Group of Leading Immigration Law Professionals Joins Fragomen

NEW YORK, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, the world's leading corporate immigration law firm, is pleased to announce that a group of internationally-renowned immigration law professionals including Daryl Buffenstein, from the Atlanta office of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL); and Bo Cooper of BAL's Washington, D.C. office, have joined the firm effective April 1, 2012.   

In total, approximately 80 immigration professionals from BAL are joining Fragomen -- 16 partners and attorneys and approximately 64 paralegals and professional staff.

The new group establishes Fragomen's presence in Atlanta, and is headed by partners Buffenstein, Deborah Marlowe and Kyle Sherman. They are retaining their current offices at 600 Peachtree Street Northeast, Suite 2000, in Atlanta, and will continue to serve clients with a full range of local, regional, national and international immigration services, now fully supported by Fragomen's global resources.  

Buffenstein, who prior to his time at BAL led Paul Hastings' immigration practice for over 20 years, said: "We are thrilled about becoming part of what is truly a global corporate immigration firm and the leader in the field.  It is a win-win for both us and our clients.  Being part of Fragomen gives us a platform to extend our service capabilities and access to cutting-edge resources to meet our clients' ever-evolving business immigration needs."

At the same time, Cooper and Daniel Brown are joining Fragomen's Washington, D.C. office, where Cooper will lead the firm's Government Relations practice. Fragomen's D.C. office has been part of the firm for over 30 years, and was originally established by Sam Bernsen, a former General Counsel to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). 

Cooper, also a former General Counsel to the INS through two administrations, said: "Corporate immigration issues have become more and more complex, requiring innovative approaches, a global platform, and a thorough understanding of government agencies and Congress.  In joining forces with Fragomen, our combined resources are unique -- allowing us to best serve our clients during these changing, challenging times. We look forward to working with our new partners and clients going forward as part of the Fragomen firm." 

Austin T. Fragomen, Chairman of Fragomen's Executive Committee, said: "As immigration challenges for companies and organizations become more complex and demanding, it is important that we constantly take steps to strengthen our firm's offerings in all aspects of corporate immigration law.  This transaction allows us to establish an Atlanta office while enhancing our government relations practice.

"The addition of Bo, Dan and Daryl to our already robust government relations practice positions us uniquely to serve client needs with unparalleled resources.  I would like to personally welcome all of our new colleagues to the firm, and look forward to working closely with them."   

About Fragomen:
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP and Fragomen Global LLP (collectively known as "Fragomen") is recognized as the world's leading global corporate immigration services provider. The firm employs over 300 immigration attorneys, and more than 1,900 professionals and support staff located in 39 offices in 15 countries. For more than 60 years, Fragomen has represented a broad range of companies, organizations and emerging businesses, working in partnership with clients to facilitate the hiring and transfer of employees worldwide. For detailed information about Fragomen's practice, please visit www.fragomen.com.

SOURCE Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP