WSM Attorneys Continue to Make the Difference in Immigration
October 17, 2013
It has been busy summer and early fall for WSM attorneys in our advocacy and leadership roles. In late May, Partner Mary Jane Weaver attended the White House's Champions of Change awards ceremony to honor immigrant innovators.
Senior Associate Lisa Baker Jones assumed the mantle of Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Northern CA Chapter, on July 1. Immediately, she was called on to lead all the California chapters to defeat provisions of CA State Assembly bill AB 1159, which was touted as a consumer protection measure to protect immigrants throughout California, but would have had a harmful effect on the very population it sought to benefit. Read more on this summer's legislative activity. Associates Stephanie Smith and Katy Chase were once again elected to serve as Advocacy and Media Coordinators, respectively, for AILA NorCal. Ms. Chase draws upon her prior career in journalism in her role.
In early September, Partner Laura Mazel spoke at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Independent Research Institutes (AIRI) in Washington, DC, and just assumed her role as a Thiel "20 under 20" Fellow Mentor, working with the Thiel Foundation community to support inspiring young fellows who have been awarded $100,000 over a two year period to take a break from university study and innovate with the Thiel fellowship.
WSM hosted its 3rd seminar this year on September 20. Of Counsel Flora Hoffman and Ms. Weaver spoke on "Alternatives to the H-1B Visa and Immigration Reform" at the Bar Association of San Francisco. Managing Partner Kirsten Schlenger hosted a panel at the Annual Meeting of the International Network of Boutique Law Firms (INBLF) in Boston earlier this month, and was honored by INBLF with the Alberto Lasheras Shine Memorial Award. Lisa will be speaking on two panels at the AILA California Chapters Conference in November in Anaheim.
