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DALLAS, Feb. 4, 2022 – Award-winning immigration firm BAL has opened a new office in Denver, Colorado, led by Denver native and Partner Jeff Joseph, a prominent immigration attorney and AILA luminary with deep connections in the region. BAL Denver will serve as a springboard to grow the firm’s presence in the Rocky Mountain market.
BAL provides corporate immigration services to companies and entrepreneurs. The firm’s services are comprehensive, from investor visas for start-ups to full-scale global immigration programs for some of the world’s largest companies, including in the tech sector that is flocking to the Rocky Mountain area: a recent SmartAsset survey named Denver one of the best places in the country for tech work. The region also has a disproportionate number of tech job openings, and BAL plans to help companies address this gap by mobilizing talent from around the world.
“As we help companies in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region to mobilize global talent, we’re also staffing a new office in a challenging labor market. BAL attracts top talent because we offer cutting-edge technology tools and a people-centered culture,” Jeff said, adding that the firm offers employees flexible schedules, unlimited vacation and paid time-off to do volunteer work of their choosing. “This complete package enables us to grow a high-caliber legal team that offers top-notch legal services to clients.”
Consistent with BAL’s focus on creating an enjoyable work environment for its employees, the Denver office landed in an 1871 loft-style building in the city’s hip LoDo district. Legal teams work in an office with windows overlooking Denver’s iconic Coors Field on one side and the city’s trendy Dairy Block on the other. The historic office is located within blocks of Denver’s best breweries, restaurants and accessible transportation.
“We look forward to transforming corporate mobility in the Rocky Mountain West, and we’ve found the perfect location for our game-changing team,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “The Denver office space reflects BAL’s strengths: We offer people-focused, creative legal solutions, and meet clients with our sleeves rolled up, ready to tackle even the most complex immigration challenges. Add to that our proprietary tech platform and the best legal minds in the business, and it’s a truly special place.”
The expansion is BAL’s fifth new office opening in the past five years as the firm grows through major U.S. economic centers, including the recently opened Austin, Texas and Santa Clara, California offices. The firm’s “oneBAL” culture epitomizes collaborative teamwork: workloads are shared firmwide, while regional offices provide the personal interaction and on-the-ground support BAL clients have come to expect from the service-oriented firm.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm and the Best Lawyers® “Law Firm of the Year” in U.S. Immigration Law for 2019, ranks #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), #1 on Law360’s Diversity Snapshot (2020 and 2021), and the #1 Law Firm for Women according to the National Law Journal (2019, 2020 and 2021). BAL’s 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 is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology innovation. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model. 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. See website for details: https://www.bal.com
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-559-0174
DALLAS, Jan. 25, 2022 – In a momentous announcement, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) congratulates Founding Partner David Berry on his retirement and transition to Partner Emeritus of the firm.
For 41 years, David has been a preeminent attorney and visionary in immigration at BAL, helping to grow the firm from a two-attorney practice to an award-winning global powerhouse.
“David has been a mentor, leader, partner and friend. He’s been a role model to all who have been fortunate enough to work with him. We wish him all the best in his next chapter,” said Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge.
“We will miss David’s daily presence, but his legacy endures in the mission and values of the firm he helped build,” said Frieda Garcia, a Partner who began her career at BAL over 20 years ago.
David founded the firm in San Francisco in 1980 with fellow solo immigration attorney, Jeff Appleman. Warren Leiden joined as a name partner in 1996. Over the years, the firm flourished along with the global economy and now serves corporate clients in nearly every country in the world.
“It’s been an amazing four decades filled with so many fond memories. I’m proud to have been part of an area of law that has had – and continues to have – a profound impact on individual lives and the face of our country,” David said. He looks forward to spending more time with his family, hiking and biking in the mountains, and serving as a board member for organizations focused on healing the world.
David leaves the firm in capable hands, with Jeremy at the helm for the past nine years, backed by one of the most diverse groups of partners in the legal industry. By passing the torch to this next generation of leaders, the firm will continue to have a positive impact on millions of lives around the world: BAL represents the future of immigration, with an aggressive growth trajectory and new U.S. office openings planned, while its industry-leading proprietary technological tools continue to delight clients and attract top immigration professionals to its thriving practice.
