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DALLAS, July 14, 2021 – Tech-forward immigration law firm Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) won the Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of the Year Award, announced by Legalweek at the Leaders in Tech Law Awards ceremony Tuesday. The award recognizes BAL’s proprietary case management system, Cobalt®, for its speed and efficiency in serving clients worldwide.
Legalweek honored firms that developed innovative tech solutions during a year of “unprecedented uncertainty and needed flexibility.” With vision and foresight, BAL’s Operations began enhancements on Cobalt in mid-2019 and finished the project shortly after COVID lockdowns began. Cobalt’s lightning-fast search engine and document upload features surpassed all expectations in timing and effectiveness.
“I’m honored to work and innovate with an incredible team in a unique environment,” said Chanille Juneau, Head of Products. “At BAL we have forward-thinking tech people who work side-by-side with our legal teams, figuring out how to apply technology to the legal practice in ways that are most effective and beneficial to clients.”
The team optimized Cobalt to handle the growing number of users as BAL expanded its caseload. Juneau and her team improved search accuracy and enabled greater speed and document upload capability, so that users would have the same experience regardless of whether one person or 1,000 people were simultaneously searching or uploading a document.
The new system launched August 2020, six weeks before the government unexpectedly opened a filing window that led to the biggest wave of immigrant green-card filings in 15 years. With enhancements to Cobalt’s performance and scalability, BAL was able to successfully file more than 10,000 cases for clients in a four-week filing period, with Cobalt handling a record number of users, searches and document uploads, while experiencing zero down time or outages.
“This project was a significant win for our firm and our clients. Cobalt is already an industry-leading legal tech product, and our teams elevated its performance level and utility during a critical time,” said Chief Information & Technology Officer Vince DiMascio.
“During the massive surge in usage, Cobalt operated without a single misstep, and we filed all client applications without interruption,” added Partner Edward Rios, Head of Innovation. “Even during stressful caseload surges, our clients can sleep at night knowing that nothing will be dropped because we have the best people and tools in the industry.”
Rios and DiMascio also presented at Legalweek’s Driving Legal Forward virtual event on Tuesday, leading a speaker session on “Change Management, Successful Law Firm Transformation and How to Implement AI, RPA and Emerging Technologies Into Your Law Firm.”
In addition to representing BAL’s leadership in innovative legal operations, this award demonstrates the positive impact BAL is making in people’s lives. BAL’s sophisticated legal teams backed by groundbreaking tech enable the firm to help countless people through their immigrant journeys to pursue their American dreams.
DALLAS, June 24, 2021 – The groundbreaking immigration law firm BAL is again ranked #1 for female attorney representation according to the National Law Journal’s 2021 Women in Law Scorecard.
For the third year in a row, BAL tops the Scorecard, which ranks firms by adding their percentage of female attorneys and their percentage of female partners. At BAL, women make up 62% of the attorneys, nearly two-thirds (65%) of the firm’s partners, and 42% of its owners.
“It’s an honor to remain the industry leader in this category. Women not only make up the majority of attorneys at BAL—they hold decision-making positions across the firm,” says Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge, noting that women make up 73% of the firm’s employees and 50% of its C-suite leaders. “We hire the best legal talent in the industry, and we have been forward-thinking in creating policies and instilling a culture that make this a great place to work for women at every stage of their careers.”
BAL has intentionally built a culture that values individuality while rewarding teamwork throughout its 40-year history. Though the firm has tripled its size since 2014 and grown 50% since 2018, it has maintained an inclusive culture, known as “oneBAL,” that elevates female voices and enables collaborative problem-solving without the divisiveness that plagues many large law firms. The firm’s leadership has adopted policies such as flexible schedules, remote work, expanded mental health support and unlimited vacation time that encourage work/life balance and resonate especially for female attorneys who are disproportionately impacted by parenting and caregiving responsibilities. In 2020, BAL formally established a DE&I Action and Advisory Board that launched firmwide focus groups seeking employee input and led to more than 40 employee-inspired initiatives that further promote diversity within the firm.
