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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/.
Media Contact: Emily Albrecht Senior Director — Marketing & Communications ealbrecht@bal.com 469-559-0174
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.”
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, 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/.
Dallas, Nov. 6, 2020 – U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® have once again put their prestigious stamp on Berry Appleman & Leiden, LLP (BAL) as a top National Immigration Law Firm on their annual “Best Law Firms” list.
BAL earned the highest “Tier 1” recognition in the 2021 national rankings in immigration law and in three regional rankings for Houston, San Francisco and Oakland. The firm also expanded its recognition to additional regional rankings in the northeast and central regions, including BAL’s offices in Boston, Dallas, New York and Washington, D.C.
“We’re proud to be among the elite who are recognized in the top tier of the Best Law Firms– the best of the best in the field of immigration law,” says BAL Partner Rob Caballero.
The pioneering law firm continues to grow and innovate despite the huge challenges presented by COVID-19. This year, BAL swept several #1 legal rankings, won highly prized tech awards, expanded its Texas footprint, opened a new office in Chicago and is poised to grow its Silicon Valley presence. Earlier this year, 13 BAL attorneys earned “Best Lawyers in America” rankings and five up-and-coming BAL attorneys earned bragging rights as “Ones to Watch” by Best Lawyers.
“This has been an incredible year for our firm, and we are not just surviving but thriving in the face of challenges,” says Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “We live by our motto, ‘Pursue the Exceptional,’ and we are never satisfied. We have more to accomplish and more work to do as attorneys, as human beings and as a law firm to make a positive difference in people’s lives and in the world.”
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).
DALLAS – Oct. 26, 2020 – Berry Appleman and Leiden LLP (BAL), one of the world’s leading corporate immigration law firms, is a Tech Titans Award finalist.
Representing the best products, technologies, and services in software, information and business technology in North Texas, Tech Titans recognizes BAL for its proprietary Cobalt® platform as a unique and breakthrough technology in corporate innovation. BAL competed against more than 160 award nominees.
“It is an honor to be recognized as a 2020 TechTitans Award finalist,” said BAL’s Head of Products, Chanille Juneau. “BAL is proud of our technological achievements and our commitment to innovate and create new tools to continually improve our clients’ experience. This recognition is a credit to the relationships we have built with our clients and the hard work our people do every single day.”
BAL’s Cobalt® digital immigration services platform has earned numerous accolades in the legal and tech spaces, including the 2020 CIO 100 Award and the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product. Cobalt is BAL’s proprietary, second-to-none immigration case management system, providing real-time visibility into clients’ immigration programs in a single platform that enables centralized program management to power companies’ business initiatives. Cobalt offers features such as the industry’s first mobile app, allowing employees to monitor their cases anywhere, anytime. With advanced application of computer vision, employees can upload documents, check case status, view milestones, and send secure messages from their phones. A leader in legal technology, BAL is ahead of its peers in enhancing the client experience through intelligent automation and computer vision technologies.
“BAL is developing truly groundbreaking technology that is transforming and challenging the traditional legal services delivery model,” explains BAL’s CIO, Vince DiMascio. “BAL is taking the leading role in pushing the boundaries of innovation while never losing sight of our mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
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) and 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 and won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product.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: www.bal.com.
About Tech Titans
Tech Titans is the largest technology trade association in Texas, representing a quarter million employees through its 300 member companies. Tech Titans includes a diverse group of technology leaders from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies who collaborate to help innovation thrive in the region. As part of its goals, Tech Titans is active in:
For information, please visit www.techtitans.org.
Dallas, Sept. 3, 2020 –BAL has earned the #1 spot on the 2020 Diversity Snapshot by Law360, leading the legal industry on diversity and inclusion in yet another national ranking.
BAL tops all other law firms of its size, scoring 98.85 out of 100 in Law360’s influential annual analysis of law firm diversity.
“We are honored to be an example of diversity at a moment when the nation is debating and confronting racial justice issues,” said Frieda Garcia, a BAL Partner. “As a firm, we have always found strength in the team building that comes when individuals from diverse walks of life work together and are empowered to contribute at all levels of the organization.”
At BAL, attorneys of color make up 44.6% of the firm’s attorneys, 28.6% of its equity partners and 50% of its executive committee.
“Diversity, inclusion, equal opportunity, empowerment are so embedded in our culture, they have become a part of our firm’s genetic makeup. These qualities are fundamental tenets of who we are, and what we continually aspire to be,” said BAL Partner Rob Caballero.
