Experienced, empathetic counsel on nonimmigrant and immigrant matters
Cynthia Akinmeji advises employers on a wide array of nonimmigrant and immigrant matters, including process, policy and operational challenges. Helping clients in many industries, including insurance, commercial aviation, fintech, manufacturing and information technology, she advises on strategy in preparing:
- H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, TN, O-1, E-2, E-3 and PERM labor certifications
- Immigrant visa petitions, including Multinational Managers, Individuals of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Researchers and National Interest Waivers
- Adjustment of Status applications
An immigrant to the United States, Cynthia has a personal understanding of the process and brings empathy to her advocacy and consultation, which allows her to better connect with her clients.
Experience in Action
- Creates and oversees implementation of immigration policies for clients, including onboarding, I-9 compliance and other best practices.
- Advises corporate clients regarding best visa strategies to recruit and retain foreign talent.
Successes
- Redesigned an aviation client’s E-3 visa program for pilots after they received a series of denials at consulates in Australia.
- Implemented an enterprise immigration policy for a client after the acquisition of multiple subsidiaries. The enterprise policy has allowed for more transparency and understanding among all relevant stakeholders, including recruitment managers, foreign national talent and the HR suite.
- Managed an internal audit of over 6,000 I-9s for a client and provided a plan to remedy existing errors while providing a system to minimize errors moving forward.
Capabilities
Professional & Civic Activities
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), member
Education
- Loyola University New Orleans College of Law (J.D., cum laude)
- Kennesaw State University (B.S., summa cum laude)
Bar Admissions
- Georgia
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of Illinois
Languages
- Creole (Haiti)
- French