“I knew BAL was different from other law firms when I joined as an associate,” says Senior Partner Frieda Garcia. “I’ve seen the firm flourish and change over the past two decades, but one thing has remained constant—our culture that values every employee’s unique talents, ideas and contributions.” Garcia will be speaking at the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) annual conference in September with BAL Partner Kortney Gibson and Sr. Director of HR, Julie Dalton, about “Women, Diversity and Inclusion” and how organizations can achieve a collaborative workplace culture.
BAL has dominated industry gender and diversity rankings for the past several years, earning the top spot in multiple publications, including The American Lawyer’s #1 Most Diverse Law Firm in the country (2020 and 2021), Law360’s #1 Best Law Firm for Female Attorneys (2019 and 2020), #1 on Law360’s Diversity Snapshot (2019 and 2020), and Law360’s “Ceiling Smasher” list for highest percentage of female equity partners, five years in a row (2016-2020).
“I’ve been thrilled to step into the culture at BAL,” says COO and Partner Leslie Rohrbacker, who joined the firm this month. “I’ve spent years of my career mentoring women through my work as a practicing lawyer and operational executive in various organizations and industries. While many firms struggle with representation and inclusion, that is clearly not the case at BAL—it’s a special place where women thrive and are truly empowered to lead and make a positive difference in the lives of people all over the world.”
DALLAS (June 10, 2021) – Trailblazing immigration firm BAL ranks in the highest Tier 1 category among all immigration law firms nationwide, according to the newly released rankings by The Legal 500.
BAL provides “top-end service on business immigration matters,” and “remains the first choice of call for clients in this area,” declared The Legal 500, a pre-eminent publication that conducts comprehensive research of law firms worldwide.
“We are honored to be a top-ranked firm once again,” said Jeremy Fudge, Managing Partner. “It recognizes the impact our incredible team makes on clients all over the world. During this challenging year, we helped clients navigate unprecedented travel lockdowns and immigration backlogs and obtained travel ban exceptions for key players in COVID vaccine development. We’re living out our mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
BAL clients who were interviewed by The Legal 500 called the firm “best in class” and “exceptional.” Clients were particularly impressed with BAL legal team members providing “superb customer service and subject matter expertise,” and stated BAL achieved “extraordinarily high approval rate for our H-1B petitions and RFEs” (Requests for Evidence).
More than ever, the challenges of the past year highlighted the successful “oneBAL” philosophy as all BAL offices worked together as one unit to streamline case filings. Attorneys and staff remained flexible and agile to meet client demand, even in the most difficult immigration environment—while maintaining the highest level of customer service.
Clients touted the firm’s focus on service and attentiveness to their employees’ needs. As one client told The Legal 500: “The team is customer oriented, strive to deliver best services and keep the client population at ease.”
Nine BAL attorneys are recognized for their standout contributions. Founding Partner David Berry and Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge continue their multi-year enshrinement in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame. BAL Partner Lynden Melmed, who oversees the firm’s Government Strategies Team in the Washington D.C. office, is distinguished as a Leading Lawyer, whom clients applaud: “The BAL government affairs team is exceptional. They proactively inform us of news developments that could impact our immigration program, and strategies to navigate any changes or challenges.”
Several BAL Partners ranked as Recommended Lawyers, including Frieda Garcia in San Francisco, Ruth Clark in Houston, and Roberto Caballero, who is “noted for complex advisory work across a range of industries, including energy and technology.” Partner Nassim Mahzoon in Santa Clara is singled out for being “knowledgeable and a delight to work with.” Partner Kortney Gibson, who leads the Dallas Center of Excellence, is named a Next Generation Partner.
The firm’s deep expertise, innovative proprietary technologies and people-centered service enable BAL to offer clients unparalleled legal insight and transformative program management. With BAL’s harmonized, personalized service around the world through its strategic relationship with Deloitte U.K., BAL clients have constant access to world-class legal representation.
Another client summed up BAL’s unique, collaborative approach: “I think what makes Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) unique in the legal market is their genuine pursuit of the exceptional…. In terms of collaboration, my impression is that the team works very well together. They celebrate their team wins, and also are always willing to take on constructive feedback with humility and a positive attitude.”