DALLAS, Jan. 5, 2021 – BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration firm, is pleased to announce the promotions of Josiah Curtis and Maria DeLapp to the partnership.
“Practicing corporate immigration during these unprecedented years has required passion, creativity, and fortitude, qualities both Josiah and Maria exhibit in abundance,” said Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “They are committed to achieving results for our clients and our firm while serving as strong leaders and mentors for BAL team members.”
Josiah practices in BAL’s Boston office, where he assists clients of all sizes find creative solutions and strategies for their immigration programs. He was recognized in this year’s prestigious Chambers USA 2021 guide, where a client said of Josiah and his Boston colleagues, “I’m blown away by their expert knowledge. They are a walking Wikipedia of immigration knowledge.”
“From my first day at BAL, I’ve appreciated how unique this firm is—from the inclusive culture to the high-tech tools at our fingertips,” Josiah said. “BAL has enabled me to provide a level of client service that exceeds expectations and makes a real difference to individuals in this uncertain environment. I’m honored to take this step into leadership as BAL transforms the practice of immigration law while positively impacting lives.”
Maria leads operations in the firm’s Chicago office and represents clients in such diverse industries as IT, manufacturing, agriculture, scientific, engineering and financial services, automotive suppliers, and professional football, baseball, and rugby clubs. She has extensive experience helping clients manage immigration due diligence during all stages of mergers and acquisitions, and brings a unique perspective to her work, informed by her own immigration experience.
“The immigration journey is very personal to me because I immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager when my father obtained work here as a scientist,” Maria said. “I had an interesting start at BAL—launching a new office in a new market in the midst of a global pandemic. We built a great team and BAL continues to attract top talent in the industry. I’m honored to help lead a firm with a collaborative workplace culture that focuses on personalized service and a people-centered approach to immigration.”
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-290-9158
Dallas, Oct. 1, 2021 – Award-winning immigration firm BAL welcomes veteran immigration attorney and AILA luminary Jeff Joseph as its newest Partner. Joseph, who is located in Denver, will head up efforts to grow BAL’s presence and provide on-the-ground support to companies in Colorado and across the greater Rocky Mountain region. Joseph will join BAL starting Oct. 1.
“We are very excited to welcome Jeff to BAL,” said Partner Kortney Gibson, who is overseeing the firm’s Rocky Mountain expansion. “His expertise and stellar reputation will give BAL a quick path to establishing trust among the region’s corporate leaders as we help them meet immigration challenges and explore new opportunities.”
This is the fourth major talent grab by BAL in recent months. The firm welcomed Leslie Rohrbacker as a Partner and COO from Fragomen in June, followed by Partner Maggie Murphy who moved with her legal team to BAL’s Austin office from Jackson Lewis. BAL also nabbed Tiffany Derentz, a former State Department attorney, who joined BAL’s Government Strategies team as a Senior Counsel in Washington, D.C.
Joseph is a top-ranked attorney, immigration law professor, and is active in advocacy within the immigration legal community, having served in numerous roles with the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) executive board and currently serving as its Treasurer. With more than two decades of experience in corporate immigration, Joseph has represented clients before the immigration agencies and in litigation in the federal courts. He has given more than 200 lectures to professional organizations on wide-ranging aspects of immigration law and is a recognized thought leader. His practice at BAL will focus on corporate immigration and finding strategic business solutions to the complexities of global mobility.
“Jeff’s practice will be instrumental as we continue to expand our legal service offerings to new locations,” explains BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “We are helping businesses navigate a tight labor market and challenging immigration conditions to source the talent they need. Jeff will join our legal teams in combining cutting-edge technology tools and a people-centered culture that produces the highest level of service to our clients.”
BAL’s innovative culture appealed to Joseph, who is eager to take his next step in leading and improving the way legal services are delivered to clients in the Mile High City and beyond. “To compete globally, companies need an immigration provider that continually pushes the envelope,” says Joseph. “BAL offers clients a winning formula: the best lawyers in the business, innovative problem-solving, world-class tech, and customer service that values relationships and seeks to improve people’s lives. I’m excited to come on board and help revolutionize global talent acquisition for businesses in the region.”
