Kate E. Tucker

Kate E. Tucker focuses her legal practice on Immigration Law. Having been through the U.S. immigration process herself as a British National, Ms. Tucker fully understands the far-reaching effects of immigration status on an individual's entire life and provides individualized legal advice after a thorough review of her client's short and long-term objectives. She provides valuable insight, reliable and efficient advice and step-by-step guidance to her clients throughout the complex immigration process.

Ms. Tucker's clients include business entities, educational institutions and national laboratories, as well as individual foreign nationals. Her representation of corporate clients includes advice regarding general employment issues, employment and sponsorship of foreign nationals, preparation of the necessary petitions to effect such sponsorship, advice regarding issues that arise following approval (travel, layoffs, extensions, change or status, etc.) and I-9 compliance (including self audits, correction of I-9s, and Department of Homeland Security [DHS] audits).

Ms. Tucker's representation of individual foreign nationals includes advice regarding planning the immigration process from start to finish, assessment of job offers and qualifications for employment-based visas, and assistance in preparation of employment-based and family-based petitions.

Ms. Tucker's Immigration practice includes:

• Non-Immigrant (Temporary) Status (Employment and Family Based)
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residence (Employment and Family Based)
• Consular Visa Processing (Non-Immigrant and Immigrant)
• I-9 Compliance, Training and Audits

Ms. Tucker has defended employers in several I-9 audits by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), resulting in no or lower penalties, as well as successfully negotiating down hefty government fines for I-9 violations. Ms. Tucker has also obtained approval on several petitions that were previously denied (or noticed with an intent to deny by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services [USCIS]) prior to her representation of the client.

Ms. Tucker also publishes and/or speaks regularly on the subject of immigration law, as well as provides training to her corporate clients regarding the employment of foreign nationals, sponsorship of foreign nationals, compliance with I-9 regulations, and other employment-related topics.