Increased employer immigration demands have prompted Polsinelli Shughart PC to expand services with the addition of immigration attorney Jeffrey S. Bell. Bell, who will practice in the Labor and Employment practice group, has advised clients on immigration law matters for 18 years. He says tighter government regulation and enforcement have given employers added reasons to take compliance and visa issues seriously.
“Conducting business in today's climate is truly international and as other issues affecting business have become more complicated and prevalent, the large law firm platform best serves a client’s interest,” said Bell. “The immigration issues are interwoven with corporate, employment, tax, international, etc., and Polsinelli Shughart has attorneys in all of these areas available to serve clients.”
Bell focuses on a wide range of immigration issues relating to employers, particularly health care facilities, universities and multinational companies. He advises Fortune 500 companies as well as regional and local businesses on employer related visa issues and compliance, and his experience includes H-1B and L-1 visa petitions, Investor visas, J-1 physician waivers, I-9 audits, PERM applications and immigration strategic planning.
“Businesses are concerned about being audited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and are seeking assistance to review compliance documents and hiring practices to limit or avoid negative consequences,” said Bell. “Also, as visa programs become more complex and with greater scrutiny by the government, businesses are seeking out experienced immigration counsel for guidance and assistance with strategic immigration planning.”
Bell says the practice of immigration law has only been around for about 40 years. In the beginning, immigration attorneys typically represented individuals. As laws changed and businesses became more international, the need for immigration attorneys began to grow. Bell, who had been practicing as a solo attorney, says he welcomes the resources of a national firm like Polsinelli Shughart to complement his business immigration practice.
Bell is a past two-term Chairman of the International Law Committee, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and speaks frequently on immigration issues at continuing education seminars and business conferences. He earned his law degree from Washington University School of Law - St. Louis in 1992, and his bachelor’s of psychology, cum laude, from the University of Texas –Austin, 1989.
Bell is an excellent source for reporters working on stories about:
• Immigration compliance issues for employers
• Enforcement Actions against employers
• Employers handling work visas, I-9’s and visas
For more information contact Public Relations Manager Heather McMichael, 816-395-0618,
About Polsinelli Shughart PC
With more than 500 attorneys, Polsinelli Shughart PC (www.polsinelli.com) is a national law firm that is a recognized leader in the areas of business law, financial services, real estate and business litigation. Serving corporate, institutional and individual clients, Polsinelli Shughart is redefining the business of law by sharing ideas, goals and outcomes with its clients. The firm builds enduring relationships by creating value beyond legal services - with passion, ingenuity and a sense of urgency. The firm has offices located in Kansas City; St. Louis; Phoenix; Chicago; Denver; Washington, D.C.; New York; Wilmington, Del.; Overland Park, Kan.; St. Joseph, Springfield, and Jefferson City, Mo.; Topeka, Kan.; and Edwardsville, Ill.