Berkeley Parents Network: Immigration Attorneys

Berkeley Parents Network

Immigration Attorneys

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Legal & Financial Services > Immigration Attorneys

Visas for Foreign Visitors baby denied visa

Feb 2004

I need a recommendation for a local immigration attorney, who can work with a small-business employer to apply for an H1 visa without too much cost. I saw the recommendations on the website, but they were several years old. Mark

I highly recommend David Mainland in San Francisco. I have used his services three times. He helped me several years ago with my Citizenship, then he helped my wife with her H1-B and finally with her Green Card. His rates are very reasonable and he is well-connected at the INS. I have referred several other friends to him who were all extremely happy with his services.

David Mainland
530 Bush Street, Suite 404
San Francisco CA 94108
415-362-0245

Good Luck! Kai

H1's really aren't too scary and the BCIS website is pretty thorough in telling you what you need to do - if you're willing to do it. I'm an HR professional and the first H1, in mid-1990's, I did with a lawyer. I spent more time double checking their work than my money was worth. I no longer use a lawyer except to consult if there is something special about a candidate. I found that the web answered any question I had and there was no need to pay a lawyer a few hundred or thousands to double-check my work - especially since most introduced mistakes rather than fixing anything. That said, Fragomen DelRey and Burnsen is a immigration attny office with good resources, if you don't go it alone, they may be a good choice. http://www.fragomen.com/ employer sponsored

I'd recommend Mr. Jaime Alcabes, Esq in Oakland, his number is 510-893-6150. He is efficient and very smart. M

You can try this person: Anja Freudenthal, (415) 834-1884. Tell her you were referred by the International Institute of the East Bay. Katie

January 2003

Can anyone recommend an immigration attorney? I have a student living in my home whose student visa has expired. I would like to do all I can to help her stay here and the past recommendations are dated.

Immigration attorney David Mainland (415-362-0245) helped me 16 years ago. He has very reasonable fees and is on top of things. His wife Gitte manages the office and also knows about latest INS regulations. You can get a lot of good advice for free over the phone. I've never heard anyone having a bad experience with them and I have referred at least 7 people to them, who were then able to stay in the country. Heike Helmer

Angela Bean, in San Franicsco, is an experienced, ethical immigration attorney with a bent toward the underdog. Sorry I don't have her number handy, but she's in the phone book. Good luck. I also understand Marc Van der Hout is good. wife of immigration attorney in training.

My friend Love Macione has an immigration practice in SF. She's very knowledgable and friendly. Her number is: 415-734-9400. Liz

Response to request for recommended immigration attorney:

Erica L. Tomlinson
Simmons & Ungar
50 California Street #470
SF CA 94111
415-277-4965
fax 415-421-0772
erica.tomlinson at simmonsungar.com

She helped our firm with a difficult situation where an employee had previously received the wrong type of visa, and we needed to get it changed to the correct type of visa. (Other attorneys said it was not possible to do.) Cassandra

If you are looking for a Competent, Knowledgeable,Thorough, and Affordable Immigration Attorney,I highly recommend Kaushik Ranchod.His also a Very Amicable and Likeable person.His phone number is 415-934-8472, and email is kaushik at ranchodlaw.com. He is in 211 Gough Street. San Francisco.CA. 94102.

2001

I would welcome recommendations of an immigration lawyer in the Bay Area that can deal with getting permanent immigrant status (the green card). We are scientists with Ph.D's from American universities. I read the recommendations in the UCB parents webpage but all of them seem to be written by Americans who delt with attorneys from the employer side. I wonder if any of you foreign parents has any stories to share about getting the green card, things to avoid, lawyers to avoid, etc. Also, how much does it cost, how long does the whole thing take? Thanks very much!!! Irene

I can highly recommend David Mainland. He handled my case 15 years ago and is simply the nicest lawyer around. Other lawyers approached me with a hostile attitude like immigration would ("how real is your marriage?)," David is very relaxed and is friends with everyone, including immigration officers. When we nervously went to the INS for the interview, David Mainland's presence was as calming as having my Dad next to me. He only charged me half of what the other lawyers in their ostentatious offices demanded and got to work on my case without questioning anything. I have sent David many referrals whose cases he worked out successfully (work visas, marriages, green cards). When he was getting a work visa for an Italian friend of mine, he told her that he would knock $200 off her case, because he considered it an easy one. Hard to find a lawyer like that! He's got the heart in the right spot. Gitte, his cheerful German wife, manages his office. They always give free advice over the phone and won't charge you anything unless they get to handle your case. Here is their number: 415-362-0245. Heike

