San Francisco, CA/ March 10, 2008 -- Littler Mendelson, the nation's largest employment and labor law firm representing management, today announced that four business immigration attorneys joined the firm's Atlanta office from Fisher & Phillips LLP. The addition of these attorneys is consistent with Littler's strategy both to expand its mobility practice and to further integrate its immigration and migration services with its core labor and employment practices.
Nationally recognized shareholders, David C. Whitlock and Ian R. Macdonald, of counsel, Aimee Todd and associate, Jet J. Stigter of Fisher & Phillips, bring more than 45 collective years of immigration and migration experience to Littler. The team will also include a highly knowledgeable support staff, also previously with Fisher & Phillips. This group will work in close harmony with existing lead immigration/migration shareholders, Debra Baker (San Jose) and Jorge Lopez (Miami), along with the 50 global team members based in Phoenix, San Jose, Atlanta and Portland.
"David, Ian, Aimee and Jet will play a pivotal role in Littler's delivery of immigration and migration services, aligning with our goal to address client demands for sophisticated labor and employment counsel encompassing high-level immigration compliance issues that extend beyond basic visa matters," said Marko Mrkonich, president and managing partner of Littler Mendelson. "We are pleased to welcome this talented group of immigration attorneys and support team to our firm."
Whitlock commented, "We look forward to working with our new colleagues at Littler to bridge the gap between immigration/migration and labor and employment law. As the economy becomes increasingly global, issues surrounding movement of employees become more complex and companies will experience increased need for the unique combination of immigration, migration and employment counsel that we have always provided to our clients. As the leader in the labor and employment space, we believe that Littler offers us the best possible opportunity to grow a business immigration, global migration, and compliance/enforcement practice while maintaining our strong focus upon client satisfaction."
Whitlock's practice focuses on U.S. business immigration including extensive visa work, handling both temporary and permanent visa cases, as well as advice regarding compliance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. He has more than 20 years experience advising employers regarding the I-9 process, Social Security "no-match" issues, and compliance efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and its Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Whitlock is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the ABA-affiliated association for attorneys practicing immigration law. He has been listed in Chambers USA's America's Leading Business Lawyers since 2006, and was selected for inclusion in Who's Who Legal Georgia in 2007. He was recently named to the Wolters Kluwer Law and Business Editorial Advisory Board.
Macdonald has extensive experience in immigration and international law. He has worked for the United Nations, various non-governmental think tanks and corporate law firms in the world's main business centers of London, New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. He represents national and international employers before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of Labor in connection with immigration-related employment and labor issues. Macdonald counsels employers on immigration strategy as well as on immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions. He conducts in-house management seminars and training sessions for clients on all aspects of immigration. He has specific expertise in defending employer sanction cases, I-9 compliance, and anti-discrimination rules to reduce or eliminate risk of employment litigation. Macdonald also analyzes complex global migration issues for clients on specific country matters to facilitate the movement and transfer of personnel efficiently. This area of his practice focuses on developing strategic relationships with a large network of lawyers abroad to secure long-term work and resident permits for key personnel.
Todd's practice concentrates on business immigration, including temporary working status and permanent residence for professionals, international transfers, investors, researchers, artists and athletes. Todd also provides assistance with global immigration issues for multinational companies and advises companies on general immigration policies, planning and I-9 compliance. She has represented clients in the technology, biomedical, pharmaceutical, engineering, manufacturing, education, retail and hospitality industries, and she also represents immigrant survivors of domestic violence, trafficking and other violent crimes. She is First Vice-Chair of the Atlanta chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Todd was ranked as a 2007 Chambers USA Up and Coming Georgia immigration attorney, received the 2006 Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation S. Phillip Heiner Award for Outstanding Community Pro Bono Services and received the 2007 AILA Sam Williamson Mentor Award. Todd serves on the Board of Directors for the International Family Center. She is proficient in Spanish.
Stigter’s practice involves counseling employers on all aspects of global migration. She manages the provision of services related to global transfers and assignments and advises clients on U.S. inbound immigration matters. Stigter’s previous experience includes advising corporate clients on developing comprehensive global Human Resource strategies. She has conducted training sessions for supervisors, managers and employees regarding multiple aspects of international transfers, and she has spoken on a number of topics related to global migration. Stigter started her career working for an international law firm in Atlanta. While in law school, she served as Book Reviews Editor for the Leiden Journal of International Law. Stigter is fluent in Dutch.
About Littler Mendelson
With nearly 700 attorneys and 44 offices in major metropolitan areas nationwide, Littler Mendelson is the largest law firm in the United States devoted exclusively to representing management in employment, employee benefits and labor law matters. The firm's client base ranges from Fortune 500 companies to small-business owners. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential cases and labor contracts in the nation's history. For more information, visit www.littler.com.