Immigration Services
- Employment Based Permanent Residence ("Green Cards" )
- EB-1 category petitions: Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professor or Researcher, Multinational Executives and Managers
- EB-2 category petitions: National Interest Waiver, Advanced Degree Professionals and Schedule A, Group II petitions
- EB-3 category petitions: Professional and Skilled Workers
- Labor Certification (PERM Professional and PERM Optional Special Recruitment for faculty members
- Nonimmigrant Status/Visas (i.e., E-3, H-1B, H-2B, J-1 (including waiver of foreign residence requirement), K, L-1A, L-1B, O-1, P-1, R-1)
- F-1 Status/Visas (i.e., OPT, CPT, change of status)
- NAFTA-TN Professionals (Border and ServiceCenter Applications)
- Physicians and healthcare professionals
- Family-based Permanent Residence
- Citizenship Applications (USCIS and Department of State)
- Consular Processing
- I-9 self-audits
- Immigration processes and procedures audits
- Prevailing wage disputes with State Workforce Agencies (“SWA”) and United States Department of Labor (“DOL”)
- Visitor Visas (B-1, B-2, VWP)/Honoraria Issues
- Social Security and Drivers License Issues
- Spousal Work Eligibility Issues (e.g., TD, L-2, H-4, J-2)
- Hiring and employment policies and procedures
- Estate and Tax Planning
The primary contact at the firm for immigration services is Thomas J. Arkell. Born in Canada, Mr. Arkell was a scholarship athlete at the University of Notre Dame where he enrolled as an international student and became a permanent resident before obtaining his United States citizenship. He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Notre Dame. Mr. Arkell has been named a Leading Lawyer in immigration law by his peers. His immigration experience includes more than ten years of representing colleges, universities, professors, researchers, scientists, administrators, physicians, healthcare professionals, corporations and professional athletes on various issues. Mr. Arkell has presented at national and regional conferences and meetings sponsored by entities such as: the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Law School; the University of Notre Dame; Bradley University; the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago; and the National Association of College and University Attorneys. He has presented on topics such as TN Status, the transition from F-1 student to H-1B temporary worker to permanent resident, options for permanent residence for foreign faculty members, and the educational consequences of heightened security in the Unites States. Mr. Arkell has presented to university provosts, department chairpersons and faculty members about the immigration process, as well as conducted I-9 and immigration practices and procedures audits at several major state universities. He also frequently speaks to international undergraduate and graduate students at large universities regarding F-1 optional practical training, H-1B and permanent residence issues in order to assist them in finding suitable post-graduation employment. Mr. Arkell is able to represent immigration clients located anywhere in the United States and throughout the world.
Mr. Arkell has extensive experience with complex immigration matters, including:
For the convenience of our clients we accept VISA and MasterCard payments. Our firm can obtain translation services and/or interpreters for most languages, if requested.
