Immigration
Troutman Sanders focuses on all aspects of business immigration law. We assist with the transfer of international business personnel for U.S. and foreign companies, the defense of corporations charged with employer sanction violations, training of HR personnel, the acquisition of work visas, labor certification, permanent resident status, and citizenship in the United States, as well as the representation of corporate clients and individuals before various administrative agencies and in the federal courts.
Troutman Sanders offers the multidisciplinary resources of a full-service law practice. Members of the Immigration practice work closely with attorneys from other practice areas, including tax, corporate, compensation and employee benefits, labor and employment, and international. Furthermore, our in-house language capabilities, use of the latest technology developments, including Immigration Tracker, and knowledge of different cultures and legal systems allow us to better understand the particular needs of our clients and to translate that knowledge into effective and efficient resolution of problems and attainment of our clients' goals.
In addition to representing university professors, information technology professionals, health care providers, professional service firms, restaurants, entertainers, religious institutions, scientists, and entrepreneurs, Troutman Sanders has represented, among others, Bank of America, Degussa, Makita, CNN, SKC, Helix, WorldSpan, UPS, McCormick International, Matrix, Randstad, Georgia Pacific, Mizuno, AmSouth Bank, AGCO, Univision, TBS, Marcam, Ross Systems, Georgia Power, The PGA Tour, Southern Company, Takahashi Works, TRAX, Foresight, CDC Software, Clarus, Mitsubishi, Cabot, Oldcastle, Holiday Inn, Norsan, Caribiner, Unisource, Respironics, Aeronomics, Berdon Studiocom and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Immigration Team Experience:
Troutman Sanders' breadth of experience with business immigration law is reflected in a sampling of the issues in which the firm has been involved:
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I-9 training for one of the country's leading personnel companies;
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planning international personnel transfer strategy for one of America's leading financial institutions, coordinating use of Blanket L-1 program, J-1 exchanges and centralized regional service center adjudications;
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successful processing of Investor petitions for permanent residency;
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successfully challenging the Immigration Service on retroactivity and due process grounds;
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advising multinational corporations concerning use of engineers for temporary assignment in the U.S.;
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handling the transfer of key executives for new factory construction and operation;
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representing clients in obtaining labor certifications and immigrant visas at U.S. Embassies;
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obtaining E-2 visas for investors; and
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processing work visas for Canada, Japan, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, France, U.K., China and Russia.
Team Profiles
ATLANTA
Mark Newman
Mark Newman is a partner and the head of the Immigration Practice Group at Troutman Sanders LLP. Prior to joining the firm in 1989, Mark practiced Immigration and International Law in Florida for 10 years. He served as lead counsel in the federal class action proceedings to acquire lawful permanent residence for more than 100,000 Cubans. Mark is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, where he served as Chairman of the Atlanta District Director's Liaison Committee. He chaired the 2000 and 2001 Georgia Bar's ICLE Business and Litigation Immigration Seminars and the ABA/Prentice Hall Seminar on the 1990 Immigration Act and co-authored Immigration Law and Practice in Florida. He has spoken to audiences abroad about U.S. immigration and is a frequent speaker on immigration issues throughout North America. He was the keynote speaker at the American Immigration Lawyer Association Conference in Washington, D.C. in October 2003 and has presented frequently at the AILA Annual Conference. Mark received his undergraduate degree in 1976 from Princeton University and his law degree in 1979 from the University of Miami, School of Law.
Aimee Clark Todd
Aimee is a former Chair of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has written and spoken extensively on immigration matters locally and nationally. She is an expert on business immigration matters. Aimee has practiced at other major law firms in Atlanta before joining Troutman Sanders. She has been rated as a Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Star and has been recognized for her pro-bono contributions.
Patricia Dietz-Selke
Patricia is an immigration paralegal with over 15 years of experience with expertise in I-9 compliance.
Shirley Jones
Shirley is an immigration paralegal with over 25 years of varied immigration law experience.
Monika Abels
Monika is an immigration paralegal with over 30 years of experience with expertise in consular/visa matters.
Hanna Shimelis
Hanna is our paralegal who previously practiced law in Ethiopia. She has five years of U.S. immigration law experience.
Beverly Grant
Beverly is an immigration practice administrator with over 30 years of immigration law experience.
NEW YORK
Susie Kim
Susie focuses her practice on immigration law. She represents members of the multinational business community in bringing employees into the United States and establishing new business enterprises in the United States. She is the former principal of Susie Kim and Associates, PC, which was one of the largest immigration boutique practices in the greater New York area.
Joanne Orizal
Joanne has practiced immigration law in greater New York for 25 years, both at large corporate law firms and in immigration boutiques. She has handled an array of immigration legal matters with a focus on business immigration.
VIRGINIA
Thomas Kleine (Virginia Beach)
Tom is a partner specializing in government agency law and relations, including general immigration matters. He formerly served as general counsel to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and has specific and in-depth knowledge of consular processing and State Department procedures.