ab13

Background: My company has been trying to bring me over on an L-1B (petition to USCIS, not blanket). Our first try got an RFE, then was eventually denied. We worked with the largest immigration firm many here probably know of, and were (even before the RFE and denial) quite shocked with the level of competence and attention to our case. The case was denied for the same reason we got the RFE, and as it turned out our lawyers neglected to send a key piece of evidence that USCIS had requested, despite having confirmed to us that this evidence was part of the RFE response. USCIS cited the lack of this evidence as the reason for our case denial.

So I'm wondering if anyone here might have a recommendation for a good US immigration lawyer? Preferably someone with expertise on L1s (we could do either an L-1B or an L-1A functional manager), and experience in finance, and perhaps a smaller/boutique practice

kateinbrooklyn

Stuart J Reich specializes in work and family immigration. He'll be 100% honest with you and if there's nothing he can do that your lawyers have already done, he'll tell you. https://reichimmigration.com/

steveq

I can recommend "our" attorneys (yes, they weren't "ours", they belong to my employer). They worked very hard on my O-1 and EB1A petitions, and there wasn't a hitch. They firmly dotted all the i's and crossed the t's. I doubt they'd "forget" a key piece of evidence....
PM me for the name and contact.
Steve

destone

Can you share the RFE and the denial response here so we can all learn? Please mask out or delete any sensitive information such as case number, your name, company name, addresses etc so that it's completely anonymized and generalized.

As for recommendation, I can vouch for Blum & McCann.

ab13

Thanks for the recommendation.
The RFE was for specialized knowledge, asking for details on how I obtained specialized knowledge and a comparison of my knowledge with others in my company and the industry.
The denial cited a lack of comparison of my specialized knowledge with others in my company and the wider industry as a reason for my denial. As it turned out, our lawyers neglected to submit evidence we had given them on this, such as a table comparing me to others at my company and detailed comparisons of my knowledge vs others.

ab13

Thanks, sending you a PM

Mic1

Hi Steve, dropped you a DM too. We kicked off with a US based immi lawyer for an O1 but have had a U turn early because it seems they sold us a bit of a pup over how clued up they are on the O's.
Thanks

steveq

PM'ed back, with details. You can see my timeline. The people I mentioned are very good.

S Folinsky

The client(s) have the right to change lawyers for any or even no reason at all. That said, when I was in practice, when I was lawyer #2, I always obtained permission to contact the prior lawyer to figure out what had happened. With that in mind, I am playing a little game of envisioning the contents of such a call in your case. This is informed speculation.

First, there may have been a whoopsie where the document was inadvertently omitted. However, it s also possible that the document WAS submitted and the examiner did not see it. That happens from time to time.

Second, the attorney may have made a judgement call to NOT submit the document based upon the contents which may have hurt rather than helped by the case. There are times when professional judgment is to not submit a particular document.

Third, not having seen the documents here, one of the banes of the life of immigration lawyers has been boilerplate laundry list RFE’s which merely repeat the language of the regulations. In other words, it is impossible to determine what the precise problem, if any, the examiner had with the case.

Fourth, there are times where certain patterns and practices have repeatedly worked and one time it does not. And you can’t say to CIS “but you approved identical cases”; the response being they don’t need to repeat past mistakes. I’ve experienced two identical cases where there was approval by officer “x” and denial by officer “y.”

I am retired and have never accepted cases from this forum. I have recommended attorneys but have had those snipped out by moderators. So, none is made. (I also don’t respond to PM’s).

Good luck.

christmasoompa

Once again, you are very welcome to recommend any lawyer, unless they happen to be a previously banned member of this forum.

HTH.

S Folinsky

The one person you are referring to operates only in the family end of the shop so he is not relevant here. But I’ve seen <snip> on other people here who are not banned. So, I just refrain.

I am curious about what happened in OP’s case.

christmasoompa

You’ll only have seen the <snip> if the person recommending them is linked to them or sneakily trying to advertise themselves. Once again, recommendations for anybody that is not banned are welcome from you. You regularly recommend J Craig Fong, and that’s absolutely fine.

HTH clarify it.