FIRM OVERVIEW AND HISTORY
Founded in 1980, BAL is a global corporate immigration law firm providing representation to employers and their personnel in all regions of the world. We provide comprehensive global immigration services from offices in Dallas, Houston, McLean, Va., San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and through our migration services support companies in Geneva, London, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. Our network partners expand our reach in over 100 countries. BAL attorneys work together to provide an unprecedented level of expertise and excellence within one firm. BAL represents a wide range of companies, from some of the world’s largest corporations to small start-ups in emerging growth industries.
LEGAL SERVICES
BAL manages the corporate immigration needs of employers around the world. Regardless of company size or project complexity, we plan, execute, and manage the full spectrum of U.S. and global immigration matters ranging from designing corporate immigration programs to processing international visas. The firm’s commitment to service drives everything we do, based upon clear standards for client communications, advanced information technologies, well-honed project management processes, and a firm-wide belief that all matters are urgent and all deadlines are absolute. Our client-tailored services are backed by a standard of excellence that has contributed to our reputation as a firm at the summit of the immigration bar. The senior partners are not only renowned among their peers, but are often called upon for their counsel on immigration issues by policymakers and staff in the U.S. Congress and in federal agencies. We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of analyzing new policies and alerting the industry to relevant issues of concern. In all our work, we never lose sight of our primary focus — that of easing the workload of human resources departments and accelerating the employment prospects for foreign nationals while ensuring that our clients maintain the highest standards of regulatory compliance.
BAL provides the following comprehensive services:
U.S. Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Visa Services – BAL manages all aspects of employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant (green card) visas. We provide comprehensive service and strategic consultation on the best way to manage cases, including gathering information and documents, obtaining any necessary translations and credentials evaluations, placing advertisements in connection with labor certification applications, preparing and filing applications, and guiding the foreign nationals through the application process. In addition, we track expiration dates and provide alerts to our clients so that petitions to extend status, if needed, may be filed on a timely basis.
Global Migration Services – We provide comprehensive management of global visa matters and customized application approaches for work permits, business visas and resident permits in over 100 countries. BAL’s unique approach includes coordinating services in both the home and host countries. We adapt our approach to match that of our clients, but we typically provide a single point of contact in the time zone of the company’s global mobility managers or key offices, while providing dedicated account management in a centralized office. Our integrated systems guide employees and managers through global visa and immigration processes, always focusing on the company’s obligations for compliance around the world.
U.S. Government Relations – As leaders in the field of corporate immigration law, we recognize that some of our clients’ most pressing problems can be solved only at the policy level. Our government relations capabilities are unparalleled in the field of corporate immigration, and our capacity to help shape immigration policy, regulations, and legislation is a key strategic approach we use to help our clients achieve the results they need. Our government relations partners include the former Chief Counsel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and an Executive Director of AILA. These partners work regularly with the U.S. Congress, the White House and federal immigration agencies.
Corporate Immigration Policy Development – We assist in developing and maintaining comprehensive corporate immigration policies. We help determine which approaches are best suited to a company, draft the policy and process documents, maintain existing policy or process documents, and provide guidance on communicating and implementing the policies uniformly across clients’ offices.
I-9 and E-Verify Program Services – The employment verification process is the central focus of aggressive new Department of Homeland Security enforcement policies, and these initiatives reach employers across the spectrum. Thousands of employers across the nation are facing an unprecedented wave of I-9 inspections by ICE, with potentially serious consequences for the employers. A rigorous I-9 compliance strategy is now more important than ever. The proper collection and storage of I-9 information creates many challenges for employers, and the stakes include civil and even criminal penalties, along with business disruptions, adverse public relations, and other serious problems. The form itself invites technical errors, and responsible employers face immense organizational and logistical challenges in administering a compliant nationwide program. With increasing scrutiny by regulators, effective oversight of the I-9 program is critical to companies wishing to avoid liability. BAL can provide clients with unparalleled assistance in implementing an integrated electronic I-9 and E-Verify completion and storage solution, with comprehensive I-9 program management and seamless interface with E-Verify.
Program Management Assistance – We aid employers in the administration of their immigration programs by providing technology tools and guidance on internal systems and policies. We are innovators of technology systems and applications that improve the delivery of quality client service and legal work. We reassess our proprietary technology on a regular basis to ensure that our clients find it to be of maximum informative value and to keep it in step with new legal developments. Our proprietary CIMS, StatusChek®, and GlobalChek® systems demonstrate our technological creativity that is directed toward benefiting our clients.