Lisa Spiegel
Partner
-
-
Phone: +1 415 957 3069
- Duane Morris LLP
Spear Tower
One Market Plaza, Suite 2200
San Francisco, CA 94105-1127
USA - Duane Morris LLP
750 B Street, Suite 2900
San Diego, CA 92101-4681
USA - Duane Morris LLP
260 Homer Avenue, Suite 202
Palo Alto, CA 94301-2777
USA
Lisa Spiegel practices in the areas of immigration and nationality law, concentrating on issues related to the employment of foreign nationals. She has been designated as a certified specialist in immigration and nationality law by the State Bar of California and is a past chair of the Northern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Ms. Spiegel has served on numerous committees for AILA, including the Association's National Committee on Business and the AILA-USCIS Administrative Appeals Office Liaison Committee, as liaison to the New York and San Francisco District Offices of the Immigration & Naturalization Service and as national liaison with the California Service Center for many years. In addition, Ms. Spiegel is president of the Board of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. She is admitted to practice in New York and California.
Ms. Spiegel served as editor of a chapter of The Immigration and Nationality Law Treatise, published by Matthew Bender, and authored a chapter of Advising California Employers, a CEB publication. She has published articles on immigration law issues and lectures frequently for various bar associations and conferences.
Ms. Spiegel is a 1985 graduate of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University and a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany.
Representative Matters
Prepares and files hundreds of PERM applications for a consulting-based company whose staff may be assigned to various working sites throughout the U.S.
Obtained lawful permanent residency status for two young immigrants, overcoming prior removal orders and establishing they were eligible for relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA).
Obtained the approval of an O-1 visa, reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability, for a Canadian citizen to accept a high level executive position with Aramark.
Won appeal using novel argument for multinational manager/executive immigrant visa petition. Demonstrating the actual "life" of a Company involved in the early stages of a pharmaceutical/drug product line, notably how the company must be operational for at least one or more years prior to production and the signing of any contract for the new product. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services originally denied the petition because they presumed the company had not been doing business for the one year required for an immigrant visa based solely on the date a $12 million contract with the U.S. government had been signed to assist in the fight against chemical warfare and not the date on which the company had begun its operations.
Areas of Practice
- Immigration and Nationality Law
- Visas
Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Education
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D., 1985
- State University of New York at Albany, B.A., with honors, 1980
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2004-present
Professional Activities
- Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, State Bar of California
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- Co-chair of the Program Committee for the 17th Annual California Chapter Conference
- Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) Liaison Committee, 2003 - 2004
- Past Chair, AILA for Northern California
- Past Chair, National Committee on Business - Immigration & Naturalization Service
- Past National Liaison, California Service Center
- Past Liaison, San Francisco District Office - State Bar of California
- New York State Bar Association
Honors and Awards
- Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders for Corporate Immigration, 2023 and 2024
- Lawdragon 100 Leading Immigration Lawyer, 2023
- Selected as a 2023 Woman Leader in the Law, The American Lawyer
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2020-2024
- Listed in San Diego Magazine Top Lawyers, 2021
Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2012-2024
Listed in Northern California Super Lawyers
- Selected for 2020 International Advisory Experts Award in Immigration Law
Selected as a Thought Leader for Who's Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Corporate Immigration, 2020
Selected as a Top Rated Lawyer by The National Law Journal, 2019
Selected as a 2018 Woman Leader in the Law, The American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel
- Selected for a Lawyer Monthly Magazine - Women In Law 2017 Award
- Referenced in Legal 500 U.S.- Leading Lawyers for Immigration 2015
- Listed in Who's Who Legal: Corporate Immigration, 2015
- Named a San Diego County Top Attorney by San Diego Daily Transcript, 2014
- Noted as one of Los Angeles' "Women Leaders in the Law" by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™, 2013
- Listed in The Top Women Attorneys in Northern California, 2012
- Listed in the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™
Achieved 15 Years of Continuous AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, 2010
- West Coast's Top Rated Lawyers, 2018
Board Memberships
- President, Board of Directors, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Civic and Charitable Activities
- Executive Committee, Community Free Loan Organization
- Volunteer, San Francisco Unified School District
Selected Publications
- Co-author, "USCIS Changes H-1B Program and Filing Fees, Labor Department Updates PERM," Duane Morris Alert, February 8, 2024
- Co-author, "Domestic Visa Revalidation Pilot to Launch for Certain H-1Bs on January 29, 2024," Duane Morris Alert, December 21, 2023
- Co-author, "Impact of Government Shutdown on Immigration-Related Agencies," Duane Morris Alert, September 29, 2023
- Co-author, "Ensuring I-9 Compliance As Remote Flexibility Sunsets," Law360, May 23, 2023
- Co-author, "I-9 Remote Physical Inspection Flexibility Ending July 31, 2023: Employers Have Until August 30 to Bring I-9s into Full Compliance," Duane Morris Alert, May 19, 2023
- Co-author, "USCIS Again Bundles H-4, L-2 and EAD Applications with H-1B and L-1 Petitions, Expands Premium Processing and Proposes Raising Fees," Duane Morris Alert, January 30, 2023
- Co-author, "Homeland Security Announces Temporary Protected Status for Afghan Citizens," Duane Morris Alert, March 17, 2022
- Co-author, "Department of Homeland Security Designates Temporary Protected Status for Ukrainian Nationals," Duane Morris Alert, March 7, 2022
- Co-author, "Homeland Security Expands Fields of Study for STEM Optional Practical Training Program, USCIS Implements Work Status Changes," Duane Morris Alert, February 8, 2022
- Co-author, "Homeland Security Settlement Agreement Gives Nonimmigrant Spouses an Easier Time Retaining Employment Authorization," Duane Morris Alert, November 11, 2021
- Co-author, "COVID-19 Travel Restrictions to Be Lifted for Certain Vaccinated Foreign National Travelers," Duane Morris Alert, October 27, 2021
- Co-author, "United States Implements New Travel Restrictions for India," Duane Morris Alert, May 3, 2021
- Co-author, "Recent Immigration Updates from USCIS and CBP," Duane Morris Alert, April 13, 2021
- Co-author, "State Department Provides Update on Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Processing," Duane Morris Alert, April 8, 2021
- Co-author, "President Biden Extends COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Set to Expire Under Previous Administration," Duane Morris Alert, January 27, 2021
- Co-author, "CDC Requires Proof of Recovery or Negative COVID-19 Test for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States," Duane Morris Alert, January 14, 2021
- Co-author, "Homeland Security and Department of Labor Make Significant Changes for H-1B and Immigrant Visa Petitions," Duane Morris Alert, October 8, 2020
- Co-author, "USCIS Changes Fees, Forms, Policies and Timelines Starting October 2," Duane Morris Alert, September 23, 2020
- Co-author, "USCIS Issues Guidance on I-765 Employment Authorization Approval Notices for I-9 Verification amid COVID-19 Delays," Duane Morris Alert, August 20, 2020
- Author, "Presidential Proclamation Suspends Entry of Nonimmigrants, Effective June 24," Duane Morris Alert, June 23, 2020
