The Alabama Immigration Law Journal is published by Balch & Bingham LLP, a corporate law firm with offices across the Southeast and in Washington, D.C. The Journal provides businesses with a resource on Alabama’s new immigration law, recognized as the toughest immigration law in our country. Changes to the law and issues related to its implementation and enforcement are evolving at a rapid pace, and business owners and advisors need a resource to match that pace. The blog offers timely and relevant information, practical commentary and analysis from Balch & Bingham’s Immigration Practice Group’s attorneys that businesses can use to ensure compliance and help manage risk.
Balch & Bingham is recognized nationally for its counsel in regulated industries including energy, financial services and healthcare, for its established practices in environmental, litigation, labor and employment, business and public finance law, and for a focus on efficiencies and transparency that create a progressive, value-driven client experience.
The firm’s immigration practice provides legal counsel to organizations and businesses requiring comprehensive services, the most current tools and a deep knowledge of legal compliance and employer immigration benefits. Our firm is a leader in I-9 documentation and E-verify compliance, with a successful track record navigating the complexities of state and federal statutes, especially Alabama’s new immigration law. AILA has asked Balch & Bingham’s attorneys to advise their members on the complexity of immigration statutes and best practices in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) audits. Our attorneys are sought after by the Wall Street Journal and other major news outlets, along with trade associations and professional groups, to explain the complexities of immigration compliance for employers.
Balch & Bingham was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
Wendy Padilla-Madden
Wendy serves as the editor of the Alabama Immigration Law Journal and exclusively has focused her eight-year practice on immigration law. Her practice is divided into two main areas: immigration compliance and obtaining temporary employment authorization and permanent residence (immigration benefits) for foreign nationals. She has audited more than 25,000 I-9 forms and defended eight ICE I-9 inspections. Wendy counsels employers, including federal contractors, on I-9 compliance and participation in the Department of Homeland Security’s program for online employee work authorization (E-verify). She also has developed standard operating procedures and policies for a variety of clients. She has advised several Fortune 500 companies through the selection and implementation of electronic I-9 systems.
She is an invited member of AILA’s National Verification and Documentation Committee and serves as liaison on a national level with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (including the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) and the Bureau of Citizen Immigration Services (USCIS)). Wendy recently was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on employment and enforcement immigration issues and is an invited lecturer at Stanford University on the topic of compliance of electronic I-9 systems.
R. Pepper Crutcher, Jr.
Pepper is a counselor to and advocate for businesses and entrepreneurs in the Southeastern United States with more than 30 years of experience. His counseling and planning work relates principally to human resources policies and practices, including non-judicial conflict resolution. His litigation practice mixes employment matters with other complex and class action work, including consolidated, multidistrict litigation. He has experience counseling clients through ICE inspections and providing guidance through internal I-9 and E-verify compliance. Pepper practices out of the Jackson office and is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA.
Douglas B. Kauffman
Bio |
Douglas has nearly 20 years of experience as a labor and employment attorney and practices in the Birmingham office. Douglas has represented and counseled employers extensively in all aspects of immigration and employment law. He has experience providing training to employers and their managers regarding compliance with the various laws governing employment practices, as well as
developing human resources policies and practices. Douglas’ experience has earned him recognition in The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA.
William F. Stiers
Bill has been in the Federal Legislative arena since 1987 – as a legislative director in Congress, advertising/public relations professional, political operative and fundraiser. He is the managing director of the Washington, D.C. office, leads the firm’s Federal lobbying efforts, and chairs the firm’s Federal political action committee. Mr. Stiers works closely with members in the United State Senate and House of Representatives, as well as Administration officials in various Departments and Agencies, on behalf of firm clients.