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, is the Best Lawyers® “Law Firm of the Year” in U.S. Immigration Law for 2019, ranks #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), #1 on Law360’s Diversity Snapshot (2020 and 2021), and the #1 Law Firm for Women according to the National Law Journal (2019, 2020 and 2021). BAL’s 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 is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology innovation. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model. 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. See website for details: https://www.bal.com
DALLAS, Aug. 19, 2021 – Seventeen BAL attorneys have been recognized as Best Lawyers in America and five BAL attorneys have been named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in immigration law by Best Lawyers®. Their names will appear in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, the only purely peer-review guide to the legal profession.
The following recognized BAL attorneys practice all aspects of corporate immigration:
These five up-and-coming BAL attorneys are recognized as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in immigration law for 2022:
See BAL’s profile in Best Lawyers here.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL)
BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, is the Best Lawyers® “Law Firm of the Year” in U.S. Immigration Law for 2019, ranks #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021) and the #1 Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal for three years in a row (2019, 2020 and 2021). BAL’s Cobalt® digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product and the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services. BAL is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology innovation. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model. 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. See website for details: https://www.bal.com/.
DALLAS, July 21, 2021 – Leading immigration firm BAL expands its operations in Austin, hiring Maggie Murphy away from Jackson Lewis, where she was a principal. Maggie will head up BAL’s rapidly growing presence in the Austin market—BAL Austin now has 15 legal team members and the office is expected to more than triple in size to 50 by the end of the year.
BAL, the award-winning global immigration law firm recognized for producing creative legal tech solutions, is ramping up its presence in the vibrant state capital at a time when tech companies and other innovative businesses are flocking to Texas.
“We are expanding purposefully in this exciting market,” explains BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “We’re elevating our services by growing our offices and increasing our coverage, while attracting legal talent who want to work at a firm that represents the future—where they have access to cutting-edge technology tools combined with a unique culture that empowers them to provide exceptional services to their clients.”
Murphy, who joins BAL as a Partner, is a top-ranked attorney with more than a decade of experience working with Fortune 500 companies in all aspects of corporate immigration and advising on complex, creative immigration solutions. Murphy’s legal team from Jackson Lewis, including two Associate Attorneys, Blake Burch and Melle Fabian, and several paralegals and support staff, are following her in joining BAL, and will pave the way for aggressive future growth.
Murphy says that clients are expressing a demand for creative service offerings that are not being filled by traditional law firms in the region.
“In today’s market, businesses are looking for more than just solid immigration expertise,” says Murphy. “Clients need innovative strategies, world-class tech tools, and top-notch customer service that prepare them for the challenges of the future, while creating opportunities to turn their international talent acquisition and retention programs into a business advantage. BAL offers the whole package.”
With the Austin expansion, BAL continues its multi-year growth, having opened four new offices in the past four years. Most recently, the firm opened its doors in two new locations—Chicago and Santa Clara, California—and is expected to continue to grow at this pace for the foreseeable future, offering clients regional on-the-ground support and the exceptional service that has become synonymous with the BAL brand.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL, one of the world’s most recognized corporate immigration law firms, is the Best Lawyers® “Law Firm of the Year” in U.S. Immigration Law for 2019, the Most Diverse Law Firm in America (2020 and 2021) and the #1 Law Firm for Women three years in a row (2019, 2020 and 2021). BAL’s 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 won BAL the Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of the Year Award (2021) by Legalweek’s Leaders in Tech Awards. BAL is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology innovation. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model. 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. See website for details: https://www.bal.com/.
Tiffany Derentz served in the Visa Office and as Senior Advisor in the Office of the Legal Advisor
DALLAS (June 1, 2021) –“Immigration is central to recruiting top talent, and I am excited to work with businesses and assist them in navigating their global mobility needs,” said Derentz. “BAL is such a dynamic, forward-thinking firm, with genuine passion for what they do for clients. I’m eager to work with BAL’s talented and dedicated legal teams.”
