October 2, 2019

Brian Brokate Discusses Emerging Trends in Privacy Law at IGAL

Brian Brokate, Chair of the Intellectual Property Group, attended the conference for The Intercontinental Grouping of Accountants and Lawyers (IGAL) in Frankfurt, Germany from September 23-28. Brian spoke on Emerging Trends in Privacy Law in the United States during the conference. Topics included: the California Consumer Privacy Act; a survey of recent state laws; recent proposed federal legislation; and emerging trends on enforcement and consent.

Brian was also reelected to IGAL’s Board of Directors for another three year term. He will serve as Secretary and director of North American recruitment.

IGAL is a leading business network of legal and accounting firms whose members offer superior services related to legal, financial, tax and insolvency matters to companies and individuals with international activities, as well as expert and personal assistance to reduce the obstacles of doing business in a foreign environment and at a distance.

Brian Brokate has extensive experience assisting companies in investigation and enforcement procedures to combat trademark and copyright infringement. With a niche focus on anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy, he handles all stages of civil anti-counterfeiting and infringement litigation as well as state and federal criminal actions. Learn more.

 

August 22, 2019

David Johnson to Discuss Immigration for Emerging Businesses at USA Bootcamp in Finland

Immigration Partner David Johnson will discuss U.S. visa issues at the USA Bootcamp in Helsinki, Finland on August 29.  This event is for emerging Finnish companies who are interested in establishing a business in the U.S. David will address U.S. immigration basics and common U.S. work visa categories.

The program is being hosted by the Consulate General of Finland, Kasvun Roihu, Business Finland, Espoo Marketing, Helsinki Business Hub, Crowe, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator, Nordic Innovation House, and the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce.

For more information visit Finland Abroad.

About Emerging Business
Having represented entrepreneurs and start-up businesses for decades, Gibney’s Emerging Business Group guides entrepreneurs though all stages of the start-up and business lifecycle. We are uniquely structured to serve the full spectrum of our clients’ legal needs efficiently under one roof. Learn more.

August 12, 2019

Zarina H. Syed to Speak on U.S. Employment-Based Immigration in Stockholm

Senior Counsel Zarina H. Syed will speak at the event “Your Gateway to the U.S.” on August 21. Presented by The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce, New York, this workshop held in Stockholm will be focused on helping emerging businesses on their journey and expansion into the U.S. market. Zarina will address U.S. employment-based immigration matters for both startups and established companies including E-2 and L-1 visa options, among others.

Zarina assists corporate and individual clients in obtaining employment and family-based visas across industries. Working with global companies in multiple industries, Zarina facilitates high-volume intra-company transfers to the U.S. that are critical to business operations, including senior executives, engineers, financial specialists and other skilled professionals.

Learn more about the event here.

June 24, 2019

Immigration Attorneys Discuss U.S Immigration for Startups for SCALEit 2019

Immigration Attorneys Minal Shah, Deborah Davy and Nicolo Rivolta presented a seminar on U.S. immigration basics for startups on June 20 at Gibney’s San Francisco office.

This event was held as part of Innovation Centre Denmark’s SCALEit program.  SCALEit helps Danish businesses entering the US market to navigate Silicon Valley and gain feedback on business model and strategy, optimization and growth.

Minal and Nico discussed U.S. immigration basics, common visa types including E-2 Treaty Investors and New Company L-1s for start-ups and entrepreneurs, trends and heightened scrutiny under the current administration. Deborah highlighted important issues to raise with corporate counsel when starting a business and also provided an overview of the U.S. government agencies involved in the immigration process.

About Emerging Business
Having represented entrepreneurs and start-up businesses for decades, Gibney’s Emerging Business Group guides entrepreneurs though all stages of the start-up and business lifecycle.
We are uniquely structured to serve the full spectrum of our clients’ needs efficiently under one roof.

June 17, 2019

Gibney Joins Future Mobility of Talent and US/UK Immigration Panel Event at BritishAmerican Business

Gibney participated in the Future Mobility of Talent and US/UK Immigration Panel Event on June 26 in London. Sponsored by BritishAmerican Business and Magrath Sheldrick, this event will cover UK/US immigration and the challenge of mobility of talent for the future. Gibney will provide an update on US immigration policy changes from  The White House. Other panelists include Jonathan Portes, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, King’s College London and Ben Sheldrick, Managing Partner, Magrath Sheldrick. The event will be moderated by Costas Pitas, Brexit Correspondent, Thomson Reuters.

