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Dallas (Jan. 6, 2023) — BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, promoted five of its attorneys to Partner this month: Shehryar Chaudhry, Haesung Kim, Amy Lighter, Stephanie Pimentel and Michael Sela.
Shehryar Chaudhry provides strategic counsel to companies from BAL’s San Francisco office, managing immigration programs for companies in the technology sector and providing guidance on compliance, program management and corporate restructuring.
“As an immigrant myself, I get a lot of joy out of working with corporate clients in shaping their immigration program and in helping their foreign national employees,” Shehryar said. “It’s a win-win, and I’m honored to step into a new leadership role at a firm that values those relationships.”
In the firm’s Tysons, Virginia, office, Haesung Kim has extensive experience representing Fortune 500 companies on all aspects of employment and family-based immigration matters. Her practice focuses on managing PERM labor certification and green card processes for large corporations.
Amy Lighter, who practices in the firm’s Santa Clara, California, office, works with companies to craft immigration solutions that facilitate the mobility of executives, managers and specialized workers, with a particular interest in securing extraordinary ability visas for leading scientists and researchers.
“I have lived abroad as a ‘trailing spouse’ without work authorization and have walked in my clients’ shoes,” said Amy, who has a background in science and technology. “I’m excited for my new role at BAL — a tech-forward firm that empowers my passion for leveraging technology to improve the quality and delivery of legal services.”
Practicing at BAL’s headquarters in Dallas, Stephanie Pimentel represents companies across diverse industries, including pharmaceutical, IT and consulting. She manages immigration programs for large multinational corporations as well as startups, and previously served as Liaison to Customs and Border Protection at Boston’s Logan Airport through the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Michael Sela, who practices in BAL’s San Francisco office, has expertise in all facets of business immigration matters having represented clients of all sizes in industries such as healthcare, entertainment and technology. Michael advises global companies and their employees on both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas processes.
“Our new partners represent BAL’s continuing pursuit of the exceptional for our clients, DE&I in our firm and innovation in our industry,” explains BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “This year, we are resetting our own benchmark for high-quality, people-centered services powered by technology, and these elite professionals will help us meet those goals and our clients achieve success.”
About BAL 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 by the National Law Journal 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). BAL won in seven of Comparably’s Best Company categories, including Diversity, Women, Career Growth, and Perks & Benefits. The Dallas Business Journal named BAL one of only a handful of the 2022 Best Places to Work based exclusively on employee feedback. US News & World Report–Best Lawyers named BAL the 2023 Immigration Law Firm of the Year.
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-559-0174
DALLAS, Oct. 3, 2022 – Award-winning immigration law firm BAL is expanding its practice with the addition of celebrated immigration attorney and national expert Ashley Foret Dees, who will join the firm as a partner.
Ashley is the leading expert on H-2A and H-2B temporary work visas. She currently practices at the immigration firm she founded in Lake Charles, LA and will transition to BAL’s Houston office in 2023. “I’m thrilled to be joining a team of truly elite professionals practicing at the height of our field and to be at the cutting edge of immigration legal services,” she said. “BAL has the best tech tools in the industry, an unwavering commitment to client experience, and a dynamic team-minded environment that I can’t wait to join.”
Ashley is a member and former H-2 Visa Chair on the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Department of Labor Liaison Committee. She regularly speaks at the AILA Annual Conference and Mid-South Chapter on H-2 visa topics, and has served on the AILA National Pro Bono Committee. She is also the founder of the Louisiana State Bar Immigration Law Section, which she chairs.
“We’re excited to welcome Ashley to BAL,” said Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “She has the strongest H-2 visa practice in the country and not only brings a decade plus of experience, she also shares our passion for exceptional client service, our people-centered values, and our trailblazing mindset. As with every area we engage, we anticipate revolutionizing this practice area and setting the standard for all others.”
“As BAL continues to be the go-to firm for every aspect of corporate immigration, Ashley’s expertise in the growing area of H-2 work visas will add a significant benefit to our current and future clients, who need every option to fill skills gaps in this competitive global talent market,” said BAL Partner Rob Caballero who oversees the firm’s Houston office.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) 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 by the National Law Journal 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 the three years running (2020-2022). 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. The Dallas Business Journal named BAL one of only a handful of the 2022 Best Places to Work based exclusively on employee feedback.
See website for details: https://www.bal.com
Sept. 12, 2022 – BAL Partner Frieda Garcia has been honored with a 2022 Women, Influence & Power in Law Award by Corporate Counsel. Frieda was honored in the Thought Leadership category, an area where she has excelled throughout her two decades at BAL. Frieda heads the firm’s management committee and is key in influencing the direction of all legal and operational functions at BAL.
