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Middle East Expert Hadi Allawi Leads Team of Immigration Professionals
March 14, 2017 – Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) announced today it has officially opened its new regional head office in Dubai. BAL previously announced that Hadi Allawi had been hired as Managing Director, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from the firm’s London office. Allawi now manages a UAE-based team of experienced professionals dedicated to immigration matters in the MENA region, and is responsible for the strategic positioning and growth of the firm in the region.
Allawi is a recognized MENA expert specializing in business strategy, intelligence and geopolitical risk analysis across multiple industries. Prior to joining BAL, Allawi led the MENA desk of a London-based specialist advisory firm assisting major multinational companies with operations in the region.
“BAL recognizes the importance of the Middle East to our clients, and it is an exciting time to be able to partner with them in a more direct manner,” said BAL managing partner Jeremy Fudge. “Dubai is the starting point for BAL’s presence in the region and we expect to expand our footprint in line with demand.”
“Clients always expect the highest level of service when working with BAL,” said Allawi. “I am delighted to open BAL’s first office in the Middle East. As immigration challenges increase in the region, BAL will be optimally positioned to advise on mobility strategies and immigration issues.”
“We recognize that the Middle East poses unique challenges best addressed by on-site experts. Hadi and his team understand the nuances of the region’s immigration processes and will hone efficiencies and compliance,” said Emily King, Managing Director, Europe.
Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-559-0174
Founding Partner David Berry was named the Best Lawyers® 2017 Immigration “Lawyer of the Year” in San Francisco.
Mr. Berry’s nomination follows BAL’s recent ranking by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as a “Best Law Firm.” BAL is also ranked as a “Best Law Firm” in the metropolitan areas of Houston and San Francisco.
Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer review evaluation. For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.
San Francisco, CA — Berry Appleman & Leiden, one of the world’s leading corporate immigration law firms, today announced that Paul Rynerson and Jessica Mullins-Ta are being promoted to Partner.
“Paul and Jessica are two outstanding lawyers doing great work for their clients,” said BAL Managing Partner, Jeremy Fudge. “Paul excels at offering strategic immigration advice to his clients and Jessica thrives in consulting with clients to create solutions to their workforce needs. We look forward to both attorneys continuing their great work as Partners.”
Paul Rynerson previously served as a Senior Associate in the Dallas office of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. His practice focuses on employment-based immigration matters, including immigrant visa matters covering all aspects of the permanent residency process, nonimmigrant visa matters, I-9 and other compliance issues. Rynerson is an expert in managing PERM programs for large technology clients of the firm and also has experience in the finance, energy, non-profit, and manufacturing industries.
Jessica Mullins-Ta previously served as a Senior Associate in the Dallas office of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP, handling a wide array of cases for corporate clients. She serves clients in obtaining nonimmigrant visas, both in the US and abroad, and represents employers of all sizes with labor certification cases. Mullins-Ta also represents clients obtaining permanent residence as International Managers, Outstanding Ability, Researchers, and National Interest Waivers. Her experience includes working with a wide array of corporate clients, including public and private universities, publicly traded international companies, religious organizations, and privately owned companies.
Throughout her career, Mullins-Ta has been a sought-after speaker on corporate immigration, including most recently:
Copyright © 2016 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers have ranked Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP as a national “Best Law Firm” for a second year running. BAL is also ranked in 2017 as a “Best Law Firm” in the metropolitan areas of Houston, Texas, and San Francisco, Calif.
Firms included on the 2017 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.
The U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. To be eligible for a ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer listed in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© list for that particular location and specialty.
The 2017 “Best Law Firms” rankings can be seen in their entirety by visiting bestlawfirms.usnews.com.
For the eighth year in a row, BAL ranked as a “Band 1” firm in the Nationwide category and in California and Texas in the newly released 2016 Chambers USA Guide, an annual ranking of the best law firms based on independent research and interviews with lawyers and clients worldwide.
