Nation's Top Immigration Lawyers Gather in Chicago for AILA's 2000 Annual Conference

NATION'S TOP IMMIGRATION LAWYERS GATHER IN CHICAGO

FOR AILA'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CHICAGO, IL ¾ The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the national voluntary association of more than 6,000 attorneys who practice immigration law, are gathering in Chicago on June 14-18 for the organization's 2000 Annual Conference on Immigration Law.  The event is designed to bring together attorneys who represent hundreds of thousands of Americans who have applied for permanent residence for their spouses, children and other close relatives to enter and resident in the United States, businesses seeking to sponsor professional workers seeking to enter the United States on a temporary or permanent basis, as well as asylum seekers, students, entertainers and athletes.

This year's conference features a series of panels, roundtable discussions and workshops on issues ranging from H-1B visas, pending congressional legislation and other cutting edge issues that affect most practitioners, immigrants, American companies, and businesses nationwide.

Margaret A. Catillaz will be sworn in as AILA’s new President during the conference. Ms. Catillaz is a partner in Harter, Secrest & Emery, and leads the firm’s immigration practice group from its Rochester (NY) office. She counsels multi-national corporations, large and small employers, educational institutions and individuals on immigration matters. Ms. Catillaz has been named to the Best Lawyers in America for her immigration work, as well as to the International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers. A full biography of Ms. Catillaz is attached.

Also on the agenda is the American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF)’s Award Dinner honoring the contributions of Chinese Americans. Honorees include: Robert Chen, concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Daniel Tsui, a Princeton University chemistry professor and winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

The conference is scheduled to run from June 14-18 at The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.

Founded in 1946, AILA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides its Members with continuing legal education, information, professional services and expertise through its 35 chapters and over 75 national committees. AILA also advocates before Congress and the Administration, as well as providing liaison with the INS and other government agencies in support of pro-immigration initiatives. AILA is an Affiliated Organization of the American Bar Association and is represented in the ABA House of Delegates.

Margaret A. Catillaz
Immigration Partner

Law Practice

Maggie Catillaz counsels multinational corporations, smaller employers, educational institutions, and individuals on immigration matters such as permanent residence, labor certifications, temporary work visas, North American Free Trade issues, and employment eligibility verification requirements.  Her experience includes the following:

• Representing multi-national corporations in securing the transfer of key foreign personnel into the United States under appropriate work visas

• Representing universities/colleges in connection with securing work authorization for foreign faculty members and with issues relating to foreign students

• Representing research scholars, physicians and medical groups in securing waivers of the two-year foreign residence requirement

• Representing individuals and companies before the Department of Labor in connection with securing Labor Certification for positions for which there are no available United States workers

• Representing foreign investors seeking to secure permanent residence in the United States

• Assisting clients in compliance with pertinent immigration regulations for employment verification

• Assisting clients involved in mergers/acquisitions to assure compliance with immigration regulations

Professional and Civic Activities

Maggie serves as president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and has been a member of the board of governors of AILA since 1989.  Among other duties, she has served as chair of AILA’s Liaison Committee to INS Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  She is a past president of the International Business Council of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Volunteer Legal Services Project.  Maggie has served as a member of numerous committees of the Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations.  She is listed in the current edition of Best Lawyers in America as well as International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers.

Education

Rutgers University, J.D., 1976

State University of New York at Albany, B.A., cum laude, 1972