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DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2022 – When it comes to gender equality, immigration powerhouse Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is once again named an industry leader by Law360 in its 2022 Glass Ceiling Report on Women in Law.
BAL ranks #2 among all law firms of its size, and bested all other firms in its class with the highest percentages of female partners (60.9%), female nonequity partners (71.4%), and other female attorneys (71%). The influential rankings once again lauded BAL as a “Ceiling Smasher” for its high percentage of female equity partners (44.4%).
BAL scored a robust 14.2 points above the industry benchmark, one of only three firms in its category to top the benchmark.
“BAL is an incredible place for women to succeed at every level,” said Frieda Garcia, the firm’s highest ranking female Partner. “I recognized BAL was different when I joined more than 20 years ago and was given leadership opportunities right away. Today, opportunities have grown and expanded even further for women throughout BAL, and it is my passion to help more working moms succeed in the corporate world and feel accomplished as parents.”
While empowering women in the workplace, BAL also provides flexible work policies—from unlimited vacation time to hybrid work options—that enable employees to pursue their passions outside the office and balance family responsibilities.
“We put a lot of thought into our policies to make it possible for women to excel in their careers while pursuing meaningful endeavors in their lives and as leaders in their communities,” says Chief Operating Officer Leslie C. Rohrbacker. “At BAL, we pursue the exceptional in everything we do, and we thrive as a firm because of the passionate women who strive to make a positive impact on the world.”
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firms, is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable businesses to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, people-centered client services, and leading technology innovation. In 2018, BAL entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic alliance with Deloitte U.K. to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model.
BAL’s proprietary Cobalt® digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product, the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services, and Legalweek‘s Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of 2021. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal. BAL has ranked #1 on multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including the #1 Law Firm for Women on the National Law Journal’s Women in Law Scorecard the past four years in a row (2019-2022), #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), and #1 on Law360’s Diversity Snapshot for three years running (2020-2022). In 2022, BAL won the “Best Company for Diversity,” the “Best HR Team” and the “Best Company for Career Growth” by Comparably, based solely on employee ratings. See website for details: https://www.bal.com
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-559-0174
Dallas, August 22, 2022 – Fifteen BAL attorneys were named to the prestigious Lawdragon® 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers ranking, with the firm achieving more accolades than all other corporate immigration firms.
In the newly released 2022 Lawdragon rankings, which recognizes only 79 top immigration attorneys in the country, BAL is the most cited firm for corporate immigration, representing 19% of the ranked attorneys. These BAL Partners are singled out by Lawdragon: Rob Caballero, Kelli Duehning, Jeremy Fudge, Frieda Garcia, Delya Ghosh, Kortney Gibson, Jeff Joseph, Lynden Melmed, Edward Rios, Petra Tang, Carla Tarazi, and Susan Wehrer. Additionally, Jeff Appleman and David Berry, partners emeriti, are inducted into the Immigration Hall of Fame.
BAL has solidified its reputation as the go-to immigration firm for companies seeking a business advantage in acquiring and retaining the best talent in the world. With coast-to-coast offices and a dedicated Government Strategies team in Washington, D.C., BAL elevates immigration strategy while navigating compliance issues for many of the biggest companies in the world, as well as mid-sized entities and start-ups.
“Our clients deserve teams that deliver unprecedented results in record time thanks to our oneBAL collaborative culture and groundbreaking in-house legal technology,” says BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “We deliver this elite service thanks to the efforts of the leaders that Lawdragon recognized and the 1,400 BAL employees who dedicate themselves to exceptional client service.”
The firm’s employee-centered culture inspires leaders—reflected in the significant uptick in the number of attorneys recognized by Lawdragon this year – and attracts the best legal talent to our unconventional environment. From unlimited vacation to firmwide community service days, BAL offers perks that allow attorneys to thrive both inside and outside the office.
“We’ve excelled in a challenging job market and continue to attract top talent, because people recognize that there’s something different going on here,” says BAL’s Chief Operating Officer Leslie C. Rohrbacker. “Our incredibly diverse staff, our majority-female ranks, and our fun-loving culture set us apart from traditional law firms. Add in industry-leading legal tech that frees us to focus on what really matters, and you have a special place that just keeps getting better.”
19 Attorneys from Immigration Firm BAL Named ‘Best Lawyers in America,’ 22 Named ‘Ones to Watch’ by Best Lawyers®
DALLAS (Aug. 18, 2022) – BAL is proud to announce that 19 of our attorneys have been recognized as The Best Lawyers in America® and 22 have been named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ in immigration law. They will be featured in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, the only purely peer-review guide to the legal profession.
“This is a record achievement for so many of our elite attorneys to be recognized by this prestigious publication, both our established attorneys and our next generation of lawyers,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “We know they are the best at what they do – as do the countless people whose lives they have changed for the better. Now the world knows too.”
The following BAL attorneys, who practice all aspects of corporate immigration, are recognized as Best Lawyers®:
· Roberto Caballero, Partner, Houston, Texas. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016.
· Shehryar Chaudhry, Senior Associate, San Francisco, Calif. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021.
· Josiah Curtis, Partner, Boston, Mass. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2022.
· Maria DeLapp, Partner, Chicago, Ill.
· Larry Drumm, Partner, San Francisco, Calif. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021.
· Jeremy Fudge, Managing Partner, Dallas, Texas. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2020.
· Michelle Funk, Partner, McLean, Va. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021.
· Frieda Garcia, Partner, San Francisco, Calif. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016.
· Delya Ghosh, Partner, San Francisco, Calif.
· Kortney Gibson, Partner, Dallas, Texas. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2022.
