M. Alejandra Vargas

Partner

  • M. Alejandra Vargas
  • Phone: +1 212 404 8742

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    22 Vanderbilt
    335 Madison Avenue, 23rd Floor
    New York, NY 10017-4669
    USA

M. Alejandra Vargas is a Partner at Duane Morris LLP, where she focuses on corporate immigration, global mobility, and immigration compliance. She advises multinational corporations, financial institutions, fintech, consumer goods, technology, and artificial intelligence companies on U.S. immigration strategies, temporary and permanent visa sponsorship, workforce mobility, and regulatory compliance. She also represents entrepreneurs, executives, professionals, and families in immigration and naturalization matters.

Beyond her practice, Alejandra serves on the Board of Directors of the Hispanic National Bar Foundation (HNBF), co-leads the Firm's Latin American Alliance initiatives, and contributes to its AI and innovation efforts, including the Duane Morris AI@Work initiative. She is actively involved in international legal organizations, professional development, and cross-border collaboration, and regularly contributes to legal publications, conferences, and client programs addressing immigration policy and global workforce challenges.

Her recognitions include the 2026 IADC Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Award, Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer, MCCA Rising Star (2025), HNBA Top Lawyer Under 40, Lexology Client Choice for Corporate Immigration (2024–2025), and New York Law Journal Rising Star (2023).

Alejandra holds an LL.M. from Brooklyn Law School, a postgraduate law degree from Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas (Paris II), and a law degree from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia. She is fluent in Spanish and French.

Areas of Practice

  • Inbound and Outbound Temporary Visa Petitions: Inbound U.S. Business Visitors (B); Investors (E); Specialty Workers (H-1B); Temporary Workers (H-2B); Trainees (H-3); Intra-company Transferees (L); Extraordinary Ability (O); Canadian and Mexican Professionals (TN). In reference to Outbound Visas, Ms. Vargas works with expert local counsel in the outbound country to facilitate and streamline the visa process.
  • Permanent Residency Applications: Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Researchers and Professors; Multinational Managers (EB-1) Advanced Degree Professionals (EB-2); Skilled Workers and Professionals (EB-3) PERM Labor Certifications; Family Based Petitions in all categories, waivers and consular processing
  • Corporate Immigration Compliance: I-9 Policies, compliance programs, training, audits, ICE investigations; E-Verify advice and counsel, training, compliance programs and risk/benefit analysis; electronic I-9 vendor reviews, merger and acquisition immigration compliance review, remediation and risk analysis.

Admissions

  • New York
  • Colombia

Education

  • Brooklyn Law School, LL.M. , 2015
  • Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, J.D., 2011
  • Panthéon-Assas University Paris II, LL.M., 2009
  • Panthéon-Assas University Paris II, Maîtrise, 2008

Professional Activities

  • Bar Association of the City of New York
    - Immigration Committee
    -Mindfulness & Well-Being in Law Committee
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • French American Chamber of Commerce, New York Chapter

Honors and Awards

  • Named to Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch," 2026-2027
  • Recipient of the 2026 IADC Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Award
  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer, 2026
  • “Top Lawyer Under 40” by the Hispanic National Bar Association
  • Lexology Client Choice Awards, Corporate Immigration in USA New York Award, 2024
  • New York Law Journal Rising Star Award, 2023
  • Listed in New York Metro Super Lawyers Rising Stars

Selected Publications

Media Hits

  • Interviewed, "Trump Challenges Birthright Citizenship," Fox KTVU, August 13, 2026
  • Featured, "Bay Area Tech Faces H-1B Shift," Fox KTVU, December 24, 2025
  • Quoted, "Top 5 Immigration Policy Developments Of 2023," Law360, December 15, 2023

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, "Beyond Borders: Immigration, Tax, and Global Mobility Strategies in a Changing World," New York State Bar Association International Section 2026 Global Conference, October 22, 2026
  • Speaker, "Nearshoring North America: Business, Labor and Policy Realities," New York City Bar Association Latin American Summit, June 11, 2026
  • Speaker, "Panorama del comercio e inmigracion entre E.E.U.U & America Latina: Cambios regulatorios y nuevos retos," Tactic Legal and Duane Morris LLP, November 18, 2025
  • Speaker, "Global Mobility and Cross-Border Operations in 2025: Immigration, Tax, Investment, and Technology Trends," NYSBA International Section 2025 Global Conference, Hamburg, Germany, October 15, 2025
  • Moderator, "Corporate Immigration Compliance," New York City Bar Association Immigration Law Conference, October 30, 2025
  • Speaker, “Worksite Raids Under Trump: How Employers Can Prepare,” Duane Morris Institute (DMi), December 18, 2024
  • Speaker, “Managing a Global Company and Workforce,” El Encuentro by The Hispanic National Bar Association and The Mexican Bar Association, Colegio De Abogados, A.C. (BMA), Mexico City, June 28, 2024
  • Speaker, “U.S. Immigration Status Tips & Tricks for International Lawyers,” New York County Lawyers Association, New York City, June 6, 2024
  • Speaker, "Developments in Workplace Law and Practice: Current Trends in Employment, Labor, Benefits, and Immigration and Their Impact on Your Business," Duane Morris LLP, New York City, May 8, 2024 
  • Speaker, "Impact of immigration in Governance and Employment Diversity,"  University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School LALSA’s Annual Conference, February 24, 2024
  • Moderator, "Complex Tax, Estate, Immigration and Corporate Strategies for Pre-Immigration and Cross-Border Planning for High-Net-Worth Families and Their Businesses," Latin America Private Clients Services event, October 18, 2023
  • Speaker, "Pathways to Bar Passage Program,"  American Bar Association International Law Section, March 29, 2023
  • Speaker, "When Two Worlds Collide: Wage Transparency Laws, RIFs, and other Challenges Facing US Employers Hiring Foreign Talent in 2023," HNBA CCC, March 9th, 2023
  • Speaker, "Workshop for Founders & Start-Ups: Legal 101," Latinas in Tech Webinar, February 15, 2022
  • Speaker, “Rein Them In or Let Them Fly? International and Hybrid Word: Legal Considerations and Employee Retention,” Duane Morris LLP, June 21, 2022
  • Speaker, "2022 Business Immigration Outlook: Navigating in Unprecedented Times," French American Chamber of Commerce and Duane Morris LLP Webinar, February 17, 2022
  • Speaker, Program and Reception For International LL.M. Candidates, New York City Bar Association, October 21, 2021
  • Speaker, "2022 Business Immigration Outlook: Navigating in Unprecedented Times," French American Chamber of Commerce and Duane Morris LLP Webinar, February 17, 2022
  • Speaker, "Immigration Updates," The New Reality of Workplace Law and Practice in the COVID-19 Era, Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, November 9, 2020
  • Speaker, "PERM Sponsorship in Our New Normal: Building Successful Applications in an Uncertain Job Market," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), July 16, 2020