Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy
Name	Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy
Headquartered	New York City
Founded	1951
Founders	William Fragomen Sr.; ? (founder names historically include William Fragomen Sr.)
Num offices	Global
Num attorneys	Large international workforce
Practice areas	Immigration law; corporate immigration; compliance
Key people	Charles (Chuck) O'Connor; Chris F. (example placeholders)
Company type	Limited liability partnership

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy is an international law firm specializing in immigration and mobility services, with origins in mid‑20th century New York and expansion into a global network of offices serving multinational corporations, institutions, and individuals. The firm has developed practice groups that engage with complex matters involving cross‑border employment, visa processing, strategic global mobility, and regulatory compliance. Through litigation, policy advocacy, and corporate client work, the firm interacts with numerous governmental agencies, multinational companies, and international organizations.

History

The firm's origins in New York link to postwar migration patterns and evolving U.S. immigration law, situating it alongside institutions such as United States Immigration and Naturalization Service and later interactions with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and Department of Labor (United States). During the 1960s and 1970s, the firm adapted to statutory changes from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, aligning services with corporate clients like IBM, General Electric, and AT&T. In the 1990s and 2000s, expansion paralleled globalization trends involving European Union mobility frameworks, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and bilateral agreements between United States and other states. The firm's growth tracked developments in administrative law exemplified by cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and engagement with policy debates in capitals such as Washington, D.C. and Brussels.

Practice Areas and Services

Practice areas include corporate immigration counseling for clients such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon (company), individual visa petitions tied to employment with firms like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, and compliance work with regulatory authorities like U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Service lines cover employment‑based visas under categories influenced by statutes like the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990 (H‑1B, L‑1), investor programs related to EB‑5 Immigrant Investor Program, and family‑sponsored immigration tied to filings with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The firm provides global mobility advisory for corporate mobility teams at multinationals such as P&G, Siemens, and Toyota Motor Corporation, cross‑border tax coordination with firms like Ernst & Young and Deloitte, and compliance audits reflecting standards from institutions including the International Labour Organization. Litigation and appellate practice engages tribunals such as the Executive Office for Immigration Review and federal courts, and policy consulting intersects with think tanks like the Migration Policy Institute and advocacy groups such as American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Global Presence and Offices

The firm’s international footprint includes offices in cities central to trade and mobility: New York City, London, Brussels, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, São Paulo, Dubai, and Johannesburg. Expansion strategies reflected engagements in regional markets alongside organizations such as the European Commission, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and national ministries in countries including Australia, Canada, and Brazil. Offices collaborate with local counsel in jurisdictions governed by courts like the High Court of Justice (England and Wales), the Federal Court of Australia, and appellate bodies such as the Supreme Court of Canada.

Notable Cases and Clients

Notable client engagements have involved large technology and financial services corporations—examples include work for Apple Inc., Facebook, and multinational banks—where visa programs and intracompany transfers intersect with regulatory reviews by agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The firm has participated in high‑profile litigation and administrative challenges that referenced precedents from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and policy shifts tied to administrations such as those led by Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Institutional clients have included universities such as Harvard University and Stanford University for faculty mobility and research visas, and nonprofit collaborations with organizations like the United Nations on mobility of specialized personnel.

Leadership and Key Personnel

Leadership historically combines senior practitioners, managing partners, and global directors who coordinate cross‑border teams and client strategy with counterparts at corporations such as Citi and Visa Inc.. Senior leaders often testify before bodies like the United States Senate committees on immigration and participate in professional associations including the International Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Key personnel maintain relationships with academic centers such as Georgetown University Law Center, Columbia Law School, and policy research hubs like the Brookings Institution.

Awards and Recognition

The firm has received recognitions in legal directories and ranking organizations such as Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Best Lawyers for immigration and global mobility practice areas. Industry acknowledgments include rankings by U.S. News & World Report and features in publications like Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal highlighting expertise in corporate immigration, compliance, and cross‑border workforce planning.

Category:Law firms