· Jeff Joseph, Partner, Denver, Colo. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010.
· Tiffany Lam-Bentley, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas
· Lynden Melmed, Partner, Washington, D.C. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013.
· Jessica Mullins-Ta, Partner, Dallas, Texas. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2022.
· Edward Rios, Partner, Boston, Mass. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010.
· Petra Tang, Partner, San Francisco, Calif. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2017.
· Carla Tarazi, Partner, San Francisco, Calif. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2015.
· Mark Yelich, Partner, McLean, Va. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021.
· Susan Wehrer, Partner, Dallas, Texas. Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007.
These up-and-coming BAL attorneys are recognized as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in immigration law for 2023:
· Nazish Ali, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Peter Alphonso, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Shane Andrews, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Christopher Barnett, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Lynn Bonnello, Senior Associate, Santa Clara, Calif.
· J. Gabriel Castro, Associate, Santa Clara, Calif.
· Taylor Chapman, Senior Associate, Houston, Texas.
· Susan Kivuvani, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Kyle Klaudt, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Jason Kyriakides, Associate, Houston, Texas.
· Chad Li, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Amy Lighter-Steill, Senior Associate, Santa Clara, Calif.
· Gloria Luan, Senior Associate, San Francisco, Calif.
· Tiffany Martinez, Senior Associate, San Francisco, Calif.
· Jennifer McGill, Associate, Boston, Mass.
· Heather Oh, Senior Associate, New York, N.Y.
· Steven Plastrik, Senior Associate, Washington, D.C.
· Steven Quezada, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Smriti Sahni, Associate, Santa Clara, Calif.
· Michael Sela, Senior Associate, San Francisco, Calif.
· Ashley Tseung, Senior Associate, Dallas, Texas.
· Emily Yao, Senior Associate, San Francisco, Calif.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL)
BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firms, is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable businesses to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, people-centered client services, and leading technology innovation. In 2018, BAL entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic alliance with Deloitte U.K. to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model.
Media Contact:
Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-290-9158
DALLAS (Aug. 15, 2022) – Leading immigration firm BAL is the #1 law firm in the country for diversity and #1 in equity partner diversity in Law360’s latest Diversity Snapshot. The recognition marks the third consecutive year the firm ranks #1 in overall diversity.
“Diversity is intentional at BAL, not an afterthought,” said Frieda Garcia, an Equity Partner. “We include people from varied backgrounds and experiences, from all around the world, and give them equal opportunities to make a difference.”
BAL ranks the highest in diversity among equity partners, associates and other attorneys among firms of the same size. The majority of BAL’s associates, 55.8%, are attorneys of color. Attorneys of color also make up 28% of the firm’s partners, 59.7% of other attorneys, and 44% of the firm’s equity partners.
“We continually seek and promote the best talent, and these rankings demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the firm,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge.
BAL scored 26.6 points above the benchmark, and more than 12 points above the second-place firm, according to the influential rankings. Diversity is represented at every level of the firm, not only equity partners.
“These latest rankings not only reflect the success of our efforts in DE&I across the board—they’re also an authentic expression of our firm culture of inclusion and empowerment where every individual is valued for their unique contributions,” said Rob Caballero, also an Equity Partner. “We are grateful for this distinguished recognition.”
BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable businesses to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, people-centered client services, and leading technology innovation. In 2018, BAL entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic alliance with Deloitte U.K. to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model.
BAL’s proprietary Cobalt® digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product, the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services, and Legalweek‘s Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of 2021. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal. BAL has ranked #1 on multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including the #1 Law Firm for Women on the National Law Journal’s Women in Law Scorecard the past four years in a row (2019-2022), #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), and #1 on Law360’s Diversity Snapshot for three years running (2020-2022). In 2022, BAL won the Best Company for Diversity, the Best HR Team and the Best Company for Career Growth by Comparably, based solely on employee ratings. See website for details: https://www.bal.com
Trailblazing immigration law firm BAL has been recognized by Texas Lawyer for its tech-forward legal practice and for its next-generation attorneys.
BAL’s Chief Technology Officer Chanille Juneau is honored with the Legal Innovator Award. The publication’s Texas Legal Awards recognize legal professionals who have introduced game-changing ideas and turned those ideas into reality.
Under Chanille’s leadership, the firm’s in-house tech products team has developed industry-leading, award-winning tech tools, including BAL’s proprietary immigration case management software and mobile app, Cobalt,® that are making a positive difference for multinational companies and their employees and families around the world.
“Innovation means overcoming real-world challenges people are facing, then leveraging legal knowledge and technical skills synergistically to come up with practical solutions,” Chanille explained. “The most successful innovations spring from a people-centered purpose, and that is a core value of our culture and our approach.”
BAL Senior Associate Tiffany Lam-Bentley was also recognized by Texas Lawyer as an attorney “On the Rise.” Tiffany was recognized for her accomplishments and expertise as an immigration attorney, her strong leadership and mentoring skills, as well as her initiative in organizing pro bono events to benefit local communities in need of legal services.
Chanille and Tiffany will be honored at a ceremony Sept. 14 at the Arts District Mansion in Dallas.
About BAL Established in 1980, BAL powers human achievement through immigration expertise, people-centered client services and innovative technology. BAL, with 13 offices across the United States and global coverage in more than 185 countries around the world, operates as a single entity through its oneBAL culture — a uniquely holistic approach, intentionally structured as one team, one brand, one P&L, one standard of excellence and one unifying technology. This united approach enables the firm to deliver the highest level of knowledge, insights and resources from across the entire organization.
At BAL, we pursue the exceptional. To learn more visit bal.com.