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Gregory Wald’s experience includes representing multinational and Fortune 500 companies and individual clients in all aspects of immigration law, including non-immigrant visas and immigrant matters regarding multinational executives and managers, individuals of extraordinary ability and professionals.
He has appeared before the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), US Department of Labor (DOL), US Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review and various federal courts.
From 1997 to 2000, Gregory was an assistant district counsel for the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in the Miami and San Francisco districts. In this role, he advised the INS on multiple aspects of immigration, naturalization, criminal and civil law. As a member of the Employer Sanctions team, he provided analysis and consultation to special agents on the legal sufficiency of Notices of Intent to Fine regarding Form I-9 audits, compliance and worksite enforcement operations.
Gregory is a frequent speaker on business immigration and compliance matters. He has presented in seminars and conferences of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Worksite Immigration Compliance Symposium at the Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance, ILW.COM’s Technology Immigration: Update From the Trenches, as well as client seminars regarding the latest trends in employment-based immigration and government enforcement actions. In addition, Gregory regularly publishes on the latest developments in immigration law and worksite compliance.
Gregory served as chair of the Northern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association in 2010/2011. In 2009, he was nominated as one of California’s leading practitioners in the field of corporate immigration and listed in Who’s Who Legal: California. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for ability and ethics. He is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America and has been listed as a Northern California Super Lawyer.
- Providing counsel and defending against government audits by the DOL, DHS and the DOJ in matters relating to H-1B dependency, Form I-9 compliance, E-Verify, employer sanctions and immigration-related discrimination.
- Obtaining non-immigrant and immigrant visa approvals based on extraordinary and outstanding abilities for individuals in the fields of art, entertainment, science and business.
- Providing counsel and assisting with immigration-related aspects of mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and restructuring, as well as startups and new market entry.
- Representing individual investors obtaining permanent residency through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.
- Counseling entities on the formation of regional centers and soliciting immigrant investors.
- Providing pro bono representation or volunteering as a mentor to other lawyers for asylum applicants in custody and removal proceedings.
Education
- University of Miami, J.D., managing editor, University of Miami Entertainment and Sports Law Review, associate editor, Business Law Journal, 1992
- Tulane University, B.A., 1988
Admissions
- California, 2000
- Florida, 1992
Courts
- U.S. Ct. of App., Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Dist. Ct., S. Dist. of Florida
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships & Affiliations
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
- Organization Coordinator, Northern California Chapter, 2016-present
- National Bylaws Committee, 2017/2018, 2014/2015
- SSA/DMV/SAVE Taskforce, 2016/2017
- Verification and Documentation Liaison Committee, 2015/2016
- Distance Learning Committee, 2014/2015
- OCAHO Liaison Committee, 2012/2013
- Vice Chair, National Social Security/Motor Vehicle Association Liaison Committee, 2011/2012
- Chair, Northern California Chapter, 2010/2011
- Events Committee, British American Business Council, San Francisco, 2015/2016
- Named in Thought Leaders USA 2024 by Who’s Who Legal
- AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2013-2020 and 2023
- Who’s Who Legal: California, 2009-2019
- Northern California Super Lawyer, 2012-2013
- Distinguished Service Award, Commissioner of INS, 1999
- Co-author/presenter, “Using Social Media to Establish Your Brand,” AILA Immigration Practice Pointers, 2018.
- Co-author/presenter, “Employer Compliance Issues Beyond Form I-9,” AILA Practice Advisory, 2018.
- Co-author/presenter, “Implications of Layoffs for Foreign Workers,” AILA Practice Advisory, 2017.
- Author, “New Year, New Immigration Laws for Calif. Employers,” Law360, January 5, 2017.
- Author, “Changes in Employment Verification and Enforcement Will Impact Hospitality Employers,” Hotel Business Review, December 2016.
- Co-author, “Honesty is the best policy, unless it’s not,” Daily Journal, December 2014.
- Co-author, “I-9 Compliance: Diffusing an Inherent Risk,” Hotel Business Review, April 2014.
- Co-author, “Dotting the I’s and Crossing the T’s of Compliance,” AILA Immigration Practice Pointers, 2013-2014.
- Editor, Practice Pointer: Survival Tool Kit for the Worksite Enforcement Jungle, AILA, 2012.
- Presenter, Worksite Immigration Compliance Symposium, Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance, 2011.
- Author, “Aramark v. SEIU and the Evolution of Constructive Knowledge in Relation to the DHS Social Security No-Match Rule,” The Immigration Compliance Book, 2009.