About The Legal 500 For 34 years, The Legal 500 has analyzed the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive annual research program providing the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 150 jurisdictions. The rankings are based on a series of criteria, including feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, but simply put, we highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel.
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.
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-559-0174
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 (May 28, 2021) – Immigration law firm Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is a finalist in three categories of the International Legal Innovation Awards by UK Law.com, announced today in London at a virtual awards ceremony. The firm was shortlisted for its technological innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Knowledge Management and Marketing.
“We are proud of the curiosity and spirit that drive everything we do,” said Edward Rios, a BAL Partner and Head of Innovation & Strategy. “Being a finalist for three awards across very different departments is a testament to our forward-thinking culture.”
In the AI category, BAL is an award finalist for its Client Transition AI that helps accelerate and drive quality in data collection and migration as new clients bring their casework to BAL. The onboarding process combines immigration and industry knowledge with advanced technology to bring large data sets into the firm’s systems in a reliable format.
“Our technology platforms work hand in hand with our staff to provide real-time intelligence while our legal teams and support staff handle the most critical tasks for our clients,” said Vince DiMascio, CIO. “We use technology to increase speed, enhance quality, and ultimately give our people ‘superpowers’ through design, automation and practical AI.”
In the Knowledge Management category, BAL was recognized for combining its technological tools and immigration expertise to provide clients with the industry’s first multi-media immigration knowledge portal to house immigration breaking news analysis, FAQs, Immigration 101 basics, process maps, how-to videos, and much more. Dubbed “Advisor,” the portal provides corporate clients and their foreign-national employees access to up-to-date immigration information and knowledge on-demand, available 24/7, on their computers or mobile devices.
“BAL’s Advisor provides exemplary knowledge management for clients’ HR professionals and their employees,” said Katie Stone, Knowledge Management Director. “We also created Advisor+, which is a higher tier of content curated specifically for our clients’ HR mobility professionals to give them unique insights into the industry and their roles and obligations under immigration laws, regulations and best practices standards.”
BAL is also an award finalist for its Marketing Department’s innovative approach to providing original, timely immigration news.
“BAL’s goal was to create content marketing that is so valuable that it is not perceived as marketing, but as an indispensable service,” said Hennessey Knoop, Chief Marketing Officer. “BAL not only publishes the most immigration stories, we also supply the most up-to-date coverage and thoughtful, easy-to-understand analysis.”
In the past year, BAL met the unique challenge of covering COVID-19’s impact on travel and immigration, as countries around the world canceled flights, closed borders and suspended visa issuance. Most immigration firms created stand-alone COVID-19 resources, but did not publish COVID-19 news on a daily basis. BAL did both. BAL worked with its alliance partner, Deloitte UK, to create a cutting-edge COVID-19 information resource—a comprehensive Digital Map showing the most current status of travel, quarantine and work-permit rules for nearly every country in the world. In 2020, BAL published 980 news alerts, including 242 U.S. alerts,.
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 (2021 and 2020) 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. 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 (May 25, 2021) – Once again, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) has earned the title of the #1 most diverse law firm in the United States. For the second year in a row, the trailblazing immigration firm landed the #1 spot on The American Lawyer’s 2021 Diversity Scorecard, the industry’s preeminent ranking of racial diversity in the legal field. BAL ranked #1 out of 220 firms nationwide.
“We are pleased to continue to lead the industry on this critical issue at such a pivotal time,” said Jeremy Fudge, the firm’s Managing Partner. “At BAL, we have always understood that our strength as an organization comes from our diversity. We empower every individual to contribute their unique perspectives to the conversation and to our shared mission to make a positive difference.”
While most law firms continue to lag behind on racial diversity, BAL topped the Diversity Score at 74.7 – the second-place firm was 5.6 points lower. The Diversity Score is calculated by adding the percentage of minority attorneys and percentage of minority partners. Half of BAL’s 175 attorneys (49.7%) and one in four BAL Partners (25%) are racial minorities. Additionally, BAL scored #1 for having the highest percentage of minority equity partners (28.6%) and for having the highest percentage of Asian-American attorneys (26.9%). BAL is also among the top five law firms in the country for the highest percentage of Latinx attorneys (16%).
