Areas of Practice Diane Butler focuses her practice on business immigration and manages the Firm's immigration and Canada practices. Diane graduated with honors from the University of Wyoming. After spending time in Shanghai, China, working for the Canadian law firm of Bull, Housser & Tupper, she received her law degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Diane is rated "AV" by Martindale-Hubbell, which identifies a lawyer with very high to preeminent legal ability, recommended by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Immigration, and was named as a "Top Business Immigration Lawyer" in Seattle Business magazine, as well as a "Top Lawyer" by her peers in Seattle Magazine. She is a member of the national American Immigration Lawyers Association ("AILA") liaison committee for Customs and Border Protection issues. Her remarks have been quoted in The New York Times, and other publications, and she has been interviewed on KING-5 TV news. Professional Experience · Bogle & Gates, 1994-1998 · Tousley Brain, 1993 - 1994 · McGee, Reno & Whitehead, 1992 - 1993 · United States Coast Guard, Law Clerk, 1990 · Bull, Housser & Tupper (Shanghai, China office), Legal Assistant, 1988 - 1989 Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships · Chair, Canada Practice Group · Chair, Immigration Practice Group · International Business · Diversity Committee Representative Clients Nordstrom, Premera Blue Cross, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Weyerhaeuser Representative Practice Areas · Temporary, Nonimmigrant Work and Business Status · Employment-Based Permanent Resident Status ("Green Cards") · Company Compliance with Immigration Laws and Worksite Enforcement · Naturalization and Citizenship Issues · Strategizing and Problem Solving - Assessment of issues, development of strategies, and contact with government officials concerning issues including the following:
- Applying for visas U.S. embassies and abroad
- Applying for extensions of stay
- Handling visa denials
- Denial at U.S. border ports of entry
- Waiver of inadmissibility for prior indiscretions or violations
- Response to Request for Evidence from the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services ("US CIS," formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service "INS") · Other Immigration Matters
- Re-entry Permits ("White Passports")
- Special Immigrant Visas
- Political Asylum Publications · "Does Employment of a Person Without Legal Authorization to Work in the United States Count as Harboring an Illegal Alien?" Puget Sound Business Journal ADR and Litigation Q&A Column Titled "Ask the Legal Professionals," November 25, 2011 · "Immigration and Investments in the United States," Sounding Board Newspaper, The Vancouver Board of Trade, November 2011 · "Handling Social Security No-Match Letters - What Employers Need to Know," BUILDERnews magazine, August 2011 · "Number of Immigration Compliance Audits Soars," Compliance Week, March 29, 2011 (Quoted) · "Immigration Sweep on Employers' I-9 Forms," World Law Group's World Law Reports, Fall 2010 · "On Thin Ice" (The Hamoui Family Political Asylum Story), Washington Law & Politics, December 2007 · Thompson's HR Employment Forms, Revised 3rd Ed., 2007 (Contributing author) · "Current Immigration Debate Masks Gap in the Law," The Seattle Times Op-Ed, August 24, 2006 · "Immigration Enforcement in the Construction Industry," BUILDERnews Magazine, August 2006 Speaking Engagements · "Immigration Compliance: Guiding Your Way Through the Web of Immigration Laws," Lane Powell Seminar, Seattle, December 6, 2011 · "Canadian Border Issues," American Immigration Lawyers Association "U.S. Immigration Law in the 21st Century: Navigating Conflicting Agency Interpretations, Regulatory Caps and Local Policies" Conference, October 12, 2011 (Panelist) · "Immigration Compliance Issues for Employers: I-9 Litigation," American Immigration Lawyers Association Northwest Regional Conference, March 11, 2011 · "Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") Litigation & Naturalization Delay Litigation," American Immigration Lawyers Association Federal Litigation Conference, March 3, 2011 · "Employing a Foreign Workforce: Key Issues Employers Need to Know," Association of Corporate Counsel Washington State Chapter Meeting, January 26, 2011 · "What Employers Need to Know About Immigration Law," Immigration Works Summit, August 12, 2010 · "Gems from the Department of Homeland Security Field Manuals and the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual," American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference, July 3, 2010 · "Hot Topics in Immigration Issues for Employers," Lane Powell Seminar, Anchorage, Alaska, November 2009 · "Managing Immigration Compliance Issues in the Workplace," American Healthcare Association Webinar, July 2009 · "Employer Sanctions & Hot Issues in Employment Enforcement," AILA Northwest Annual Conference, February 2009 · "Responding to Increased Immigration Worksite Enforcement," AILA Washington Chapter, November 2008 · "Waivers and Relief for the Nonimmigrant, AILA Fall Conference, (Savannah, Ga.), October 2008 · "Immigration Update 2007," Washington State Bar Association, Annual Labor and Employment Conference, November 2007 · "Immigration Compliance," TOC Management Services Conference, September 2007 · "What Does CBP Know About Your Client," AILA Spring Conference, March 2007 · "The Games and The Players, North and South of the Border," 2010 Games Business Seminar, November 2005 (Organizer) · "Don't Get Irked by IRCA Regulations -Immigration and I-9 Compliance for Employers," Lane Powell Employment Law School for Managers (Portland and