Frieda has been instrumental in shaping BAL’s innovative culture through her leadership and ability to create inclusive environments. The empathy and compassion with which she approaches her work has its roots in her own immigration experience. Frieda’s compelling story, from her childhood in war-torn El Salvador to her top leadership role at BAL, inspires the next generation of lawyers.
“I’m honored to accept this award and for the career guidance I received early on from BAL named partners, David Berry, Jeff Appleman and Warren Leiden.,” Frieda said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to pay it forward by providing mentorship to younger attorneys, discussing everything from law firm management to how working parents can succeed in the corporate world while feeling accomplished as parents.”
Frieda’s unique approach to leadership has nurtured an organizational model that incentivizes collaboration and teamwork instead of competition—a rare feat in the legal industry.
“Frieda has helped shape our ‘oneBAL’ culture that empowers us to collaborate across offices to grow and thrive,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “I’m thrilled that she is being honored for the incalculable ways she has led and inspired the 1,500 team members at BAL.”
Though Frieda has reached a career position with considerable influence, she encourages younger attorneys to dream bigger sooner. “I wish I had realized how much potential there is to grow and be a person of influence – no matter your title or role,” Frieda said. “The secret, at least at BAL, is to encourage innovation and fresh ideas from every corner of the firm and empower every individual to raise their hand if they have an idea to make things better.”
The awards dinner reception will take place Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, 7 p.m. at the JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, in Washington, D.C.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL, one of the world’s leading corporate immigration law firms, is the Most Diverse Law Firm in America (2020 and 2021) and the Best Law Firm for Women (2019 and 2020). 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. The firm won Legalweek’s Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of the Year in 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.
Leading immigration firm BAL’s Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge is named to an elite list of top employee-approved CEOs by Texas CEO Magazine.
“I’m honored to be selected for this recognition by Texas CEO,” said Jeremy. “It is especially gratifying to know that we’re not only succeeding in growth and other traditional metrics, but that our people – our greatest source of success — rate their BAL experience so highly.”
Texas CEO Magazine partnered with Comparably, a company that collects employee reviews for firms across the U.S., to find the most highly approved CEOs. Jeremy is among 22 CEOs rated “A+” by their employees, representing the top 5% of employee-rated CEOs of large companies in Texas.
The magazine recognized Jeremy for helming BAL’s aggressive nationwide growth in the middle of the pandemic—the firm has opened a new office every year for the past five years, most recently in Santa Clara, Calif., Denver and soon Los Angeles—and for leading the company to other key milestones, including strategic lateral hires and eminence in legal technology.
Along with these huge strides in dominating corporate immigration, Jeremy managed to keep a growing workforce engaged and innovating at a time when many companies experienced labor shortages. “My leadership philosophy is time-tested and true: be a servant leader,” Jeremy said, “Genuinely love your people and look for meaningful ways to serve them.”
This service mentality inspired Jeremy and the firm’s leadership to shape an empathetic workplace culture at BAL, offering perks such as unlimited vacation and hybrid work options. Employees appreciate Jeremy’s open-door policy, with one reviewer saying, “Jeremy Fudge is always willing to discuss your ideas with you to see if he can implement them or change policies that aren’t working.”
Learning and growing from conversations with his employees reflects Jeremy’s broader approach to life. When pointing to the best leadership advice he ever received, Jeremy responded, “Read widely and keep learning.” The approval rating by the firm’s 1,500 employees enthusiastically endorses this philosophy.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (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.
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.
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 469-290-9158
June is Pride Month and we are proud to celebrate our LGBTQ+ employees, clients and the community –throughout this month and every day. We believe that every individual’s experience makes us stronger and that we can all learn from each other’s perspectives.
The first Pride Marches were held on June 28, 1970 to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising a year earlier. Pride marches and parades are held around the world every June.
BAL has devoted more than four decades to advocating for the equality of all immigrants. We fought and won the historic case, Hill v. INS, that struck down the policy of excluding gay and lesbian foreign nationals from entry and led to the elimination of that classification of inadmissibility.
We recently sat down with BAL Partner Rob Caballero, who oversees the firm’s Houston, Austin and New York operations, for a conversation about the meaning and significance of Pride month.
What does Pride Month mean to you?
For me, it’s a reflection of how far I have come in my own personal journey, and also how far we have come, and how far we still need to go, in our community’s journey. Time to celebrate life, community and friendship.
How do you observe Pride Month?
I tend to support local or national organizations by contributing time or resources. Sometimes there’s the parade, but it’s hot in Houston in June! With 110+ degrees and 80% humidity, I don’t always make it to the parade, but I do contribute in other, more air-conditioned, ways.
