Check Immigration Case Status Business Immigration Practice At Elarbee Thompson, business immigration is an integral part of our overall labor and employment practice. The Firm's extensive background in labor and employment matters gives our Immigration Practice Group attorneys a unique ability to put immigration advice and solutions in context. The Firm's commitment to client service is reflected in our responsiveness, case staffing, use of technology, and fee schedules. Indeed, our focus on client service drives nearly everything we do. Depth and breadth of our experience. Our attorneys have over 45 years of combined experience advising employers on all areas of U.S. business immigration services. We have a team of lawyers and paralegals who practice exclusively in this area. We routinely provide the full range of immigration advice and guidance in a wide variety of business situations for clients of all sizes. The immigration team assists with family-based immigration matters and naturalization also. Temporary/non-immigrant visas. We assist employers in obtaining temporary visas for professionals, intra-company transferees, research scholars, traders and investors, trainees, and temporary/seasonal workers. Our nonimmigrant visa experience includes handling B-1/B-2, E-1/E-2/E-3, F-1, H-1B, H-2B, H-3, J-1, L-1, O-1, P-1, Q-1, and Treaty NAFTA matters. We have obtained work permits for spouses of E and L visa holders. Over the years, we have filed thousands of cases with nearly a 100 percent approval rate. Permanent residence. We have extensive experience helping employers with permanent residence cases, guiding them through the maze of bureaucracy and procedure from labor certification through adjustment of status or immigrant visa processing at a U.S. consulate or embassy. Our permanent residence experience includes handling Priority Worker permanent residence petitions and National Interest Waiver cases, which positions us to advise clients regarding possible avenues to avoid the cost, time, and risks associated with labor certification. Our services extend beyond permanent residence to helping individuals obtain Re-entry Permits, green card renewals, and citizenship. Policies and procedures. Elarbee Thompson’s Immigration Practice Group is very experienced in assisting our clients with streamlining the immigration process through a review of existing policies and procedures. We can assist on an ad hoc basis with special immigration issues, including the development of corporate policies related to the immigration aspects of international assignments, e.g. benefits, non-compete arrangements, and related topics. We can help develop strategies for managing large-scale international projects and other workforce planning goals. Compliance and litigation. Our Immigration Practice Group attorneys routinely assist employers with immigration and I-9 compliance, and we can provide advice and guidance in dealing with Social Security Administration "No Match" letters. We also verify that employers are maintaining the proper documents in their public access files for existing H1B employees, and can assist in preparing the required public access files. In conjunction with other compliance attorneys within the firm, we assist clients in preparing for, and responding to, government audits of compliance with employment verification, LCA, and labor certification documentation and procedure. We advise and assist clients regarding state employment verification law and procedure, ITAR and export control regulations, RICO litigation, immigration-related discrimination claims, government contractor issues, removal and deportation, and other matters that arise at the intersection of immigration and employment law. Our commitment to client service. At Elarbee Thompson, we are deeply committed to client service and bringing value to every transaction. Our goal is to make our client the hero in all immigration matters. Training and education. We are committed to providing the highest quality legal service, while at the same time encouraging clients, Human Resource professionals, and in-house counsel to learn as much as they want to about what we do and how we do it. We are happy to provide our clients' representatives with resource materials, questionnaires, checklists, etc. to make them more aware of immigration policy and issues, so they are better prepared to answer questions within the organization. We routinely perform in-house training to educate management regarding immigration policy, benefits, and procedure. Communication. Our client service goals are fostered by regular communication with clients in the form of e-mail alerts [E-lerts], newsletters, webinars, and telephone calls. We sincerely believe that our ability to give you high quality legal service is tied directly to our knowledge and understanding of your business and its needs. Consequently, we strive to work with you to develop our understanding of your business and craft our immigration and employment-related business services to meet your needs. Responsiveness and accessibility. Excellent client service necessitates timely responses. The failure to respond in a timely fashion is the number one