 

June 4, 2019

David Johnson and Kristen Smith Present Starting a Business in the US for Emerging Businesses

Immigration Partner David Johnson and Corporate Partner Kristen Smith will present “Starting a Business in the US: Strategies for Foreign Entrepreneurs & Entities” to members of the Belgian-American Chamber of Commerce (BelCham) on June 5. As part of Netwerk Ondernemen’s “BOOST ME” program (4-month startup accelerator), a group of Belgian founders will join BelCham for three intense days in NYC to learn first-hand about the American mindset of winning and get the tools needed to fast-track international growth. This event will be hosted at Gibney. The presentation will cover corporate and immigration best practices for emerging businesses.

About Emerging Business
Having represented entrepreneurs and start-up businesses for decades, Gibney’s Emerging Business Group guides entrepreneurs though all stages of the start-up and business lifecycle. Uniquely structured to serve the full spectrum of our clients’ needs efficiently under one roof. Learn more.

May 21, 2019

U.S. Employment Visa Seminar: Obtaining and Extending Work Visas in the Trump Era

Immigration attorneys David Johnson, Jennifer Bennett and Rubi Li will give the presentation “U.S. Employment Visa Seminar: Obtaining and Extending Work Visas in the Trump Era.”

Sponsored by the Nordic Chambers in New York, this is a a discussion on employment-based visa options, the Trump Administration’s latest immigration proposals and its impact on U.S. immigration.

Topics will include:

  • Common employment-based visa options and practical consideration
  • Alternatives to the H-1B Visa
  • Trump Administration regulations, rule-making and legislation
  • Impact on recruiting foreign talent and retaining foreign national employees already in the US

The event will be held on May 22 at 6 p.m. at Gateway, an innovation platform created and run by the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in New York.

Learn more.

May 15, 2019

Angelo Mazza to Moderate INTA Panel on Working with Millennials

Intellectual Property Partner Angelo Mazza is moderating a Table Topic at INTA’s 2019 Annual Meeting in Boston, MA. His session “Working with Millennials: Are They Really That Different?” will take place on May 18. This will be a deep dive into issues facing law firms as more millennials join firms and the conflicts that sometimes arise between generations. The INTA Annual Meeting is the largest and most influential gathering of brand owners and intellectual property professionals from around the world.

Angelo counsels clients in developing brand protection and enforcement strategies, and works extensively with law enforcement on intellectual property-related crimes. He has trained over 60,000 law enforcement officials including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

May 15, 2019

Houman Afshar to Present Immigration Basics

Immigration Partner Houman Afshar will present “Immigration Basics” to the Human Resources Professionals in Hospitality Group on May 16.  Houman will discuss nonimmigrant vs. immigrant visas, common status documents and steps to permanent residence.  HRPIH is a group of HR professionals in the restaurant, hotel, and retail industries.

Houman advises U.S. businesses on how to implement and maintain their immigration programs. He counsels clients on nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters and creates worksite compliance programs. Houman partners with clients to develop strategic, cost-effective programs that facilitate the efficient transfer of foreign employees to U.S. operations.

May 9, 2019

Gibney Hosts Coded: Dress and Discrimination with NYC Bar Association

Gibney will host the NYC Bar Association’s  Fashion Law Committee meeting on May 14. The breakfast meeting will take place from 8:30 – 9:30am to discuss “Coded:  Dress and Discrimination. ” This discussion will be focused on employment matters including dress codes, grooming standards, gender identity/expression and best practices for fashion brands.

Panelists include Gibney attorneys Maja Szumarska and Bob Tracy as well as Brittny Saunders from the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

Maja Szumarska is an attorney in Gibney’s Intellectual Property Group. She focuses on brand protection and enforcement. She represents many prominent brands in litigation matters involving trademark, trade dress and copyright infringement claims and enforcement actions in federal court.

Bob Tracy is an attorney in Gibney’s Labor and Employment Group. He practices management-side labor and employment law and business litigation. Bob keeps clients informed of changing employment laws and develops strategic employment policies to avoid litigation, maintain a healthy work culture and minimize risk. He has conducted seminars on employment issues including ADA, FMLA, sexual harassment and union avoidance.