For three consecutive years, Law360 has named BAL as one of the nation’s Best US Law Firms for Women and Minority Attorneys in its annual Diversity Snapshot. BAL continues to earn the highest recognition in national legal rankings on racial diversity and gender equality, holding the title of most diverse law firm in the country and the #1 spot on The American Lawyer’s 2020 Diversity Scorecard, the industry’s preeminent ranking of racial diversity in the legal field, as well as the #1 Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal for two years running.
“We are extremely proud of our numerous #1 D&I rankings but we refuse to become complacent,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “As part of our response to the Black Lives Matter movement, we have bolstered our efforts with more than 40 new D&I initiatives to ensure our firm not only reflects the diversity of our communities but makes a positive difference in people’s lives.”
BAL is one of the world’s most recognized leaders in corporate immigration law, and the Best Lawyers® “Law Firm of the Year” in U.S. Immigration Law (2019), the Most Diverse Law Firm in America (2020) and the Best Law Firm for Women (2019 and 2020). BAL’s Cobalt® digital immigration services platform earned a 2020 CIO 100 Award and won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product. 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 technological innovation. The firm’s strategic alliance with Deloitte UK created the world’s first global immigration service delivery model of its kind. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers, The Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal. Please see our website for details: https://www.bal.com.
Thirteen BAL attorneys have been honored as 2021 “Best Lawyers in America” and five BAL attorneys have been named “Ones to Watch” by Best Lawyers®.
The BAL attorneys named as Best Lawyers in America represent all aspects of corporate immigration and every state in which BAL has an office:
Five up-and-coming BAL attorneys across the country are also named “Ones to Watch” in 2021:
Best Lawyers® is the only purely peer review guide to the legal profession. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based on a process designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
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 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 Innovation 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, The Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal. See website for details: https://www.bal.com/.
Dallas, June 23, 2020 – For the second year in a row, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL), the leader in immigration law, has earned the top spot as the #1 Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal.
The No. 1 ranking on the annual Women in the Law Scorecard secures BAL’s position at the forefront of the legal industry in hiring and promoting female attorneys. The honor is doubly significant as it comes on the heels of BAL earning the title of the most racially diverse law firm by The American Lawyer, making BAL the #1 law firm in the country for both racial and gender diversity.
“We are thrilled to lead the legal industry as the destination for female talent,” said BAL Partner Carla Tarazi. “BAL is a special place where women can shape their career paths and receive the support to excel and follow their dreams.”
Women not only constitute more than half of BAL’s attorneys, they are heavily represented in leadership positions. Nearly two-thirds of BAL partners and more than a third of its owners are women, ensuring that women are at the table for all levels of decision-making. The firm has expanded policies to encourage a healthy work-life balance such as remote working and flexible schedules, which help in overall retention of lawyers and may be particularly attractive to women who are juggling careers and family priorities.
Above all, BAL has successfully created a vibrant culture of inclusion that breeds a strong sense of a collective mission combined with a bold and innovative spirit, a unique environment that encourages teamwork while inspiring individual outside-the-box thinking.
“Inclusion isn’t only about hitting numbers or reaching targets. Inclusivity, diversity and empowerment are ingrained in our culture and make us stronger—and unstoppable—in how we approach our work, collaborate with each other, and serve our clients,” said Kortney Gibson, a BAL Partner who manages the firm’s 600-employee Center of Excellence in Dallas.
“We are a trailblazing law firm in so many ways, and this distinction has special resonance,” said Petra Tang, a Partner in the firm’s San Francisco office. “As the firm has grown, I have seen countless women thrive and advance into leadership positions. BAL is the platinum standard and a model for the legal industry.”
Dallas, June 11, 2020 – Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) has earned the top “Tier 1 ranking” among all immigration law firms in the country per The Legal 500. “BAL is widely considered to be at the top of the immigration legal market,” declared The Legal 500, which analyzes and ranks law firms worldwide.
“We are honored to be at the top of The Legal 500 once again, especially as this ranking reflects reviews from clients on the quality of our service,” said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. “BAL is on a mission to power human achievement by providing an experience that makes a positive difference in people’s lives. These recognitions show our amazing people are truly making a difference in the world.”
The Legal 500 praises BAL’s key strengths, including “a very consultative approach,” “risk analysis on a variety of options,” and “presenting [a] recommended ‘best’ approach.” One client testimonial summed up BAL’s legal services: “This is an excellent team.”
Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge, named to the Legal Hall of Fame, is lauded for “making everything work” and creating an “attitude that is infectious within the organization.” Founding Partner David Berry is also honored in the Legal Hall of Fame.