“We are a truly vibrant and multicultural workplace, and we have been intentional about putting in place a host of programs to ensure that we remain diverse and inclusive,” said Rob Caballero, a Partner who oversees the firm’s Austin, Houston and New York offices. “We continue to learn from each other and celebrate the diversity of our communities to best serve our clients, who are from all corners of the world.”
Last year, the firm launched dozens of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives that have helped facilitate cross-cultural connections and open discussions about topics such as Black Lives Matter and the rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community. The Diversity Scorecard also ranks BAL among the top 10 firms in the country with the most minority partners. The Diversity Scorecard is based on the average number of full-time minority attorneys—Asian-American, Black, Latinx or Hispanic, Native American and self-described multiracial attorneys—at AmLaw 200 and National Law Journal 250 law firms.
“As a multiracial attorney who has seen the firm’s diversity flourish through the years, I’m so proud that BAL’s outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts are being recognized nationally, and that we are leading the way for other law firms,” said Petra Tang, a Partner in the firm’s San Francisco office.
‘Strategic, efficient and very client-oriented.’
DALLAS, May 20, 2021 – Immigration powerhouse Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is once again a top-ranked law firm in the just-released Chambers USA 2021 guide, the prestigious annual ranking of the best law firms in the United States.
Chambers rated BAL a Band 1 firm, calling it a “powerful force” in corporate immigration having “the capacity to handle a range of highly complex matters.” Clients interviewed by the researchers hail BAL for being “extremely hard-working, smart and dedicated to producing excellent work product and excellent results,” and especially strong in “the use of technology to help create scalable solutions.”
This marks the 13th year in a row that BAL is ranked in Chambers’ California, Texas and USA Nationwide categories. In further recognition of BAL’s excellence, the firm’s New York and Massachusetts practice groups join the esteemed Chambers rankings this year.
“These recognitions reinforce our eminence across regional markets, industry sectors and nationwide,” said BAL Partner Rob Caballero who manages the firm’s Houston, Austin and New York offices. “More importantly, our clients express strong approval of our exceptional capabilities, dedication to service and responsiveness to their needs.”
Chambers praises the “stellar track record” of BAL’s Texas offices, and calls the practice a “strong choice” for multinational companies that benefit from the firm’s international network. BAL’s three offices in California are cited for their “commanding” practice and “high-caliber team of attorneys,” while clients note the practice’s successes in obtaining “very high approval rates” in immigration filings. Chambers cites BAL New York for its “impressive client roster” including major pharmaceutical, financial services and technology clients, and skill in advising on extraordinary ability visas.
Five BAL attorneys are distinguished for their caliber of legal skills, quality of work and attentiveness to clients.
Founder David Berry, based in San Francisco, is ranked as a Senior Statesman for his more than four decades as a recognized leader in immigration law. BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge in BAL’s Dallas headquarters is singled out as an Eminent Practitioner.
“It’s an honor to once again be recognized by this distinguished publication,” Fudge said. “Last year’s unprecedented environment, worldwide lockdowns and travel bans made our services to our clients more critical than ever before, and challenged us to redouble our commitment to helping them through these extraordinary times.”
In a year of policy upheaval, Partner Lynden Melmed, who leads the firm’s Government Strategies team, ranks in both the USA Nationwide category and Washington, D.C. region. Clients call him both “extremely knowledgeable” and “incredibly responsive,” and note his ability to “decipher complex legislative changes” and “devise appropriate strategies to mitigate risks.”
Edward Rios, BAL Partner who manages the firm’s Boston office, and Senior Associate Josiah Curtis, are both ranked in Chambers’ debut Massachusetts rankings. A client sums up their experience with the practice: “I’m blown away by their expert knowledge. They are a walking Wikipedia of immigration knowledge.”
“We are thrilled that Chambers has recognizedour team’s efforts in the New England market and beyond,” said Rios. “It is extremely gratifying to see the positive impact we are making in the immigration field and in people’s lives.”
About Chambers and Partners
Chambers and Partners, covering 185 jurisdictions, has ranked the best lawyers since 1990 and is known for its strength-in-depth editorial and research team. Chambers publishes an annual guide ranking the world’s best lawyers on the basis of technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery, and value for the money. A team of more than 170 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.
