AILA Elects 2011-2012 Officers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
CONTACTS:
George Tzamaras / Jenny Werwa
202-507-7649 / 202-507-7628
gtzamaras@aila.org / jwerwa@aila.org
Eleanor Pelta to serve as president of association
SAN DIEGO, CA - The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) today elected new officers to its Executive Committee for the 2011-2012 term. The election results were announced at the official membership meeting during AILA’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA. The following officers were elected today: Eleanor Pelta was installed as AILA’s President; Laura Lichter as President-Elect, Doug Stump as First Vice President, Leslie Holman as Second Vice President, Victor Nieblas Pradis as Treasurer, and Bill Stock as Secretary.
Eleanor Pelta Installed as New President of AILA
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) today installed Eleanor Pelta as the President of AILA for the 2011-2012 term. Ms. Pelta, an immigration lawyer and expert from Washington, D.C., was installed as the President of AILA during sessions of the association’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA.
Eleanor Pelta is a partner in the labor and employment law practice of Morgan Lewis & Bockius and serves as the head of the firm’s national immigration practice. The immigration practice at Morgan Lewis focuses on assisting corporate clients in the management of large-scale global immigration programs, implementation of immigration policies and procedures, as well as all aspects of immigration legal compliance. Ms. Pelta was named one of the leading U.S. immigration lawyers by Chambers USA and Chambers Global and is listed in Best Lawyers in America.
Ms. Pelta graduated from Princeton University in 1982 with a baccalaureate degree in Comparative Literature. From 1982 to 1983, Ms. Pelta studied literature and political science at the University of Bonn in Germany. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1986.
Laura Lichter Named President-Elect of AILA
AILA elected Laura Lichter, an immigration attorney and expert from Denver, CO, as the association’s President-Elect. The election results were announced during sessions of AILA’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA.
Ms. Lichter’s Denver-based practice emphasizes representation of removable aliens, contested family and naturalization applications, administrative appeals, and related Federal litigation.
A nationally-recognized expert and mentor, Ms. Lichter is a well-respected author and lecturer. Her commitment to community outreach, education, and access to counsel has been demonstrated by numerous projects, initiatives and pro bono cases over the years.
An elected Director of the AILA Board of Governors and former Colorado Chapter Chair, Ms. Lichter previously chaired the EOIR Liaison Committee as well as AILA’s ICE Liaison. Ms. Lichter graduated cum laude from Swarthmore College and earned her JD at the University of Colorado.
Douglas Stump Named First Vice President of AILA
AILA elected T. Douglas Stump, an immigration attorney from Oklahoma City, OK, as the association’s First Vice President. The election results were announced during sessions of AILA’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA.
For over 25 years, Mr. Stump has been an attorney, practicing immigration law exclusively, and maintaining offices in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. He focuses his practice on employment-based immigration law, complex deportation, federal court litigation and family immigration matters.
A nationally recognized attorney, Mr. Stump has been listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers since 1996, and is listed in “Best Lawyers in America” for immigration law. Mr. Stump was recently recognized in Oklahoma Magazine as one of the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Oklahoma, and has been afforded an AV Rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
An elected Director of the Board of Governors and former past president of AILA’s Texas Chapter, Mr. Stump previously chaired the National Security Liaison Committee and AILA’s CIS Administrative Appeals Office Liaison Committee. Additionally, Mr. Stump is a senior editor for AILA Publications, and an adjunct professor of immigration law at the Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he earned his JD.
Leslie A. Holman Named Second Vice President of AILA
AILA elected Leslie A. Holman, an immigration attorney from Burlington, VT, as the association’s Second Vice President. The election results were announced during sessions of AILA’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA.
Holman has been practicing law for 23 years and focusing exclusively on immigration related issues since 1999. She is the founder of Holman Immigration Law, a law firm located in Burlington, VT, and limited to the practice of immigration and nationality matters. She represents both corporate and individual clients.
Holman is an elected member of AILA’s Board of Governors and has served as the Chair of AILA’s Admissions and Border Enforcement Committee, the Vice Chair of AILA’s National CBP Liaison Committee, a member of AILA’s National Interagency Committee, and she is also the AILA New England Chapter liaison to regional ports of entry.
Holman is also a member the Vermont State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights. In 2008, Holman was awarded AILA’s distinguished “Sam Williamson Mentor Award”. She speaks frequently to a wide variety of audiences on all aspects of immigration.
Victor D. Nieblas Named Treasurer of AILA
AILA elected Victor D. Nieblas Pradis, an immigration attorney from City of Industry, CA, as the association’s new Treasurer. The election results were announced during sessions of AILA’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA.
Nieblas practices Immigration Law in Southern California where he focuses on deportation defense, Federal Court litigation, consular abroad processing, immigrant and non-immigrant visas, waivers and appellate work. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. An AILA member since 1997, he has served the Association as a Director on the Board of Governors and as Chair of the Southern California Chapter. He is a past Chairperson for the Immigration Law Section for the Hispanic National Bar Association, a past Trustee for the Mexican American Bar Association (MABA), and past chairperson of the MABA Immigration Subcommittee.
Nieblas is the guest legal commentator for several local news broadcasts, including “Noticias 22” News in Los Angeles, Univisión’s Primera Edición, and Telemundo’s Evening News in Los Angeles, California. Nieblas has also hosted a Cable Television show named "Inmigración 411" where he provides answers to viewer questions and is recognized as an immigration expert. He is also regularly quoted in major national print media and often appears on national news broadcasts discussing Immigration Law.
William A. Stock Elected Secretary of AILA
AILA elected William A. Stock, an immigration attorney from Philadelphia, PA, as the association’s new Secretary. The election results were announced during sessions of AILA’s 55th Annual Conference being held in San Diego, CA.
Stock is a founding partner of Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP, in the firm’s Philadelphia office. He handles all aspects of immigration law, including employment based immigration for all sizes of companies as well as individuals, complex family-based matters, citizenship and naturalization matters, defending removal proceedings and DOL enforcement proceedings, and litigating in the federal courts.
He previously served as an elected Director for the AILA Board of Governors, as well as the Business Committee Chair, and the Distance Learning Committee Chair. He has spoken at numerous immigration conferences and written extensively, including being a Senior Editor of AILA's annual Immigration & Nationality Law Handbook.
A summa cum laude graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, Stock received his law degree from the University of Minnesota. In 2000, he received AILA’s Joseph Minsky Award for outstanding accomplishments in immigration law. In addition to his practice, has also been an Adjunct Professor at Villanova University School of Law.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.