Wendy Padilla-Madden is an attorney in Balch and Bingham’s Birmingham office and practices in the firm’s Labor & Employment group. She specializes in business 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.
Immigration Compliance Experience
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Audited over 25,000 I-9 forms and defended 8 ICE I-9 inspections in the last 18 months.
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Guided clients through various government and internal immigration investigations to assess compliance applicable laws.
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Counseled 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) and developed standard operating procedures and policies for clients regarding such.
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Advised several Fortune 500 companies through selection and implementation of electronic I-9 systems.
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Advised clients with regards to agreements with contractors, sub-contractors, employment agencies, etc.
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Counseled clients regarding compliance with State and local immigration laws.
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Developed innovative practices that help companies safeguard from the liability of immigration-related violations committed by contractors and subcontractors.
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Invited member of AILA's National Verification and Documentation Committee to serve 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)).
Immigration Benefits Experience
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Advice and assist clients through the process of obtaining and maintaining nonimmigrant and immigrant visas for their foreign national employees. Specializing in all employment visa categories.
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Routinely advice clients in the global movement of key executive and managerial personnel.
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Developed effective employment policies relating to the hiring of foreign nationals and the implementation of these policies.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
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Birmingham Business Alliance - Hispanic Business Council Board Member
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Alabama Bar – Chair - Spanish Speaking Lawyers Committee
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Governor’s Joint Interim Patriotic Immigration Commission (2007)
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Frequent speaker, writer and blogger about I-9 compliance and policy development, E-Verify, electronic I-9s and related issues.
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Recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal on employment and enforcement immigration issues.
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Invited lecturer at Stanford University on the topic of compliance of electronic I-9 systems.