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 operates in 11 major U.S. markets and internationally in more than 135 countries through its alliance with Deloitte UK.
Preeminent global ranking guide recognizes BAL’s “deep experience” and “ever-expanding US footprint”
Dallas, February 26, 2021 – Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL), the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, is once again a top-ranked firm in the 2021 Chambers and Partners Global Guide. This is the seventh year in a row that Chambers has awarded BAL a place in its prestigious annual ranking.
BAL is ranked a Band 1 firm in the US business immigration category and also ranks highly for its global work. In the individual rankings, Partner Lynden Melmed is once again a Ranked Lawyer, lauded for his work leading the firm’s Government Strategies team in Washington, D.C. Founding Partner David Berry, based in San Francisco, and Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge, in Dallas, are both cited as Notable Practitioners.
Chambers calls the firm an “acclaimed group of immigration specialists attracting praise for its deep experience in corporate global mobility” and notes BAL’s growth and “ever-expanding US footprint.” The ranking highlights BAL’s broad scope of expertise from supporting immigration petitions to program management to strategic advice on compliance and government relations.
BAL’s reach in over 135 countries, its alliance with Deloitte and its “innovative case management technology, proprietary Cobalt® mobile app and artificial intelligent engines” are specifically highlighted by Chambers. The ranking quotes BAL clients as well: “I’m very impressed with the team as a whole. They are all outstanding counsellors who give us practical advice. They tell us the law, the risks and common practice.” Another impressed client says, “The firm stands out due to its very experienced attorneys, use of technology and pro-activeness in working through complex cases.”
BAL and its leaders rank highly across all major legal publications, and have a sustained presence in the Chambers Guides. BAL Partner Rob Caballero says of the latest ranking: “It’s a privilege to receive yet another recognition by Chambers as a leading firm. This honor acknowledges the firm as an elite group of legal experts, policy insiders, technologists, process engineers and immigration strategists. Each team closely integrates with the others to guide our clients through the ever-changing global immigration landscape, and that’s what this ranking truly represents.”
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 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 Best Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal (2019 and 2020) and the #1 Law Firm for Female Attorneys in its category 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, BAL provides 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, The Legal 500, 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.”
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, Dec. 10, 2020 – Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is named more times in the elite LawDragon® ranking of corporate immigration lawyers than any other firm in the country. In the newly released 2020 Lawdragon rankings of employment lawyers, eight BAL attorneys landed top spots, representing 12% of all ranked corporate immigration attorneys. BAL Partners listed in the top tier include David Berry, Rob Caballero, Jeremy Fudge, Frieda Garcia, Kortney Gibson, Lynden Melmed, and Carla Tarazi with Jeff Appleman, emeritus, inducted into the Immigration Hall of Fame.
Despite the huge challenges COVID-19 poses for U.S. businesses, BAL attorneys continue to make a lasting impact in the immigration field, successfully challenging multiple U.S. travel bans, obtaining National Interest Exceptions for companies so that critical international staff can travel to the U.S., and helping companies navigate complex compliance issues as employees moved to work-from-home arrangements en masse.
“We’re proud to be among the elite who are recognized as practicing at the highest caliber of immigration law,” says BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge, “Immigration is a profoundly important segment of employment law, and by helping our clients hire and retain the best talent in the world, we are powering human achievement.”
The trailblazing immigration firm has risen to the challenges of 2020, dominating the legal rankings and leading the industry in its tech-forward practice. This year, BAL was named the Most Diverse Law Firm in America by The American Lawyer, the Best Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal for the second year in a row, and the #1 Law Firm for Female Attorneys in its category by Law360 for two years running. BAL’s proprietary 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.
“This has been an incredible year for our practice, and our attorneys are not just surviving but thriving in the face of challenges,” says Partner Rob Caballero. “In 2020, we were tested as attorneys, but we have worked to serve our clients with creativity, technology, empathy and the drive to pursue the exceptional at every turn. We are pleased to have so many BAL attorneys recognized for excelling in their work and making a positive difference in people’s lives.”
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 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, The Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal. For more information, please visit: https://www.bal.com/.