Adjustment of Status and Immigrant Visa Processing

John Medeiros leads the Corporate Immigration Group with the Minneapolis-based law firm of Nilan Johnson Lewis. He represents companies of all sizes in a vast array of industries, including healthcare, engineering, information technology, retail, advertising, and manufacturing. He focuses on employment-based immigration, including labor certification (PERM) applications, nonimmigrant petitions (including H-1B, TN, E-3, L-1, O-1), J-1 waivers (including waivers for foreign-born physicians), immigrant visa petitions, extraordinary ability petitions, national interest waivers, adjustment of status applications, employment authorization applications, advance parole applications, and applications for reentry permits. John also organizes legal education seminars for corporate clients and presents each year to foreign students on immigration options after graduation. He currently serves as vice chair of the AILA Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter.

Renata Castro is an innovative immigration lawyer and founder of Castro Legal Group, a Pompano Beach Florida based full-service law firm. She is a prolific speaker in international, national and local immigration conferences, including the AILA Annual Conference, and she has written features in reputable international publications such as Globo and Estadão. Ms. Castro takes particular interest in domestic violence also known as VAWA cases, as well as labor certifications and EB-2/NIW. Originally from São Gonçalo a suburb of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, She is an avid reader in three languages, Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Ms. Castro graduated from Shepard Broward School of Law, and holds an MBA from Aspen University, and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with major in Marketing by Universidade del Turabo—Sistema Universitario Ana G Mendez.

Ellen Susser Kief, AILA Canada Chapter Chair. Ms. Kief has been an active member of AILA since 2006. She serves in various leadership roles, including CBP and U.S. Consulate liaison,  chair of the National Day of Action for the AILA New England Chapter, national NMD, and a member of the AILA Global Migration Section committee. She is a dual national, born in Montreal but residing in Boston for over 30 years. Ms. Kief now lives in Vancouver, BC. Her practice is devoted to U.S. immigration law exclusively, with a focus on business immigration for corporate clients and businesses across Canada, the United States, and worldwide. Her practice involves U.S. cross-border travel, business visas, investor visas, entertainment, arts and sports, family visas, permanent residence and citizenship. Ms. Kief is a director of NECBC, chair of the American Chamber of Commerce AMCHAM National Labour Force Mobility Committee. She is a frequent speaker on the topic of cross border immigration. She continues to run marathons and ride in bike events for charitable organizations. 

Lauren K. Ross is a senior attorney in the San Francisco office of Erickson Immigration Group. She provides immigration services relating to all aspects of inbound employee mobility to individuals and companies in a variety of industries. Having practiced exclusively in U.S. immigration and nationality law since 2008, she has a broad range of experience with all facets of employment-based immigration matters. She also advises on nonimmigrant and immigrant strategy, naturalization and citizenship, and I-9 compliance.