Sheppard Mullin

The Immigration and Compliance practice combines the legal talents of a respected team and the international resources of a top tier AM Law100 law firm. With an international footprint that includes offices in key cities as well as global alliances, we provide companies and entrepreneurs with solution driven, innovative and cost-effective strategies. Working with multinational corporations, national, regional and local employers, start-up ventures, educational institutions and private individuals, we understand that each circumstance is unique and that each circumstance requires a tailor made approach and response.

In a global and competitive labor market, businesses need immigration solutions that fit with their commercial objectives. Our representation spans the gambit of immigration issues, ranging from preparing high volume visa applications to defending businesses in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigations. Sheppard Mullin’s multidisciplinary approach provides clients with comprehensive advice on immigration matters that often involve employment, corporate, international, government contracts, litigation, white collar, and tax law issues. We provide our clients with a full range of U.S., global and complementary immigration services.

Strategic Thinking, Proactive Service

We understand the importance of having your employees where you want them and when you need them. Balancing the gap between business necessity and practical reality when it comes to moving executives to new countries is difficult, with compliance and timing issues often presenting obstacles. The Immigration team anticipates such issues and offers creative, yet compliant, solutions. Count on us to effectively address the host of interconnected legal and individual concerns surrounding global transfers, workforce compliance and immigration investment including immigration and visa requirements; tax implications; data privacy mandates; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA).

The team’s extensive experience has established us as an essential resource in the immigration compliance area, with many clients coming to Sheppard Mullin by referral from within the immigration bar. Our clients range from Fortune 100 corporations to internationally acclaimed performers and songwriters. We represent manufacturers, retailers, food services, hoteliers, pharma companies, waste management, developers, restaurateurs, EB-5 Regional Centers, and technology companies. Our personalized approach to client service provides every client with representation that is tailored to his or her particular needs.

Scope of Services

With this interdisciplinary approach to immigration and compliance advice accounts for the legal, political and business realities impacting cross-border transfers and investments. Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel on a broad range of immigration employment matters, including:

• Non-immigrant Visas and Permanent Residence
• Corporate Compliance
• Foreign Investment for Entrepreneurs and Investors (EB-5) 
• Global Mobility

Technology Driven

Every corporate contact receives access to Bluedot® our customized immigration case management system. Sponsored employees can also receive access to this secure Web-based system allowing for tracking of cases and information sharing 24/7.

"As Sheppard Mullin continues to grow, it is important that we not lose sight of the need to recruit women, attorneys of color and others of diverse backgrounds."
-Guy Halgren, Chairman of the Executive Committee

At Sheppard Mullin, we make every effort to recruit the finest lawyers and nurture their talents. The firm recognizes the importance of diversity and the need to create a workplace of inclusion. We need ¿ and our clients demand ¿ a team of attorneys that is as diverse as our increasingly global client base. Achieving and maintaining diversity is key to great client service ¿ a core value of our firm. What distinguishes good intentions from results is a commitment by senior management to find the best attorneys possible coupled with the sincere belief that people with diverse backgrounds bring valuable attributes to the firm. At Sheppard Mullin, the Executive Committee, Diversity Committee, and the lawyers in each of our offices work hard to ensure that all attorneys who join our firm fit in seamlessly and are encouraged to succeed.

Members of our Diversity Committee include ethnically diverse attorneys and a representative from the firm's Executive Committee. Diversity Committee members have served on the Boards of the Anti-Defamation League, the Black Women Lawyers Foundation (Los Angeles), and the Charles Houston Bar Association (northern California). Women and minority attorneys participate on key committees of the Firm (Executive Committee; Compensation Committee; Diversity Committee; Recruiting Committee; Professional Personnel Committee; Associate Issues Committee). Four of the Firm's nine Office Administrative Partners are women, one of whom is African-American and another is multi-racial.

"Serving on the firm's Diversity Committee is one of the most important things I do. I firmly believe that we must be vigilant in our efforts to recruit talented women attorneys and attorneys of color. Our success in this area has a positive effect our firm's culture, practice and client relationships."
-Joan Story, Member Executive Committee and Diversity Committee

Below is a description of just some of our outreach efforts.

• The firm participates in and financially supports the California Minority Counsel Program and the ABA Minority Counsel Program, as well as several minority bar associations. These groups are dedicated to increasing access for and promoting and retaining minorities in the legal profession.
• The firm actively recruits law students of color, e.g., we participated in the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) of the Western Region job fair held at UCLA School of Law.
• Sheppard Mullin contributes to the Minority Corporate Counsel Association; California Women Lawyers; Queen's Bench; Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles; and the National Black Law Students Association, among others.
• We actively participate with other major Los Angeles law firms in the Diversity Directors Roundtable, a group that is committed to promoting diversity in the legal profession and in our firms.
• The firm received the Law Firm Award from the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation for its strong commitment to the promotion of community and pro bono activities.
• Multicultural Law magazine named Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as one of "The 2011 Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity."
• Sheppard Mullin helped underwrite the production of a motion picture project entitled "Soul of Justice: The Life and Times of Thelton Henderson." The film chronicles the life of respected African-American jurist Thelton Henderson, a crusading civil rights litigator and role model.
• The firm signed the Bar Association of San Francisco's "No Glass Ceiling Initiative," BASF's "Minority Goals and Timetables," the New York County Lawyers' Association Diversity Statement, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Diversity Statement.

Much of our pro bono work relates to the diversity of the communities in which we practice; sample clients include:

• Constitutional Rights Foundation
• Domestic Violence Project, Los Angeles Bar Association
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
• Task Force for the Women's Resource Fair, City of San Diego
• Tolerance Through Education Program, Beverly Hills Barristers Associations
• Violence Against Women Act Program, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Awareness of diversity enables us to understand the value of differences. At Sheppard Mullin, we are committed to hiring top tier attorneys, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.