Companies and Talent.” Fragomen, Denver, CO, 6 March 2025.
Speaker, “What the New Administration Means for Global Companies and Talent.” Utah Mobility Leaders, Salt Lake City, UT, 5 March 2025.
Speaker, “Basic Immigration Law 2021: Business, Family, Naturalization and Related Areas.” Practising Law Institute, 4 February 2021.
Contributor, “U.S. Immigration Considerations for Colleges and Universities During the COVID-19 Crisis.” College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, 7 April 2020.
Interviewed, Podcast on Social Security No-match Letters, Society for Human Resource Management, 4 March 2019.
Author, “Social Security Mismatch Notices to Resume.” Society for Human Resource Management, 4 December 2018.
Co-Author, “Using Technology to Improve I-9 Compliance.” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Vol. 21, No. 9 (September 2013)
Speaker, “I-9 & E-Verify Compliance for Multi-state Employers.” American Immigration Lawyers Association, web seminar, September 10, 2013.
Speaker, “Breaking News on Comprehensive Immigration Reform.” PLI Defending Immigration Removal Proceedings 2013, web seminar, August 26, 2013.
Speaker, “E-Verify in the House and Senate: Employers React to Legislation Mandating New Worksite Enforcement.” Lecture, ImmigrationWorks USA Capitol Hill Briefing, Washington, D.C., May 22, 2013.
Moderator, “Protecting the Employer in a New Age of Immigration Enforcement: How to Ensure Compliance and Prepare for Government Inspections.” ABA International Law Section Spring Meeting, Washington, D.C., April 23, 2013.
Author, “Employer Obligations under State Immigration Laws in the US.” Practical Law Company Practice Notes, April 15, 2013
Speaker, “The Long Arm of the Law: How Employers Can Ensure Compliance with Federal and State Immigration Enforcement?” Lawline.com, web seminar, April 7, 2013.
Co-Author, “Retaining Homegrown Talent Serves Our National Interest.” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Vol. 20, No. 7 (July/August 2012)
Speaker, “How to Prepare for Changes to the Form I-9,” American Council on International Personnel, webinar, May 17, 2012.
Co-Author, Enforcement of Immigration Laws Against Employers in the Obama Administration - Legal Briefs on Immigration Reform from 25 of the Top Legal Minds in the Country, Vol. 1, edited by Deborah Robinson and Mona Parsa, Esq. United States: Robinson Omnimedia Publishing and Studios, 2011.
Co-Author, “Employment Eligibility Compliance: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls.” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Vol. 19, No. 8 (August 2011)
Co-Author, “Enforcement of Immigration Laws in the Obama Administration.” Texas State Bar Section Newsletter: Corporate Counsel, Vol 6. Nol. 2 (Spring 2011)
Speaker, “Book’em Danno – Fortifying Your Vulnerabilities Against ICE Enforcement.” Lecture, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2011.
Speaker, “Worried About Our Self-IMAGE? Weighing the Pros and Cons of Enrolling in IMAGE and E-Verify.” Lecture, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2010.
Speaker, Lecture, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2010.
Speaker, “Employer Compliance For Experts,” ILW.com, phone seminar, December 2, 2009.
Speaker, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2009.
Author, “The History and Functions of the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Employment Discrimination.” In Navigating Government Immigration Issues: Leading Immigration and Refugee Resettlement Experts on Addressing Employment, Education, and Health Care Issues for Immigrants (Inside the Minds), edited by Aspatore Books Staff. United States: Thompson-Reuters, December 2008.
Speaker, 41st Annual Immigration and Naturalization Institute, New York, NY, October 15, 2008.
Speaker, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2008.
Speaker, “Interagency Plenary Session.” Lecture, Annual Conference of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Vancouver, BC (Canada), June 25, 2008.
Speaker, “How to Avoid Hitting an 'ICE'berg.” Lecture, Spring Conference of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Washington, DC, April 4, 2008.
Speaker, “Employment Law and Legislative Conference.” Lecture, Society for Human Resource Management, Washington, DC, Mar. 11, 2008.
Speaker, “Anti-discrimination Provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act,” American Immigration Lawyers’ Association, podcast audio, Jan. 31, 2008.
Speaker, “Conquering the Tsunami: Employer Enforcement Hot Topics,” seminar series for Immigration Law Weekly, webcast audio, Dec. 20, 2007, Jan. 24, 2008, and Feb. 7, 2008.
Speaker, Worksite Enforcement Conference of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Phoenix, AZ, Dec. 1, 2007.
Speaker, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2007.
Speaker, Annual Symposium of the American Council on International Personnel, Arlington, VA, 2006.
Co-Author, “Let Our National Interest Guide Our Immigration Policy.” Engage: The Journal of the Federalist Society Practice Groups, Vol. 6, No..2 (Oct. 2005)
Patrick’s insights
May 15, 2025 | Meeting