I used Terry Helbush (whose office was in San Francisco at that time -1991-1992). I got my "green card" going through the labor certification process, without a hitch. Terry was very efficient and was able to work with my employer, who was anxious about the process. Sara

I recently had my permanent residency case approved (still waiting for the actual "Green Card") after 5 years! My employer sponsored me through this process via i140 petition under member of profession with advanced degree. I imagine you'll be qualified under the same category. Even within the same category, though, the length of wait varies significantly -- mine took a lot longer than most people. My advice are (i) to find a lawyer who has an "in" to INS (I've heard this really makes a big difference, which my lawyer didn't), and (ii) once your case is filed with INS, lobby your local politicians to bug INS about your case. Yes, it does not sound like a fair process, but it's the sad truth about dealing with this federal government agency. Good luck (yes, you'll need a lot of). Satomi

I highly recommend Philip M. Levin in San Francisco (415) 392-4660, who specializes in immigration matters. He was very efficient in getting the INS to give me American citizenship and seems to be very dedicated to the cases that he takes. He also had very good advice about how to prepare for the test that you have to pass before being granted citizenship, and even accompanied me to the INS for the test to make sure everything was done right. The fees will depend on your case, but expect to pay at least $2000. Well worth the relief from the stress of having to wait indefinitely for the INS to acknowledge that you even exist! Maria

November 2000

Josh
I would recommend a woman I used to work with named Julie Pearl in San Francisco. Her firm is Munro, Nelson, Pearl and McCown. Julie was one of the most generous employers and attorneys I ever worked for and her staff loved her, she had many clients, and they always seemed very happy with the services rendered. http://www.immigrationlaw.com/ http://www.immigrationlaw.com/aboutourfirm/Pearl.html

Denise
Hi, this lawyer does some consulting for the company I work and has helped me with employment authorization issues. He was always nice to me and it seems to me he knew everything I wanted to know. I can't tell you about the cost, but you could call him and ask. The firm is located in Oakland.

Jonathan McNeil Wong Voice:
5104510544
Donahue, Gallagher, Woods & Wood, LLP
URL: http://www.donahue.com

Kristin
A great Immigration attorney is AdriaAnn McMurray. She has offices in SF and Berkeley. She is reasonable, prompt, caring and thorough. She has more than 12 years experience in everything from deportation defense to business and student visas. She specializes in HIV and Juvenile issues. She can be reached at 415/3979422, 400 Montgomery St, SF.

Louisa
There are a lot of notverygood immigration lawyers around; more than in many other areas of the law. I can recommend Bob Jobe (Law Offices of Robert Jobe) for employment-type immigration issues. He is very bright, personable and reasonably hardworking. I don't know if he handles political asylum or illegal alientype issues, but Marc Van der Hout (recommended on UC Parents website) is great on those. Both are in SF.

Colleen
Christine Brigagliano, in San Franciso, is a very nice person and I like her office environment. They seem to know what they're doing, but doublecheck everything anyway, especially if it's done by assistants. They seem to rush things a bit sometimes.

From: Peter (10/98)

I haven't had to use him myself, but I've heard good things about Marc Van Der Hout in SF. He's in the phone book. I know he's on the Steering Committee of the National Lawyers Guild's Immigration Project. THe NLG is an organization of progressive lawyers and legal workers.

Another resource is for referrals is the immigrant assistance line, (415) 543-6767.

From: Michael (10/98)

Van der Hout is one of two principals in the firm Van der Hout and Brigagliano. I used his partner, Christine Brigagliano, to handle the H1-B and permanent residency work for an employee of mine in my last job. I haven't done a lot of comparison shopping, but I was pleased with the work that Christine did. She had legal assistants handle a lot of the legwork, and was able to do the work at a fixed price for us, rather than billing us by the hour.

One warning: On two occasions, we were told to expect action by Immigration by some particular date. Those dates came and went with no action. The fault wasn't Christine's; Immigration processes paperwork in a different inertial frame of reference, and it's hard to predict when they'll finish without an advanced degree in physics and some chicken entrails. However, it was pretty demotivating to the employee to see dates come and go without progress. Be sure, whoever your lawyer is, that you understand which deadlines are firm, and which are merely likely to be met.

The firm has offices in SF and Palo Alto. My Palm Pilot reports:

        Christine Brigagliano
        Attorney at Law
        Van der Hout and Brigagliano, LLP

        Work:   650 688 6020
        Fax:    415 981 3003 (SF fax)
        Other:  415 981 3000 (SF office),
                 www.vblaw.com

        Palo Alto office address:
        525 University Ave, Suite 1420
        Palo Alto, CA

        SF office address:
        180 Sutter Street, Fifth Floor
        San Francisco, CA  94104

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