In the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, BAL Partner Lynden Melmed, who oversees the firm’s Government Strategies team, is named a Leading Lawyer and cited as the “go-to name for complex and often sensitive immigration advisory matters.” The rankings also recognize Senior Partner Frieda Garcia in San Francisco for her work on global immigration initiatives, and singles out Partner Rob Caballero, who manages the firm’s Houston office, for providing comprehensive advisory and immigration strategies services. Partner Kortney Gibson, who oversees BAL’s Center of Excellence in Dallas, is named a Next Generation Partner and noted for her expertise in H-1B specialty occupation and O-1 extraordinary ability visas. New York Partner Robert Groban is called out for his work with businesses in the financial, health and life sciences, and tech industries.
The Legal 500 also recognizes two BAL Senior Associates for their talents. Dallas-based Matthew Gross is distinguished for his I-9 and E-Verify compliance expertise and for being “a trusted advisor” and a “partner” not a “vendor,” and San Francisco-based Tiffany Martinez is named a Rising Star to watch in the immigration field.
About The Legal 500
For 33 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.
‘Culture of Collaboration’ Propels BAL to #1 on AmLaw’s Diversity Ranking
Dallas, May 29, 2020 – Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) has earned the title of the most diverse law firm in the country. The powerhouse in immigration law landed the #1 spot on The American Lawyer’s 2020 Diversity Scorecard, the industry’s preeminent ranking of racial diversity in the legal field.
“Among our many accolades, it is especially rewarding to lead the legal industry in diversity,” said BAL Senior Partner Frieda Garcia, who manages the firm’s West Coast operations. “As a global immigration firm, we represent clients from diverse backgrounds and cultures worldwide. We are extremely proud that our firm reflects that diversity which strengthens our connections to our clients and our communities.”
Half of BAL’s 169 attorneys identify as people of color, and diversity is integral to the firm’s leadership—23% of BAL partners are racial minorities.
What is the key to BAL’s success?
“We cultivate a collaborative workplace at every level of the firm,” said Jeremy Fudge, BAL’s Managing Partner. “Our strength is our diversity, because different viewpoints, fresh ideas, new ways of communicating, unique approaches to problem-solving, are continually injected into the collaborative process. Our teams thrive, we are stronger as a firm, and we are better able to serve our clients.”
This culture of collaboration is instrumental to the firm’s success in creating and nurturing a diverse law firm and serves as a model for the many law firms that struggle to recruit and retain minority attorneys. BAL’s diversity not only earns the firm consistent recognition and awards, it empowers BAL’s mission to make a positive difference on a global scale, one client at a time.
“Our attorneys are the best and the brightest in the immigration field, serving the best and the brightest individuals from every corner of the globe,” said Rob Caballero, Managing Partner of BAL’s Houston and Austin operations. “Through our diversity, we are powering human achievement around the world.”
DALLAS, May 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL), the leader in immigration law, won the annual SIIA CODiE Award for Best Legal Solution of 2020. The prestigious CODiE Awards recognize companies producing the most innovative businesses technology products across industries, and around the world. BAL won the award for Cobalt®, its industry-leading digital immigration platform.
Cobalt® allows companies to manage and track their immigration cases for their employees across the globe within a single integrated system that provides seamless case tracking, insight, analytics, reporting, status updates and more.
“Cobalt® continues to deliver on its promise and earn accolades from the market and prestigious technology industry publications. BAL is the first immigration law firm to win this award, making it even more notable. While other companies and firms have tried and failed to create similar systems, we successfully built Cobalt® ourselves. The result is one of the industry’s most advanced platforms, customized to meet the needs of our clients and their employees now and in the future,” said BAL’s Managing Partner, Jeremy Fudge.
“It is a huge honor to be recognized by our peers,” said Chanille Juneau, the firm’s Head of Products. “We continue to strive to create products that not only support our legal teams but give our clients the best experience possible. The best software is created when innovative technologists collaborate with subject matter experts. BAL is fortunate enough to have both in-house, allowing our Products team to work alongside immigration law experts on a daily basis to build industry-leading software.”
SIIA President Jeff Joseph congratulated the winners: “The products and services we honor today connect us to colleagues and customers, ensure business practices move forward, provide new insights from data, and create new jobs and market opportunities. They represent the best of high-impact, outcome-focused innovation.”
The CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. Entries are reviewed and scored by software and business technology experts before members of the Software & Information Industry Association members vote for the finalists. Scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners.
About the SIIA CODiE Awards The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries. Forty-three awards were given this year for products and services deployed specifically for B2B software, information and media companies, including the Best Overall Business Technology Product, awarded to the product with the highest scores of both rounds of judging. More information about the Awards is available at: siia.net/CODiE.
Details about the winning products can be found at https://www.siia.net/codie/2020-Winners