complaint that clients have about their lawyers. Our goal is to never be subject to that criticism. As a firm, we take very seriously the need to respond to client inquiries immediately. Our Immigration Practice Group attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our attorneys can always be contacted by mobile phone or e-mail, and we utilize state-of-the-art technology to remain accessible. Technology. Our technology enables us to produce forms and supporting documents quickly so that we can turn around your immigration matters in as little as a day or two. In most cases, we forward application and petition documents electronically so that they can be signed and returned to us for next day filing. Our case management technology and software allows instantaneous status inquiries at any time of day or night. Information Accessibility gives clients and their employees the comfort of knowing what is going on in their cases. We emphasize value. The Firm is located in Atlanta. From this location, we are able to process immigration matters across the globe. At the same time, Elarbee Thompson avoids the high overhead costs associated with staffing and maintaining multiple offices around the country. This translates to lower fees for clients. Our business immigration visa practice operates on a flat fee basis. In general, our flat rates are anywhere from 10 to 30% less than those charged by the big firms. Similarly, for compliance work and other matters handled on an hourly basis, our professional rates are substantially less than our competition. In today's economy, we believe that providing additional value to clients is far more important in the long term than charging them yesterday's high legal rates. We trust that you will share our belief, and partner with us to bring you more valuable legal services at a far more reasonable cost. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS David C. Whitlock, Partner - Dave has over 20 years of experience handling all types of business visa matters. His practice includes extensive visa work, handling both temporary and permanent visa cases, as well as advice regarding compliance with the I-9, discrimination, and document abuse provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and litigation arising under that statute. Dave is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the ABA-affiliated association for attorneys practicing immigration law. He is a frequent lecturer and presenter on immigration topics and also advises employers regarding best practices in employment-related topics. Sanford Posner, Partner - Sanford practices exclusively in the area of immigration and naturalization law. He represents multi-national corporate clients and individuals who are pursuing non-immigrant and immigrant visas. Sanford is proficient in developing an overall immigration plan for clients who are first seeking employment permission and then obtaining permanent residency in the United States. He is also an AILA member and frequent writer and speaker on immigration topics. Douglas H. Duerr, Partner - Doug focuses on preventive advice and counseling on a wide range of employment and labor issues, while providing experienced counsel to employers in litigation and administrative proceedings. He has experience in employment-based immigration matters and employment documentation issues. Doug is a frequent writer and speaker on issues related to various labor and employment issues, including immigration. Colleen Morgan, Immigration Paralegal - Colleen supports the Immigration Practice Group for the Firm. She is adept in the use of our immigration software and our case management systems. She routinely communicates with the immigration service to obtain case status details. Colleen is a key member of the practice group and is driven to ensure that client requests are fulfilled. Contact Attorneys:Sanford Posner or Dave Whitlock. Recent Updates 01-11-10 - Contractor Beware: Dealing with ICE is Never Cool. Concrete Contractor Column. Article written by David C. Whitlock. 10-29-09 - Dave Whitlock presented to the Associated General Contractors of America. The topic discussed was, “How to Avoid an ICE Meltdown: Immigration Compliance and Enforcement” 09-04-09 - Businesses rush to enroll in E-Verify program. Atlanta Business Chronicle. Quotes by David C. Whitlock. 08-25-09 - The Changing Nature of Immigration Enforcement. Mexican American Business Chamber Newsletter. Article written by David C. Whitlock. 07-23-09 – Employer Immigration Compliance: Surviving an I-9 Audit. Mexican American Business Chamber Newsletter. Article written by David C. Whitlock. 07-03-09 - Hurdles hamper state illegal immigration law, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Quotes by David Whitlock. 06-29-09 - Immigration Reform, WSB Radio Newstalk 750, David Whitlock commented on Immigration Reform. 06-25-09 – Employer Immigration Compliance: I-9 Re-verification and Retention Policies. Mexican American Business Chamber Newsletter. Article written by Glianny Fagundo. 04-16-09 – Employer Immigration Compliance: New I-9 Form Goes Into Effect Mexican American Business Chamber Newsletter. Article written by Glianny Fagundo. |
