CHAMBERS USA 2015 PUBLISHED RANKINGS

Once again, BAL has been ranked by Chambers USA as a Band 1 firm in the Nationwide category as well as in the states of its largest offices, California and Texas.

NATIONWIDE BAND 1
Known for: 
Recognized as one of the leading and largest immigration groups in the nation. Possesses tremendous firepower to manage the corporate immigration programs and global movement of a high volume of clients. Provides comprehensive expertise across the full suite of non-immigrant and immigrant employment visa categories. Adept at briefing multinational corporates on compliance best practices.

Strengths: “They provide clear and creative solutions to difficult cases.”
“We feel comfortable that we are maintaining full compliance and that our employees are kept up to date on their cases at all times.”

Notable practitioners: The “very smart and adept” David Berry stands out as one of the firm’s most capable and eminent attorneys. Operating out of the San Francisco office, he expertly guides multinational corporations through the compliance process and provides insightful counsel on the immigration consequences of M&A activity.

Lynden Melmed combines a deep understanding of immigration law with an unique insight into the federal government branches, formed during his position as Chief Counsel of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). He is considered a go-to practitioner for advice on highly sensitive issues that involve government audits and immigration investigations.

CALIFORNIA BAND 1
Known for: 
Powerful West Coast presence as part of a prominent national practice representing a range of major organizations. Provides sophisticated advice on a broad array of corporate immigration matters including compliance, global migration and inbound visas.

Strengths: “… they take the experience of the entire process very seriously. They jump in to help whenever they can, which is critical for us.”

Work highlights: Secured a decisive victory for a substantial technology company regarding the requirements of online job advertisements as part of the PERM labor certification process.

Notable practitioners 
“Talented lawyer” David Berry is held in high regard by market commentators, who appreciate his “very cordial” approach. His expertise spans a range of challenging issues faced by employers, from corporate compliance to due diligence following mergers and acquisitions.

San Francisco partner Susan Wehrer excels at advising clients on a host of business immigration matters including the labor certification process, petitions for individuals of extraordinary ability and adjustment of status applications. Sources describe her as a “dynamic, smart and excellent lawyer.”

TEXAS BAND 1
Known for: 
Market-leading presence with a nationwide profile in all areas of corporate immigration. Represents major corporates from the oil and gas, technology and engineering industries among others in a range of matters, including the implementation of global mobility and compliance programs.

Strengths: “The tracking system they have is phenomenal. On a daily basis, I am amazed when I get something across after giving them such short notice. They are very proactive and that is hugely important to us.”

“The knowledge is really there. Whenever we have issues, they present us with comprehensive legal options.”

Notable practitioners:
Shawn Orme is joint head of the firm’s global immigration practice and is a respected figure in the Texas immigration community. One source notes: “I’ve seen his analysis and respect his work. He is an excellent business immigration attorney.”

Eminent practitioner:
Managing partner Jeremy Fudge has an extensive background in business immigration, particularly acting on behalf of large corporates. Sources note his ability to “know and understand larger companies’ needs and meet their expectations with efficient and cost-effective legal representation.”

About Chambers USA

Since 1990, Chambers has published the world’s leading guides to the legal profession and has built a reputation for in-depth, objective research.

The publication has a team of over 140 highly qualified full-time researchers who conduct thousands of interviews with lawyers and their clients worldwide. Working with editors, they identify and rank the world’s best lawyers (i.e. those who perform best according to the criteria most valued by clients – such as technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery, value for money). No lawyer can buy their way into Chamber’s rankings. As a result, their directories – published annually – are known to be the most accurate and the most reliable.

Source: Chambers USA