Immigration
Pender & Coward immigration lawyers work with businesses and individuals on immigration and naturalization matters with a primary focus on employment and family-based services. We have expertise in assisting foreign nationals, obtaining visas, green cards, I-9 documents, and employment-based immigration.
We are experienced in representation before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Immigration Courts, as well as providing support for clients dealing with U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world. We take pride in providing exceptional service and representation, and educating our clients throughout every stage of the immigration process.
Experienced in obtaining immigration benefits for U.S. citizens, non-citizens and employees.Business clients value our advice on the recruitment and retention of non-U.S. citizen workers. Individuals seek our advice on immigration options for themselves or friends and loved ones. Our employment-based immigration work includes employment authorization, sponsorship, and verification for workers across all fields. Our family-based immigration work includes spousal and family petitions, removal of conditions on residence, and work and travel authorization. We assist with immigration matters that arise with criminal law, representing detained individuals, and assisting other attorneys handling immigration issues. Our lawyers have extensive experience with the immigration consequences of criminal law, and these two areas are often intertwined.
Pender & Coward attorneys take pride in providing excellent representation with detailed communication, a personal touch, and expertise in handling the following matters for our clients:
Employment-Based (EB) Immigration
- Obtaining employer work authorization for immigrants and nonimmigrants (H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, TN, O-1), permanent residence for foreign workers (PERM, EB-2, EB-3, EAD), assistance with the completion of I-9s, and documentary compliance with applicable laws (I-9 compliance and E-Verify)
- National Interest Waivers (EB-2 NIW) for workers with experience, education, and skills in the United States’ national interest and qualify for bypassing the labor certification and job offer requirements in petitioning for lawful permanent residence
- I-9 audit services to employers to ensure compliance with documentary requirements for employment verification of employees without engaging in discrimination
Family-Based Immigration
- Obtaining immigration benefits for foreign family members including parents, spouses, siblings, and children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
- Family-based petitions include K-1 Fiancé(e) petitions (I-129F), petitions for qualifying relatives (I-130), applications for permanent residence (I-485), application for naturalization (N-400) and certificates of citizenship (N-600), and counsel regarding potential impact of various actions on work authorization or legal status, including filing applicable waivers (I-601 and I-601A)
Individual Petitions
- Obtaining immigration benefits for individual U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Individuals born to one U.S. citizen parent, or a parent later naturalized, may already be a U.S. citizen. We provide representation for filing for a certificate of citizenship (N-600 or N-600K) for citizenship automatically at birth or who derive citizenship at a later date, as well as applying for naturalization (N-400)
- Obtaining student visas (SEVIS, I-20, F-1), applying for waivers of 2-year foreign residency requirement when eligible, navigating options in J-1 status, and evaluating options for aliens who entered without inspection (EWI) or are potentially subject to unlawful presence bars with potential relief under DACA or prosecutorial discretion
Criminal Law and Impact on Immigration Cases
- Non-U.S. citizen criminal charges covering potential ramifications of conviction or plea agreement on immigration status
- Criminal convictions and even arrests, plea agreements, and deferred findings that can have long-range impact on immigration matters
- Criminal matters involving minor victims that may bar certain immigration petitions pursuant to the Adam Walsh Act
- Minor offenses that may invoke serious and permanent consequences particularly when drugs or alcohol are involved, examining each case on its specific facts to determine if the charges or conviction involve crimes in moral turpitude (CIMT), aggravated felonies and misdemeanors, or drug-related offenses
Represented a lawful permanent resident in post-conviction modification of a plea agreement and sentence which resulted in the client’s release from ICE detention.
Represented major employer in the sponsorship of numerous workers from the H-1B stage through PERM labor certification and obtaining lawful permanent resident status.
Successfully represented foreign former spouse for removal of conditions on lawful permanent resident status following very short marriage to U.S. citizen and overcame allegations of marriage fraud.
Successfully represented a U.S. citizen petition in overcoming the Adam Walsh act prohibition with regard to a fiancée visa by demonstrating that petitioner posed no risk of harm to the fiancée.
Represented military members in bringing foreign spouses and children into the U.S.
Represented individuals seeking a second opinion during the immigration process when another law firm or attorney is handling the employer-side petition.
Join Our Team
At Pender & Coward, we work hard for our clients. We are always on the lookout for outstanding lawyers to join our team who take pride in providing the highest quality work. If you share our commitment to excellence, then let’s talk.