Eliot Norman
Immigration

Our Immigration Practice Group advises companies in the U.S. and abroad on how to structure and streamline their hiring of foreign nationals. We also represent clients in worksite enforcement investigations, I-9 and E-Verify compliance and audits. We partner with senior management and human resource professionals to handle temporary and long-term visas and immigration matters through such innovations as:

* Dedicated access to an experienced immigration attorney who will partner with you to make the crucial decisions regarding the initial hiring of the foreign national, and how best to retain his/her services as he moves from a temporary visa to ‘green card’ and U.S. citizenship;

* Timely preparation of L-1, E-1/E-2, H-1B and PERM cases within pre-established deadlines (“deliverables”), with special services for clients with high volumes or fluctuating case loads;

* Experience in handling Homeland Security and ICE enforcement on Social Security no-matches, security and background checks, I-9 and E-Verify compliance and new restrictions on visa issuance and international travel;

* Comprehensive I-9 and E-Verify compliance training to keep up with changes in ICE enforcement and state law sanctions;

* Creative solutions to anticipate or minimize the impact of caps, quotas, backlogs and delays, including strategic advice for retaining foreign nationals awaiting issuance of ‘green cards’ while employed on temporary visas;

* Use of Blanket L-1, E-1/E-2 and other transfer visas for employees of foreign subsidiaries, parents and affiliates working temporarily on assignments in the United States;

* In-house training and client alerts so that your company can stay ahead of upcoming changes in the fast-paced and often confusing area of immigration law;
One-stop services for work and business visas for U.S. personnel traveling overseas or to Canada or Mexico;

* A web-based case preparation and management system (LawLogix) that provides foreign nationals with on-line questionnaires and access to case status, and the employer with access to status reports showing expiration dates and milestones; and

* Innovative pricing options which include fixed-fees per visa, project pricing, or a blend of fixed and hourly fees that encourages in-house training of staff to handle routine and repetitive matters.

Worldwide Immigration and Employment Services

Businesses require immigration advice on more than in-bound visas to the United States for foreign nationals. Other countries have followed or reacted to U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiatives. The result is tighter immigration controls worldwide and the need for timely advice on a global basis - whether it’s on the processing of a visa for an Indian national to attend IT training in Paris; or for a U.S. service technician to repair an electrical substation in Moscow. We also recognize that long-term transfers overseas can raise international employment law issues requiring the assistance of counsel.

At Williams Mullen in the United States, we have considerable experience in applying for overseas visas for U.S. employees with filings at the Foreign Consulates in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and other major cities. To meet these global challenges, Williams Mullen provides a full range of legal services, including immigration and employment, through affiliations with firms abroad. We have developed these relationships to ensure timely and quality results.

Eliot Norman
Williams Mullen
1021 E Cary St - 17th floor
Richmond VA 23219
Tel: 804 783-6482; 804 721-7851
Fax: 804 420-6507

PRACTICES & INDUSTRIES
* Immigration
* International Law
* Economic Development
* Worksite Enforcement & Immigration Compliance
* Government & Corporate Investigations
* Antitrust
* Retail

Eliot Norman has focused his practice on immigration law and advising on inbound U.S. investment projects from Europe and Asia since 1986. He regularly advises technology, staffing, manufacturing, and multinational corporations on recruiting and retaining global talent. As a former federal prosecutor, he counsels on compliance with I-9 rules and Homeland Security enforcement measures. He also enjoys helping movie producers move cast and crew around the world. His expertise includes transfers of executives, manufacturers and specialists to U.S. operations and solving security and visa problems impacting business travel and visa issuance.

Mr. Norman has lectured widely on immigration, foreign investment and background/security check issues for industry and bar groups in the U.S., including the European American Chamber of Commerce (Paris, France), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Software Industry & Information Association, the Association of Film Commissioners International and the French American Chambers of Commerce. In addition, Mr. Norman is the author of numerous works on business and immigration issues, including growth opportunities for international companies under the U.S. Stimulus Act. Articles by Mr. Norman have appeared in the Washington Business Journal, the Virginia Manufacturers Association Magazine and Japanese Venture Capital Forum. In addition, Mr. Norman is an author of the chapter on employment and immigration law in "S'Implanter aux Etats Unis" (Invest in the United States), published in 2009 by Ubifrance, the French Government Economic Development Agency.

Mr. Norman is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for immigration.

Government Service: Honors Program, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Mr. Norman is licensed to practice in Maryland and Virginia. He is a member of the American and Virginia bar associations, as well as the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Governor Timothy M. Kaine appointed Mr. Norman in 2007 to serve on the Virginia Commission on Immigration.

Mr. Norman received a bachelor of arts degree from Yale College and a juris doctor degree from Boston College Law School, cum laude. In addition, he holds a certificate from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris, France. Mr. Norman is fluent in French and regularly travels to France to meet with French and other European clients.
Comments: 0
Votes:18