Clara DeMatteis Mager is a shareholder based in Butzel Long's Detroit office and the Practice Group Manager of the firm's Immigration Group. She is a graduate of Wayne State University (B.S., 1978) and of the Detroit College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1987) where she was a member of Law Review. Ms. Mager focuses her practice on business and family immigration issues including all aspects of the international movement of personnel, inbound and outbound work-authorized nonimmigrant (temporary) and immigrant (permanent) status, immigration consequences of mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring, employer sanctions, and immigration law audits (e.g. labor condition applications and I-9). Ms. Mager serves on the Firm's Strategic Planning Committee, is the Chairperson of the Firm's Diversity and Retention Committee, and is a member of the Firm's Global Automotive Industry Group. Ms. Mager is a frequent speaker on business immigration to professional, educational and business organizations including Wayne State University Law School, International Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, French American Chamber of Commerce, The German American Chamber of Commerce, Japan PAK, and APROMEX. She also provides training sessions to business clients on numerous topics including U.S. nonimmigrant visas, U.S. permanent resident processing and strategy building to streamline the process, Form I-9 completion and compliance training, outbound non-U.S. immigration general strategic planning, and workplace compliance related to immigration. Ms. Mager has helped organize and has presented at Butzel Long's full-day Immigration Seminar for the past 18 years. She has also participated as a speaker in Butzel Long's Annual Labor and Employment Forum. Ms. Mager has coordinated and presented numerous programs in the last 20 years. The most recent include programs for the Federal Bar Association, Genesee Area Human Resources Association, the French American Chamber of Commerce, Wayne County Family Lawyers, and the Michigan Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Ms. Mager is a member the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association (previous member of the Leadership Council of the Immigration Committee), State Bar of Michigan (Past Chairperson of the International Law Section and previously held positions of Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Council Member and Chairperson of the Immigration Committee), Women Lawyers Bar Association and Italian American Bar Association (Board Member). She is also active in Lex Mundi's Immigration Group (Regional Chair and former Chairperson), the J.D./L.L.B. Advisory Board, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law/University of Windsor Faculty of Law (Board Member and past Chair), and the Italian American Alliance for Business and Technology (Board Member). Ms. Mager is a graduate of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Detroit XXII Class. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Immigration) and Michigan Super Lawyers (Immigration). Ms. Mager is a Martindale-Hubbell featured AV Peer Review Rated Lawyer. Ms. Mager is active in the community working on pro bono immigration matters, and assisting the Michigan Chapter of AILA in activities associated with naturalization ceremonies and community based outreach programs. Experience · Prepared J-1 waivers of 2 year foreign residency requirement based on no-objection letters, interested government agencies, hardship and other grounds · Provided preventative counseling on Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor investigations and employer sanctions. · Represented clients at Port of Entry to process admission to US under NAFTA · Preparation of J-1 Exchange Visitor and H-3 Trainee applications and petitions for employees of foreign companies with U.S. facilities · Obtained re-entry permits to maintain permanent residence status in the United States for individuals transferred abroad · Obtained removal of conditions on permanent residency · Obtained waivers of inadmissibility including waivers for entry into Canada for individuals who have DUIs/DWIs · Represented clients in complex naturalization matters including restoration of U.S. citizenship, appeals for denied naturalization applications, and evaluate strategies for overcoming grounds of ineligibility. · Represented employers during investigations conducted by USICE and USDOL regarding employment verification issues · Represented employers in investigations conducted by the USDOL concerning H-1B Labor Condition Application public access file including benching and wage and hour issues. · Represented employers in USCIS administrative site visit · Represented employers during investigations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Department of Labor regarding employment verification issues. · Represented clients in obtaining visas at various US Embassies and Consulates abroad · Represented clients seeking LPR status based on Cuban Adjustment Act · Represented clients with applications of waiver of inadmissibility due to past legal history or immigration history. · Obtained re-entry permit to maintain permanent residency for individuals transferred overseas · Assisted family members in obtaining appropriate fiancé or family based nonimmigrant classification for eligible family members · Assisted with preservation of residency for naturalization purposes for individuals transferred overseas · Conducted in-house training on I-9 form compliance and retention, including electronic completion and storage of I-9 forms · Assisted employers in obtaining appropriate nonimmigrant classification (TN, H-1B, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, O-1, E-1/E-2, P) and immigrant classification (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and EB-5). · Advised employers regarding maintenance of employer/employee relationship when foreign national is placed offsite · Analyzed effect of corporate changes, including mergers and acquisitions, on foreign national's immigration status. · Analyzed eligibility for naturalization through parents or grandparents and prepare necessary documentation · Conducted in-house training regarding preparing and maintaining H-1B public access files and Labor Certification Applications · Managed multi-country projects and obtained work authorizations in multiple jurisdictions for individuals of various nationalities. · Obtained approval of Immigration Petition for Alien of Extraordinary Ability for various professionals including engineers, scientists, corporate executives, professional athletes, entertainers, coaches, and trainers. · Obtained permanent resident status pursuant to registry provisions based on residence in U.S. since January 1972 · Evaluated retention of dual citizenship for U.S. and other countries such as Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, etc. · Conducted internal audits of I-9 forms for clients · Consulted with clients regarding special permanent resident card interviews · Coordinated the establishment of foreign corporate entities and assistance with multi jurisdictional tax issues News Media Releases 11.28.11, 68 Butzel Long attorneys named to DBusiness magazine's Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit 2012 12.02.10, Sixty-four Butzel Long attorneys named to DBusiness magazine's Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit 2011 09.09.10, Butzel Long attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2011 07.27.10, Butzel Long attorney Clara DeMatteis Mager elected President of the Italian American Bar Association of Michigan 07.15.10, New immigration rules and additional compliance issues will be discussed during Butzel Long program on July 28 09.09.09, Butzel Long attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2010: Forty-nine attorneys recognized in national listing 07.06.09, Butzel Long attorneys James C. Bruno & Marie Alsace Galindo featured at Int'l Conference of Mexico Automotive Industry July 13-15 in Mexico City 06.04.09, Butzel Long hosts Business Immigration seminar on June 19, 2009 at Detroit Athletic Club 10.22.08, Butzel Long attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2009 03.20.08, Butzel Long attorneys featured during MACPA webinar 11.30.07, Butzel Long attorneys featured at ICLE's 6th Annual Family Law Institute 11.09.07, Butzel Long attorney Clara DeMatteis Mager featured at November 15 Wayne County Family Law Attorney meeting 10.04.07, Butzel Long attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2008 News in brief 10.04.11, Butzel Long attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 Publications Client alerts 04.22.10, E-news: Immigration E-news - 04/22/2010 01.06.09, E-news: Immigration Law - January 6, 2009 12.16.08, E-news: Immigration Law - December 16, 2008 08.14.08, Enews: Immigration Law - August 14, 2008 01.25.08, E-news: Immigration Law - January 25, 2008 11.30.07, E-news: Immigration Law - 11/30/07 Memberships American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) American Bar Association Federal Bar Association - previous member of the Leadership Council of the Immigration Committee State Bar of Michigan - Past Chairperson of the International Law Section; previously held positions of Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Council Member and Chairperson of the Immigration Committee Women Lawyers Bar Association Italian American Bar Association - Board Member Lex Mundi's Immigration Group - Regional Chair; Former Chairperson University of Detroit Mercy School of Law/University of Windsor Faculty of Law - J.D./L.L.B. Advisory Board member and past Chair Italian American Alliance for Business and Technology - Board Member Cornerstone Schools Association Recognitions The Best Lawyers in America, Immigration Law, 2007-2012 Michigan Super Lawyers, Immigration, 2008 Martindale-Hubbell featured AV Peer Review Rated Lawyer Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Detroit XXII Class graduate DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Immigration Law, 2011-2012 |