Derentz joins BAL’s Government Strategies team, headed by Partner Lynden Melmed, who previously served as Chief Counsel at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Government Strategies team helps clients navigate and shape policy developments in D.C., maintaining direct relationships with the White House and leaders on both sides of the aisle. In May, BAL submitted extensive and detailed comments to USCIS, recommending concrete actions to reduce barriers and restore faith in the legal immigration system.
“Companies are facing unprecedented mobility challenges in the ongoing pandemic, including heavily backlogged visa services at U.S. Consulates and evolving travel ban restrictions,” said Melmed. “Tiffany’s experience with the State Department – both at headquarters and on the ground at U.S. Consulates – will provide our clients with unique insights into changing visa policies and processes.”
Derentz served at the State Department for over eight years, working as an Advisor and Supervisory Attorney in the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Visa Office, then as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser, including as a Senior Advisor to the department’s Chief Legal Advisor for immigration affairs. The Bureau of Consular Affairs formulates and implements policies related to immigration and consular services and ensures that U.S. consulates around the world provide responsive and efficient visa services and other consular services.
“We’re excited to further bolster our Government Strategies team with Tiffany’s expertise,” said Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “We are already the nation’s preeminent firm for complex and sensitive immigration and compliance matters, advocating on behalf of business interests and influencing immigration policy in Washington. With this expansion of our team, we continue to attract the brightest minds in the industry to the benefit of our clients.”
DALLAS (June 1, 2021) – Leading immigration firm Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) announced that top corporate immigration executive Leslie Rohrbacker will join the firm as Chief Operating Officer on June 14. Rohrbacker departs Fragomen where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief People Officer for the past eight years.
As the immigration industry reboots after a year of COVID and a worldwide freeze on movement, this major talent acquisition demonstrates that BAL is taking the lead in shaping how the industry reignites and reimagines immigration, global mobility and perfecting the art of high-touch, people-centered client services.
“We are so thrilled to welcome Leslie to BAL to build the future of immigration together,” says Jeremy Fudge, the firm’s Managing Partner. “Leslie brings stellar credentials and a wealth of high-level cross-vertical experience to our already thriving culture. We’re excited to catapult into the next era with someone who is as forward-thinking as we are.”
Rohrbacker has diverse skills and a proven track record as a practicing attorney, head of Human Resources and executive leader. She began her career as a litigator, chalking up successful wins in court for more than a decade, before her passion for professional development and leadership training prompted her transition to in-house roles in Human Resources Management.
“Human capital is the most valuable resource in today’s global economy,” says BAL Partner Frieda Garcia. “Leslie’s focus on people is strongly aligned with our core values as a firm, our commitment to diversity and empowering every individual, and our mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
In making the move, Rohrbacker pointed to BAL’s entrepreneurial spirit that she shares with the firm. She praised BAL as the leader in corporate immigration law and said she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join the team.
“While I am firmly grounded in the present, I have always kept my eye on the future,” says Rohrbacker. “BAL embodies the pioneering approach that combines an elite legal practice with innovative outside-the-box thinking about new ways to serve clients and help them solve some of the biggest challenges in immigration. BAL is the future.”
DALLAS, Jan. 26, 2021 — Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) LLP, the world’s preeminent corporate immigration law firm, opens the doors to its new office in Santa Clara, Calif., on Jan. 25. The expansion into Silicon Valley is not only part of the firm’s national growth strategy, it also solidifies BAL as the dominant immigration law firm in Northern California and the West Coast.
“We are certainly thrilled about this newest expansion, and looking forward to being closer to our clients,” said BAL Partner Nassim Mahzoon, who will oversee Santa Clara operations. “Additionally, clients and staff will find the new space to be a unique environment for connection, collaboration and problem solving, allowing us to strategize on program tactics and management, and ensure that clients are well-positioned for complex, global business challenges.”
In a rapidly changing global mobility landscape, impacted by COVID-19, geopolitical and cross-border issues, a holistic immigration strategy is a necessity in today’s business and policy environment. By understanding the complexities of global mobility and talent management, and by focusing on the client experience, BAL is able to turn immigration into a business advantage rather than a bureaucratic impasse for its clients.