- Co-author, "Supreme Court Ruling Upholds DACA Program," Duane Morris Alert, June 18, 2020
- Co-author, "USCIS Premium Processing Returns for Nonimmigrant and Worker Visa Petitions," Duane Morris Alert, June 1, 2020
- Co-author, "Recent USCIS, DHS, DOS and DOL Changes in Response to COVID-19," Duane Morris Alert, May 8, 2020
- Author, "President Signs Proclamation to Temporarily Suspend Entry of Certain Immigrants in Reaction to the COVID-19 Pandemic," Duane Morris Alert, April 24, 2020
- Co-author, "President Announces the Drafting of an Order to Temporarily Suspend Legal Permanent Immigration to the United States in Reaction to COVID-19 Pandemic," Duane Morris Alert, April 22, 2020
- Co-author, "Changes in USCIS Processing in Light of COVID-19," Duane Morris Alert, March 27, 2020
- Co-author, "U.S. Expands Entry Ban to Europe's Schengen Area as Nations Around the World Impose Entry Restrictions," Duane Morris Alert, March 13, 2020
- Co-author, "Update on Recent Travel Proclamations in Wake of Coronavirus (COVID-19)," Duane Morris Alerts, March 11, 2020
- Co-author, "Coronavirus (COVID-19) Considerations for Employers with Employees in Specific Employment-Authorized Nonimmigrant Visa Status," Duane Morris Alert, March 10, 2020
- Quoted, "How Lawyers Are Fighting Mounting Employer Troubles From H-1B Immigration Changes," Law.com, January 22, 2020
- Quoted, "State-Legal Pot Cos. Held Back By Federal Immigration Laws," Law360, Ocober 31, 2019
Co-author, "The Uncertain Fate of the H-4 Work Authorization – Rescission in Spring 2020 or Later?" Duane Morris Alert, October 3, 2019
Co-author, "Proposed First Step Toward Immigration Reform Announced by President," Duane Morris Alert, May 20, 2019
Quoted, "‘They Don’t Like Canadians’: New Border Obstacle for High-Skilled Workers," San Francisco Chronicle, April 12. 2019
Quoted in "The Technology 202: Here's One Immigration Policy the Trump Administration and Silicon Valley Can Agree On," Washington Post, February 1, 2019
Quoted in "H-1B Visa Lottery Changing to Favor Those with Advanced Degrees," San Francisco Chronicle, January 30, 2019
Quoted, "Government Tightens Rules on Immigration Applications," San Francisco/Los Angeles Daily Journal, February 20, 2018
- Author, "How the Latest Travel Ban and TROs Affect Foreign National Employees," Duane Morris Alert, October 20, 2017
- Co-author, "Recent Developments in Immigration Law," Duane Morris Alert, August 29, 2017
- Quoted in, "New Visa Questionnaire Raises Concerns of Business Immigration Lawyers," Los Angles/San Francisco Daily Journal, June 5, 2017
- Co-author, "Update on Visa Waiver Program Implementation," Duane Morris Alert, January 28, 2016
- Co-author, "Federal Government Shutdown Impacts Certain Immigration Processes," Duane Morris Alert, October 2, 2013
- Co-author, "Fiscal Year 2013 H-1B Cap Count as of May 11, 2012," Duane Morris Alert, May 18, 2012
- Co-author, "USCIS's Fee Increases and Other Immigration Law Updates," Duane Morris Alert, September 13, 2010
- Co-author, "Availability of EB-3 Visas and Other Developments in Immigration Law," Duane Morris Alert, October 20, 2009
- Featured in "Moving Beyond the Billable Hour," Counsel to Counsel, May 2008
- Chapter Editor, The Immigration and Nationality Law Treatise, Matthew Bender
- Chapter Author, Advising California Employers, CEB Publication
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, "Developments in Immigration Law and Best Practices," Duane Morris LLP, September 27, 2023
- Presenter, "The California Year-End Employment and Immigration Law Roundup," Duane Morris LLP Webinar, December 1, 2021
- Introductory Remarks, 9th Annual Citywide Diversity and Inclusion Networking Event and Panel Discussion, Webinar, California, October 14, 2021
- Speaker, "State of the Workplace in 2021: Reopening in a Partially Vaccinated Environment and the New Administration," Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, May 19, 2021
- Presenter, "Reopening in California and the Post-Pandemic Workplace: Recent Developments and Emerging Challenges in Employment and Immigration," Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, April 29, 2021
- Speaker, "H-1B and Nonimmigration Visas: Lay-offs, Grace Periods and Changes in Employment Due to COVID-19," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, April 14, 2020
