ATLANTA, GA (September 21, 2012) - Littler Mendelson, P.C. (Littler), the world’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, has added a group of three attorneys and eleven paralegals to the firm’s growing Global Mobility and Immigration Practice. Scott Decker, Avani Patel and Carol Williams join the firm’s Atlanta office as of counsel bringing with them considerable immigration law experience.
Since opening offices in Mexico and Venezuela, as well as affiliate offices in China, to assist companies expanding operations globally, the firm has chosen to focus on Atlanta, seeing the concentration of Fortune 100 companies and strong legal markets as a critical development opportunity.
“We are delighted to welcome such a dynamic trio to the firm’s Atlanta office and the Global Mobility and Immigration Practice,” said Atlanta Office Managing Shareholder Traywick Duffie. “Together, they add tremendous experience to our growing practice, and further seal Atlanta as one of Littler’s key hubs for international work.”
Ian Macdonald, co-chair of Littler’s Global Mobility and Immigration Practice Group, added, “International and U.S.-based companies are facing a myriad of aggressive new immigration enforcement laws and regulations. We are excited to add the expertise of Scott, Avani and Carol to the firm’s already robust global mobility and immigration team as their collective backgrounds will be instrumental as we continue to guide clients through this complex landscape.”
Decker, previously with Banta Immigration Law, has extensive experience in immigration law and has represented national and international employers before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of Labor in connection with immigration-related employment issues. He also counsels employers on immigration policy, strategy and compliance and has conducted audits to assess I-9 compliance. He received his J.D. from Cornell University Law School and his B.A. from SUNY Geneseo.
Patel, whose practice focuses on business immigration law, has significant experience with matters related to family and business immigration and has represented both individual and corporate clients before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Prior to joining Littler, Patel was with The Chugh Firm. An expert in global migration, she has worked with clients to secure the temporary or permanent transfer of key personnel both within and outside of the United States. She received her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and her B.A. from Vanderbilt University magna cum laude.
Previously with the Chief of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Williams focuses her practice on corporate immigration law, including obtaining visa benefits for employees, corporate I-9 and E-Verify compliance and defense of Office of Special Counsel investigations relating to employment discrimination. She also monitors and actively counsels clients on various state E-Verify-related laws. She received her J.D. from George Washington University Law School and her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
About Littler Mendelson
With over 900 attorneys and 56 offices throughout the U.S. and globally, Littler Mendelson is the world’s largest labor and employment firm exclusively devoted to representing management. As the only U.S. member of the Ius Laboris global alliance, Littler has extensive resources to address the needs of multinational clients, from navigating international employment laws and labor relations issues to applying corporate policies worldwide. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record.