“We have deep roots and long-standing relationships with Silicon Valley, and we understand the objectives of its established business community,” said BAL Partner Frieda Garcia. “BAL has always shared the tech industry’s organizational values, drive toward innovation and spirit of entrepreneurship, and we are creating tools and solutions today, for tomorrow’s immigration challenges.”
Known for its robust service-delivery model, BAL has revolutionized the industry by leveraging and developing AI, machine learning and robotic process automation (RPA) in groundbreaking ways to create an exceptional client experience. BAL’s market-leading proprietary Cobalt® platform is the platinum standard in case management, security, and user experience, and BAL’s newest multimedia Advisor portal is the industry’s most comprehensive immigration knowledgebase for in-house professionals. The firm is consistently recognized for its tech innovation achievements by some of the most highly coveted awards in both legal and tech industries.
The Santa Clara office, located at 4555 Great America Parkway, is a campus-style space mirroring the culture, aesthetic and amenities familiar to Silicon Valley companies, as well as BAL’s state of the art Center of Excellence in Dallas, Texas. The space inspires creativity and disrupts the traditional practice of law, appealing to our clients, their employees and the next generation of legal talent.
“We continue to empower the tech industry using 21st century tools to make their mobility and talent management programs more successful,” said BAL Partner Carla Tarazi. “We serve our clients with skill, empathy and a mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP BAL is one of the world’s most recognized corporate immigration law firms and the Best Lawyers® Law Firm of the Year in U.S. Immigration Law (2019), the Most Diverse Law Firm in America (2020), the #1 Law Firm Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal (2019 and 2020) and the #1 Best Law Firm for Female Attorneys among firms it size by Law360 (2019 and 2020).
BAL’s Cobalt® digital immigration services platform earned a 2020 CIO 100 Award, won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product and placed as a 2020 Tech Titans Award finalist. The firm is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful.
Established in 1980, the firm provides immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world’s first global immigration service delivery model. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers, The Legal 500, Lawdragon, and Who’s Who Legal. For more information, please visit: https://www.bal.com/.
Dallas, Jan. 4, 2021 – Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) LLP, the world’s preeminent corporate immigration firm, is pleased to announce the promotions of Matthew Gross and Mark Yelich to the partnership.
“Matt and Mark exemplify the best of BAL, and we are excited to welcome them to the partnership. Both have an unwavering desire and commitment not only to our clients, and the service we provide them, but to the continued success and growth of the firm, and our people,” said Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “Adding them to the partnership ranks will make us stronger.”
Matt is based in Dallas at BAL’s Center of Excellence. He focuses on business immigration matters representing a broad spectrum of Fortune 500 companies, major universities, investors and foreign nationals in a range of industries, including healthcare, consumer goods and technology. Matt was recently recognized in this year’s prestigious Legal 500 rankings for his expertise, where clients lauded him as a “trusted advisor.”
“What has always propelled us as the industry leader in our field is our innovative spirit and approach,” Matt said. “BAL is always looking ahead. Yes, we solve the problems our clients are dealing with today, but we are also anticipating challenges our clients may face 5, 10, 20 years from now, and building products, tools and solutions for that world. That’s what sets us apart, and I’m honored to help steer us in that journey.”
Mark practices in the firm’s Tysons, Va., office and represents clients ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies in the IT, retail, healthcare, medical research, engineering, transportation and pharmaceutical industries. He provides his clients with strategic guidance on immigration programs and policies, and is an industry leader in guiding companies through internal reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions. Mark is a frequent speaker at national and international industry conferences and is an active member of Croatian organizations in the Washington, D.C., area and across the country.
“My parents are both immigrants, so I understand both the technical and emotional components of immigration,” Mark said. “Our firm is not just in the business of moving folks from point A to point B. Those are simply the mechanics of immigration. We bring it all together. Not just with our technology, tools, resources and subject-matter expertise, but with our empathy, transparency and a fundamental understanding that our clients’ overall experience with our services should be second to none. It’s a banner I definitely look forward to carrying as a partner.”