Seattle), June 2004 · "Canadians Working in the United States," British Columbia Institute for Studies in International Trade, Vancouver, B.C., May 2004 · "Consular Processing Update," American Immigration Lawyers Association Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 2004 · "Nonimmigrant Status Update," Northwest Regional American Immigration Lawyers Association Conference, Seattle, Washington, February 2004 · "Business Immigration Law," Immigrations and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") Attorney Training Session, June 2003 · "Immigration Law Basics," Lorman Education Services, May 2003 · "Immigration Law," University of Washington Law School, International Tax Law Course, guest speaker, May 2003 · "INS Implications for Fishing Vessel Owners," December 1999 and December 2000 · "Cross Border Venture Transactions," Washington State Bar Association, December 2000 · "Immigration Law Under Homeland Security," Lane Powell Seminar, October 2002 · "Immigration Law Basics for Employers," Lane Powell Seminar, October 2001 · "Employment Law Conference," The Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C., May 2000 · Various Training Presentations for Companies Awards and Honors · Peer Review Rated "AV" in Martindale-Hubbell · Recommended by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Immigration, 2008-2011 · Named as a "Top Business Lawyer" in Immigration, Seattle Business magazine, 2008 · Named as a "Top Lawyer" by her peers in Seattle Magazine, 2005 Professional and Community Activities · American Immigration Lawyers Association
- Board of Governors, 2011-present
- Chair, Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection Committee, 2005-2008 · Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, Advisory Committee, 2005-present · Gage Academy of Art, Advisory Board, 2003-present News 06.30.2011, Butler Elected to Board of Governors of the American Immigration Lawyers Association 06.14.2011, Chambers USA Recommends Lane Powell in Multiple Categories for 2011 04.12.2011, Butler Quoted in Compliance Week Regarding Immigration Compliance Audits 03.21.2011, Chambers USA Recommends Eighteen Lane Powell Attorneys and Ten Practice Groups 11.02.2010, Butler Quoted in The Seattle Times Regarding E-2 Visas 07.20.2010, 58 Lane Powell Attorneys Listed as Top Lawyers in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine 06.11.2010, Chambers USA Recommends Twenty Lane Powell Attorneys and Nine Practice Groups 06.12.2009, Chambers USA Recommends 19 Lane Powell Attorneys and Nine Practice Groups 02.21.2008, Fourteen Attorneys Recommended by Chambers 01.14.2008, Six at Lane Powell Noted as Top Business Lawyers in Seattle 01.02.2008, Butler, Ostroff Contribute to Thompson's HR Employment Forms Book 07.17.2007, Medical Teams International Thanks Lane Powell for Pro Bono Work 07.04.2007, Butler Interviewed on KING-5 News Regarding Immigration 03.26.2007, Butler Quoted in Lawyers USA Article 05.12.2005, Butler selected to Chair the National Committee on Customs and Border Protection for the American Immigration Lawyers Association 02.08.2005, Butler Advises Businesses How to Protect Permanent Resident Status of Employees 01.06.2005, Butler a Seattle Magazine "Top Lawyer" 12.14.2004, Butler Advises International Companies to Be Mindful of Human Rights Oversight 11.09.2004, Pro Bono Victory - Hamoui Family Receives Unanimous Ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals 03.29.2004, Hamoui Case Argued Before 9th Circuit on March 29, 2004 Articles 11.30.2011, Immigration and Investments in the United States 08.25.2011, Handling Social Security No-match Letters - What Employers Need to Know 01.26.2007, New Passport Rules for Air Travel - Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions 10.10.2006, Guidelines and FAQ on Visa Retrogression 08.01.2006, Immigration Enforcement in the Construction Industry 01.27.2006, Guidelines On Travel For Foreign Nationals With Temporary Visas 04.19.2005, Don't Go to Canada With Just a Driver's License 03.15.2005, H-1B Cap Opens With 20,000 More Numbers, Not Limited to Master's Degrees 02.18.2005, Guidelines For Permanent Resident Status 07.02.2004, I-94 and I-94W Arrival/Departure Cards 07.02.2004, Tips for Presenting Immigration Applications and Petitions at U.S. Border Crossings and Airports 07.02.2004, USVISIT Fingerprints and Photographs of Visa Holders Begin in January 2004 07.02.2004, B1/B2 Business Visitors and Tourists 07.01.2004, IMMIGRATION LAW: The Basics for Businesses 01.01.2004, Bush Administration's Immigration Reform Proposal for Temporary Workers 01.01.2004, USVISIT Fingerprints and Photographs of Visa Holders 02.26.2003, INS to Dissolve March 1, 2003 06.01.2002, Commuting to the United States as a Permanent Resident 06.01.2002, INS Strictly Enforcing Address Change Requirements for Non-Citizens Events 12.06.2011, Immigration Compliance: Guiding Your Way Through the Web of Immigration Laws 10.12.2011, Butler to Serve on Panel at American Immigration Lawyers Association Conference (Ithaca, N.Y.) 08.12.2010, Butler to Speak at Immigration Works Summit (Seattle) 07.03.2010, Butler to Present at American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference (D.C.) 11.17.2009, Butler to Speak at "Third Country National Visa Processing in Canada and Mexico" (Audio Seminar) 11.03.2009, Effectively Handling Difficult HR Situations in Turbulent Times (Anchorage) 11.17.2008, Butler To Speak at American Immigration Lawyers Meeting 11.09.2007, Butler to Deliver Immigration Update for WSBA 10.09.2007, It's Not Easy Being LEED: Challenges Facing Green Construction (Seattle) 10.09.2007, 25th Annual Labor and Employment Seminar (Seattle) |