Nationally, BAL is a “powerful force in corporate and business immigration,” able to handle a range of highly complex matters, according to the rankings. BAL’s California office was praised for its global and domestic expertise in the full range of immigration matters, notably excelling on behalf of Silicon Valley-based technology clients. BAL in Texas was recognized for an impressive client roster, covering industries such as energy, technology and entertainment and is noted for its global capabilities.
Individual BAL lawyers also received kudos. Founding Partner David Berry was noted for his work advising international and U.S. clients on compliance issues and the immigration implications of mergers and acquisitions, among other matters. Attorney Partner Lynden Melmed was also singled out for his “invaluable” experience in government legislation and described as “reasoned, balanced and very well respected.”
Described as “bright and talented,” Attorney Partner Susan Wehrer in California was noted for her skill in handling matters related to mergers and acquisitions and I-9 compliance, while “great lawyer,” Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge was ranked as an Eminent Practitioner in Texas and was recognized for his expertise in the full gamut of immigration issues across industries.
Chambers USA quoted clients who described BAL as providing a “fantastic service level” and being “right up there with the other big players in the U.S. immigration space.”
Another client said of BAL: “The best team. They are there when I need them, and think outside of the box when we need them to. It’s a great partnership.”
About Chambers USA
Since 1990, Chambers has published an annual guide ranking the world’s best lawyers based on technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery, and value for money. A team of over 140 researchers conducts thousands of interviews worldwide to produce the rankings. Lawyers cannot buy their way into Chamber’s rankings; as a result, its annual directories are considered among the most accurate and reliable.
– Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
About Chambers USA Since 1990, Chambers has published an annual guide ranking the world’s best lawyers based on technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery, and value for money. A team of over 140 researchers conducts thousands of interviews worldwide to produce the rankings. Lawyers cannot buy their way into Chamber’s rankings; as a result, its annual directories are considered among the most accurate and reliable.
BAL ranks second in the top 100 U.S. law firms for minority attorneys, according to Law360’s 2016 Diversity Snapshot.
Law360 states that at BAL and the other top four firms, at least 30 percent of nonpartners are minorities, and at least 20 percent of partners are minorities. According to Law360, the firms on the list have made some headway in shaking up a stubbornly bleak picture of diversity in the legal industry. The rankings indicate that many firms continue to struggle to recruit and retain minority attorneys, despite the fact that the percentage of minorities attending elite law schools hovers around 30 percent, according to data compiled by the American Bar Association.
Carol Mays, Chief Operating Officer at BAL, stated: “We have a successful strategy for hiring the best talent across the globe and strongly believe many different backgrounds and perspectives provide better solutions and make us stronger as a firm.”
Law360 surveyed over 300 U.S. firms about their overall and minority headcount numbers as of Dec. 31, 2015. Only U.S.-based attorneys were included in the survey. Firms are ranked based on three factors: the percentage of partners, both equity and nonequity, who self-identify as minorities; the percentage of nonpartners who self-identify as minorities; and the number of attorneys at the firm who self-identify as minorities.
Berry Appleman & Leiden’s Latin America Managing Director, Daniela Lima, was awarded the 2016 ERC Distinguished Service Award at the recent Americas Mobility Conference in Houston, Texas. Distinguished Service Awards are granted annually to professionals who have demonstrated commitment to the service of global mobility and the Worldwide ERC through committee or task force participation, speaking on or moderating educational panels, authoring articles for Mobility magazine or serving in a leadership capacity. Worldwide ERC is the workforce mobility association for professionals who oversee, manage, or support U.S. domestic and international employee transfer. The organization was founded in 1964 to help members overcome the challenges of workforce mobility, and has grown today to nearly 10,000 service industry members around the world.
Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP is pleased to announce that Michelle Funk has been promoted to a Partner of the firm. Ms. Funk is based in the northern Virginia office, where she assists businesses in establishing and managing global immigration programs. “Michelle is a talented and well-respected attorney within the firm and the immigration community,” said Jeremy Fudge, Managing Partner. “She is the consummate team player who will strengthen our global platform.”
Ms. Funk graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and is active within the American Immigration Lawyers Association, currently serving on the Department of Labor Liaison Committee and previously serving as Chair of the Washington D.C. Chapter.