Speaker, “2020 Vision: Legal Issues to Watch for in the Workplace,” Duane Morris Breakfast Briefing, San Francisco, November 8, 2019
Speaker, "Forward Thinking: The Latest Developments in Employment and Immigration Law and Preparing Your Workplace for the Future," Duane Morris Breakfast Briefing, November 13, 2018
Presenter, "New Employment and Immigration Laws and Developments," Duane Morris Breakfast Briefing, San Francisco, February 15, 2018
- Speaker, "Surviving the Holiday Season: Workplace Holiday Parties and Planning for the New Year," Duane Morris Breakfast Briefing, San Francisco, November 9, 2017
- Moderator, "Diversity and Inclusion v. Intolerance and Hatred: Where Do We Go From Here?" Bar Association of San Francisco 5th Annual Citywide Diversity and Inclusion Networking Event and Panel Discussion, San Francisco, October 19, 2017
- Speaker, Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law and Practice, Chicago, San Diego and San Francisco, May 2017
- Speaker, "What to Expect in 2017 Under President Trump: Employment and Immigration Practice," San Francisco, January 26, 2017
- Speaker, "Living with the New L-1B Guidance Memo (Advanced Business Track)," AILA Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, June 24, 2016
- Speaker, "PERM: What's Hot and What's Not," AILA Conference, San Francisco, CA, November 11, 2016
- Speaker, Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law and Practice 2016, Chicago, Sand Diego and San Francisco, May 2016
- Speaker, "New Employment and Immigration Laws For 2016 and Cases To Watch This Year," San Francisco, February 11, 2016
- Speaker, Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law and Practice, San Diego, California,San Francisco, California, May 2015
- Speaker, "Horrible Headlines: Lessons from Employment and Immigration Law Controversies in the News This Year," Duane Morris Employment, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, San Francisco, October 15, 2014
- Speaker, "2014 Developments in Workplace Law and Practice," Duane Morris Employment, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, San Francisco, May 22, 2014
- Speaker, "2014 Developments in Workplace Law and Practice," Duane Morris Employment, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, Silicon Valley, May 21, 2014
- Speaker, "New 2014 Employment and Immigration Laws and the Most Talked About Litigation Trends," Duane Morris' Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group Breakfast Briefing, January 15, 2013
- Speaker, "23rd Phillip Burton Immigration & Civil Rights Awards," Immigration Legal Resource Center, San Francisco, May 31, 2013
- Speaker, "Navigating Employee Leaves of Absence," Duane Morris Employment, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, San Francisco, October 17, 2012
- Speaker, "Internal Investigations: A Step-by-Step Approach," Duane Morris Employment, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, San Francisco, July 18, 2012
- Discussion Leader, "I-9 Audits in the Dragnet: Will Other Agencies Take Notice?" American Immigration Lawyers Association annual conference, National Harbor, Maryland, June 30-July 3, 2010
- Speaker, "Putting Up the Infrastructure: Immigration Requirements and Developments," Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law & Practice, San Diego, May 20, 2010
- Speaker, "Planning for the Future: Protecting Your Current Business," Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law & Practice 2010, San Francisco, May 18, 2010
- Co-presenter, "Ethics and Immigration Laws," AILA California Chapters Conference, Marina del Rey, California, November 14, 2009
- Keynote Speaker, "Keeping the Golden Gate Open," 21st Annual American Immigration Lawyer's Association California Chapters Conference, San Francisco, California, November 13, 2008
- Speaker, "Immigration," Duane Morris' FLSA, Family/Military Leave, and Immigration Workshop for Healthcare Industry Leaders, Chicago, September 16, 2008
- Speaker, 17th Annual American Immigration Lawyer's Association California Chapter's Conference, November 2004
- Speaker, 37th Annual Immigration & Naturalization Institute Conference, October 2004