Ian R. Macdonald

Ian R. Macdonald has over 25 years of experience working with employers on worksite immigration compliance (criminal and civil), employment-based immigration sponsorship and global mobility transfers to 200+ countries. Ian founded the Firm’s immigration practice in Atlanta and has led the group since joining the Firm in 2013. He focuses his practice on developing, assessing and managing global mobility programs for multinational companies on a range of challenges affecting the movement of people domestically and internationally, including secondment agreements, benefits transferability, local host country employment concerns and immigration.

Ian and his team work closely with companies to manage and modify, where needed, corporate immigration programs to maximize efficiency, service and regulatory compliance levels. He is experienced with the full range of business immigration sponsorship categories (visas and permanent residence), anti-discrimination rules to reduce or eliminate risk of employment litigation, employer sanction cases, and I-9 and E-Verify compliance.

Ian has developed strategic relationships abroad that he utilizes when working with clients to ensure compliance with foreign registration requirements. He is experienced with analyzing complex global mobility opportunities on country-specific matters to facilitate the transfer of personnel. Ian is also experienced in counseling employers on immigration strategy as well as immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions, reduction in workforces, and furloughs.

Prior to joining the firm, Ian was the chair of global immigration at the world’s largest employment and labor law practice. He also worked for the United Nations, various non-governmental think tanks and corporate law firms in London, Washington, D.C., New York and Atlanta.

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2016-2026
•Listed, Lawdragon, '100 Leading Immigration Lawyers,' 2025
•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, Immigration, 2021-2025
•Listed, Thomson-Reuters, 'Stand-Out Lawyers,' 2025
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Labor and Employment - Immigration, 2009-2022
•Listed, Daily Report, 'Georgia Trailblazers,' 2019
•Listed, National Law Journal, 'Immigration Law Trailblazer,' 2019
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Georgia Super Lawyers, 2017-2019
•Listed, Georgia Trend magazine 'Legal Elite,' 2015-2017, 2019 and 2024
•Listed, U.S. News - Best Lawyers Best Law Firm rankings for Nationwide (Tier 1), 2011-2015