M. Alejandra Vargas concentrates her practice in the area of immigration law. Ms. Vargas represents companies in a wide variety of industries seeking to employ foreign nationals in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis. She also assists individuals and families in connection with nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters as well as naturalization. Ms. Vargas is also a volunteer attorney in the Firm's Pro Bono group.
Ms. Vargas is a member of the Firm’s Associates Committee, the Hispanic/Latino ERG and the Marketing Committee of the New York office.
Ms. Vargas is a graduate of University Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia, and she was awarded an LL.M. by Brooklyn Law School and an LL.M. in Private Law from the University Panthéon- Assas (Paris II) in France, where she is also a Ph.D. candidate in International Law. She is fluent in French and Spanish.
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
- Listed in New York Metro Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2019-2022
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, "Pathways to Bar Passage Program," American Bar Association International Law Section, March 29, 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
Selected Publications
- Co-author, "Homeland Security Announces New Form I-9 and Optional Alternative to Physical Document Examination for Employment Eligibility Verification," Duane Morris Alert, July 27, 2023
- Co-author, "President Biden Extends COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Set to Expire Under Previous Administration," Duane Morris Alert, January 27, 2021