What would you tell your 20 year-old self, knowing what you know today?
To trust the journey and walk your path. Learn from days or times that are hard, and enjoy and relish the days that are not.
How has your background and your own journey inspired your work as an attorney in the immigration space?
As it relates to immigration, every immigrant brings something unique to this country. I’m probably one of the few people who knew I wanted to be a lawyer since I was a kid. But I didn’t know I would go into immigration law until later. Looking back, when my mom went to submit her application for naturalization, she just did it on her own with my dad who ultimately went with her to her appointment. I wondered if they even thought to go to an immigration attorney. I realized what we do is remarkable. We, BAL, are a key component that makes a profound mark on somebody’s personal life. It’s really critical and important and hopefully we leave a mark that is supportive, that is sympathetic, a mark that – as we say at BAL, and it’s true – makes a positive difference in someone’s life.
What LGBTQ+ issues would you like to see progress on?
As a firm helping immigrants, we know that immigration makes us stronger as a country. Diversity is a good thing. It’s a way of learning and relating to each other and understanding that not everyone is going to be the same. I would like to see us move in a direction that is more inclusive and understands that the more diverse we are, the stronger we are.
DALLAS, June 21, 2022 – Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is pleased to announced that three of its attorneys have been elected to leadership positions at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. AILA is the primary industry group that supports U.S. immigration attorneys and law firms of all sizes.
BAL Partner Jeff Joseph will serve as Second Vice President for the 2022-23 term and BAL Partner Maggie Murphy has been re-elected to AILA’s Board of Governors for a three-year term. Additionally, BAL Senior Associate Tiffany Martinez, of the firm’s San Francisco office, has been elected Chair of AILA’s Northern California chapter and as such will also serve on the Board of Governors for one year.
Jeff leads the firm’s Denver office and has over two decades of experience in immigration law, including an impressive litigation record. With deep roots in the Denver area, Jeff is well-known for his leadership in the immigration legal community, serving as a past Chair of the Colorado Chapter, as a past elected director on the AILA National Board of Governors, and on numerous national committees, most recently serving as AILA’s Treasurer last term.
“I’m thrilled to serve as Second Vice President and I’m ready to go to work for all our members by ensuring that we better utilize technology and reinvent how we prepare for changes so we can continue fighting for immigrants as we face new challenges in this complex environment,” Jeff said.
Maggie leads BAL’s Austin office and has been a member of AILA for over 18 years serving on various membership and conference planning committees, as former Chair of the Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma Chapter, and as the Board liaison to the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office operations committees this past year. She will serve her second term as an elected director of AILA’s Board of Governors.
“I’m honored to serve this organization and to continue helping AILA members get access to resources that empower them to serve their clients, foster their own well-being, and grow their practices,” said Maggie.
“These attorneys are elite practitioners who will lend their considerable talents to AILA,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “Just as it is our mission as a firm to make a positive difference in people’s lives, Jeff, Maggie and Tiffany will make a positive difference for AILA members, their professional lives and the businesses and people they serve.”
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. 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. 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 has ranked #1 on multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), 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 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, March 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — BAL Partner Lynden Melmed testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, in the hearing “Removing Barriers to Legal Migration to Strengthen our Communities and Economy.” Lynden leads BAL’s Government Strategies Team and previously served as Chief Counsel for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Lynden’s testimony sounded the alarm that the wait time for employment-based immigrants to get a green card is at a tipping point. “If you ask any company in any industry what the single biggest problem is with the U.S. high-skilled immigration system, you will encounter something rare in the immigration debate: consensus,” Lynden said. “All agree that the lengthy green card backlog is the central problem.”
Pointing to systemic factors contributing to years-long wait times – from outdated manual processing to burdensome policies – he warned that the growing backlog cannot be solved by staffing or resource allocation. Further, he emphasized that improvements to the immigration system would boost the economy, saying, “Expanding legal immigration would increase the pace of economic growth, lower the budget deficit by nearly $3 trillion over 10 years, and boost per capita income by $1,700 over 10 years.”
Lynden stressed the demand for global talent to fill roles in STEM and other fields in order for the U.S. to remain competitive, and noted that the U.S. is losing talent to other countries like Canada that offer a streamlined permanent residency process. He concluded his testimony by offering practical solutions that focus on U.S. competitiveness and job creation. Pointing to proposals such as increasing the number of employment-based visa numbers available to skilled immigrants, recapturing unused green card numbers, and streamlining filing requirements, he urged Congress to take action.
“By doing nothing, the U.S. is going backwards,” he said.
