Megan Naughton and Lauren Sigg Offer Insights on Foreign National Compliance Issues

Immigration Group lawyers Megan R. Naughton and Lauren M. Sigg presented a program on "Compliance Issues When Employing Foreign National Employees or Contractors" on May 8, 2018. The 90-minute web conference, hosted  by the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE), focused on the risks associated with employing foreign nationals directly or receiving their services through contractors, including highlighting potential work authorization and export control issues. Ms. Naughton and Ms. Sigg reviewed the Form I-9 requirements, discussed trends in government audits/compliance - including site visits and government inquiries - and provided best practices to follow when faced with a government request.

Josh Mirer and Jen Shanley Co-author Article Published in Connecticut Lawyer

Immigration Group lawyers Joshua S. Mirer and Jennifer L. Shanley co-authored the article “US Employers: Work-authorized Visa Options for Hiring a Foreign National Worker,” published in the March/April 2018 issue of the Connecticut Bar Association’s (CBA) member magazine, Connecticut Lawyer. The article notes that: “Employers in the United States increasingly seek to hire foreign nationals, as they possess unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds, and often have international experience, making them uniquely qualified for a particular position. The hiring process for foreign nationals, however, is different than the hiring process for US citizens.” In the article, Mr. Mirer and Ms. Shanley give a brief overview of some of the most widely used work-authorized categories, as well as their timing and other implications. Read the full article.

Josh Mirer, Megan Naughton, and Jen Shanley Author Article Published in Business New Haven E-News

Immigration Group lawyers Joshua S. Mirer, Megan R. Naughton, and Jennifer L. Shanley authored the article “H1B Work Visas Under Attack,” published in Business New Haven E-News on January 31, 2018. In the article, Mr. Mirer, Ms. Naughton, and Ms. Shanley describe the heightened scrutiny faced by H1-B petitions from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under President Trump’s “Buy American and Hire American Executive Order.” The article indicates that “foreign nationals can still qualify for the increasingly narrow H-1B category. To do so, the employer must understand the type of positions that qualify for an H-1B visa and describe the requirements for the position with specific, yet limited degree requirements, choose the most accurate prevailing wage category and wage level, and, present evidence that the position and the foreign national qualify for an H-1B visa.” Click here to read the article.

Fifty-Nine Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018

Fifty-nine Robinson+Cole lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018 (Copyright 2017 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Of the 59 lawyers from across the firm’s practice groups and offices named to the list, 49 are from Connecticut. The firm continues to have the highest number of recognized lawyers in the state.

Additionally, the following six lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Dennis C. Cavanaugh in Litigation – Construction; Stephen E. Goldman in Insurance Law; Stuart D. Rosen in Litigation – Banking and Finance; Edward J. Samorajczyk Jr. in Securities / Capital Markets Law; William T. Sellay in Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Theodore J. Tucci in Health Care Law.

See a complete listing of all Robinson+Cole's ranked lawyers in the press release.

Immigration Group Lawyers Publish Article for Mobility Magazine

Immigration Group lawyers Joshua S. Mirer and Jennifer L. Shanley penned the article "Hiring a Foreign National Worker: What U.S. Employers Need to Know," published in the May 2017 issue of Mobility Magazine. The topics they cover in the article include the process for foreign nationals entering the U.S. for business activities, assessing whether the foreign national qualifies for a particular work-authorized category, the timing and availability of the most widely used work-authorized categories for foreign nationals, what to do when a nonimmigrant petition is approved, and what happens after the foreign national enters the U.S. in valid nonimmigrant status. To find out more, click here to read the article.

Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017

Robinson+Cole was again recognized as having the highest number of Connecticut lawyers selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2017 (Copyright 2016 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Across the firm’s practice groups and offices, 57 lawyers were named to this year’s list, including 47 in Connecticut.

Additionally, the following four lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2017 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Dennis C. Cavanaugh in Construction Law; Judith M. Keppelman  in Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Linda L. Morkan in Appellate Practice; and Edward J. Samorajczyk Jr. in Corporate Law.

See a complete listing of all Robinson+Cole's ranked lawyers in the news release.

Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016

Robinson+Cole was again recognized as having the highest number of Connecticut lawyers selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2016 (Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Across the firm’s practice groups and offices, 55 lawyers were named to this year’s list, including 45 in Connecticut.

Additionally, the following seven lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2016 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Bruce B. Barth in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Dennis C. Cavanaugh in Litigation – Construction; Stephen E. Goldman in Insurance Law; Joey Lee Miranda in Environmental Law; Craig A. Raabe in Litigation – Intellectual Property; Edward J. Samorajczyk, Jr., in Securities / Capital Markets Law; and William T. Sellay in Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Peter V. Lacouture was named the Best Lawyers® 2016 “Lawyer of the Year” in Energy Law in Providence, Rhode Island.

See a complete listing of all Robinson+Cole's ranked lawyers in the news release.

Megan Naughton Joins Statewide Legal Services Board of Directors

Megan R. Naughton, co-chair of Robinson+Cole’s Immigration Group, has joined Connecticut’s Statewide Legal Services (SLS) Board of Directors. SLS empowers low-income people in Connecticut to obtain justice by providing tools and information to address their civil legal needs. The nonprofit legal aid advice and referral center, available by phone to low-income people throughout Connecticut, helps clients solve their legal problems for free. Read more in the news release.

Hartford Lawyers Promote AILA Immigration Contest

In local sites around the country, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) sponsored the 17 Annual Celebrate America Fifth Grade Creative Writing Contest, whose 2014 theme was "Why I Am Glad America Is a Nation of Immigrants." The contest encourages fifth graders to submit written works (essays, poems, and stories) that reflect the theme. Serving as contest coordinator in Connecticut, immigration lawyer Lauren M. Sigg organized the efforts of AILA members to give presentations in several Connecticut fifth grade classrooms, coordinated contest submissions across the state, and organized the evaluations of the submissions. At Duffy Elementary in West Hartford, immigration lawyer Megan R. Naughton discussed the role that immigration has played in shaping our society. Charlie Krajc, a student from Duffy, won Connecticut's first place prize. His essay underscored the hope and bravery of immigrants coming to the United States. Although Charlie did not win the national contest, he and the other Connecticut finalists received gift certificates and were invited to attend and participate in a naturalization ceremony in Hartford on June 6, 2014.

Please click here to view the West Hartford News article on the contest.

R&C Lawyers Write Article for Connecticut Law Tribune

Super Lawyers® Names 61 Robinson & Cole Attorneys to 2013 List

Robinson & Cole Lawyers Provide Commentary in Law360

Megan Naughton Quoted in the Boston Globe

Robinson & Cole Attorneys Earn Additional Honors for Pro Bono Work

Super Lawyers® Names 49 Robinson & Cole Attorneys to 2012 List and Recognizes 26 as Rising Stars

A total of 49 Robinson & Cole attorneys were named Super Lawyers® in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for 2012. The Super Lawyers® designation is based on regional balloting by attorneys, third-party research, and a peer review process encompassing myriad practice areas.

In addition, 26 attorneys at the firm were recognized as "Rising Stars." Read an explanation of the Super Lawyers methodology here.

Recognized attorneys and their areas of practice can be read in the full press release.

Robinson & Cole Attorney Elected to Board of Directors of the Village for Families & Children, Inc.

Robinson & Cole Immigration Attorneys Honored by Center for Children’s Advocacy

Robinson & Cole Announces New Partners