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 concentrates her practice in the area of immigration law. Ms. Vargas represents companies in a wide variety of industries including, financial, Fintech, consumer goods, tech and artificial intelligence. She advises businesses on both temporary and permanent visa sponsorship processes, helping clients establish, review, and customize their immigration policies to meet business needs and ensure compliance.

Ms. Vargas also assists individuals and families with nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters, as well as naturalization. She helps skilled professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, and business owners secure temporary and permanent visa sponsorship, obtain lawful permanent residence, and navigate the U.S. naturalization process for themselves and their families.

As a volunteer attorney in Duane Morris’ Pro Bono Program, Vargas contributes her expertise to those in need. She is a member of the Hispanic/Latino Employee Resource Group and the Marketing Committee of the New York office and previously served as co-chair of the firm’s Associates Committee.

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. (Matrise and Master II) in Private Law from the University Panthéon- Assas (Paris II) in France. 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

  • “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

  • Quoted, "Top 5 Immigration Policy Developments Of 2023," Law360, December 15, 2023

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • 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