“We’re glad to see Congress’ interest in addressing problems in the U.S. immigration system, and there’s no one better informed on this issue than Lynden,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “He and our Government Strategies team are well-connected with key policymakers, advocate for businesses and high-skilled immigration in Washington, and keep our clients and industry leaders informed about anticipated policy changes and how they will impact their businesses. He is the preeminent expert on U.S. immigration policy, and we are hopeful that Congress is persuaded to act.”
Watch the full hearing.Read Lynden’s testimony.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL)BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, 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
SOURCE Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
DALLAS (Feb. 28, 2022) – Jeremy Fudge, Managing Partner of the award-winning immigration law firm BAL, has been named a 2022 Outstanding Director by the Dallas Business Journal. Jeremy is recognized for his excellence in governance and his role in the success, growth and development of BAL.
“I’m honored by this recognition from our leading local business publication,” Jeremy said. “I’m proud to help lead the amazing people at BAL as we continue to attract the top professionals in the industry, pave new ways of serving clients through our proprietary tech tools, and provide platinum-level service to our clients.”
Jeremy has overseen tremendous expansion of the firm, nationally and in the Dallas area. In just the past two years, the firm has hired over 600 employees, including 60% diversity hires. The firm’s Center of Excellence and national headquarters in Richardson grew by 18.5 percent in 2021, and is set to add another 100,000 square feet of space this summer. BAL has opened a new office every year for the past five years, including two during the pandemic (Denver and Austin), and the firm continues to expand into new markets.
As Managing Partner, Jeremy embodies the firm’s people-centric approach, not only in his unique management style, but also in his relentless support of industry-leading technology innovations and investment in people. These twin priorities enable BAL to offer exceptional client services to some of the largest multinational companies around the world, while attracting and retaining top legal talent at BAL, even in these challenging times.
Under Jeremy’s management and leadership, BAL has weathered the pandemic as well as the ensuing Great Resignation. Jeremy personally recruited several of the top immigration professionals in the country to BAL in 2021. The firm also added unlimited vacation as a benefit, developed a proprietary tool to measure and balance workloads, and automated document processing that liberates employees from mundane tasks—initiatives that make BAL the destination for the industry’s top talent.
“Jeremy embodies the firm’s mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives, whether he’s serving our corporate clients, their employees, or his own colleagues and every BAL employee,” said Partner Kortney Gibson, who oversees the Center of Excellence in Richardson.
Jeremy takes his coaching and pursuit of the exceptional beyond his professional role. A competitive runner and marathoner, he most recently coached 14 BAL attorneys and staff from couch to completion of the 2021 BMW Dallas Marathon.
A member of the Texas bar, Jeremy earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from The University of Texas School of Law and his Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude, in Journalism and Political Science from Baylor University.
DALLAS (Feb. 21, 2022) – Immigration powerhouse Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is once again a top-ranked firm in Chambers and Partners’ new 2022 Global: Multi-Jurisdictional Guide. This is the eighth year in a row that Chambers has awarded BAL a place in its prestigious annual global ranking.
BAL is ranked a Band 1 firm in the U.S. business immigration category, and is highly-ranked for its global work. Denver Partner Jeff Joseph and Washington, D.C. Partner and head of the firm’s Government Strategies Team Lynden Melmed are Ranked Lawyers. Founding Partner David Berry and Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge are both cited as Notable Practitioners.
Chambers notes the firm’s “expertise across a broad spectrum of services, from application support and immigration program management to strategic advice on compliance and government relations.”
Chambers quotes BAL clients as well. One impressed client notes: “They partner with us like an extension of our team, making the immigration process seamless for our business.”
Another client said: “They proactively inform us of new developments that could impact our immigration program, and strategies to navigate any changes or challenges.”
BAL and its leaders have a sustained presence in the Chambers Guides.
“We appreciate that Chambers recognizes the firm’s elite expertise in global mobility and immigration strategy,” said Partner Rob Caballero. “Our focus is always on exceptional service to our clients and their employees, and our people-centered approach to navigating clients through the immigration journey while creating a vibrant workplace that attracts high-caliber legal talent. These are the secrets to our success.”
About Chambers Global Since 1990, Chambers and Partners has published an annual guide ranking the world’s best lawyers on the basis of technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery and value for money. A team of over 200 researchers conducts thousands of interviews worldwide to produce the rankings. Lawyers cannot buy their way into Chambers rankings; as a result, its annual directories are considered among the most accurate and reliable.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL, one of the world’s leading 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 Best Law Firm for Women (2019 and 2020). 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. The firm won Legalweek’s Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of the Year in 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 U.K. 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.