Matt is a member of the firmโs Labor and Employment Practice Group and serves as the leader of the Immigration Service Team. With a background in employment law and trial work, and over 20 years of business immigration experience, Matt offers clients a unique, comprehensive approach to global workplace and migration issues. His practice focuses on employment-based immigration, which includes temporary work visas, green cards, I-9 compliance, and work site enforcement. Mattโs efficient, proactive approach to client legal needs ensures that business decisions are informed, timely, and cost-effective.
Represents regional healthcare organizations and physician practices in visa matters, green card sponsorships, and J-1 physician waivers.
Conducts leading-edge work with cap-exempt H-1B visa petitions for hospitals, nonprofit healthcare organizations, and for-profit physician practices.
Assists foreign national physicians in obtaining O-1 extraordinary ability work visas, J-1 visa waivers, H-1B visas, and green cards (PERM, NIW, EB-1). Also assists healthcare providers and business professionals with O-1s, H-1Bs, TNs, and green cards.
P-1 visas for athletes and essential support personnel in the IndyCar and NASCAR auto racing series and in e-sports.
O-1 and P-1 visas for world-renowned competitive sailors and coaches, including for the U.S. Olympic team.
O-1 visas and green cards for artists and entertainers.
L-1, H-1B, and O-1 visas and green cards for business executives and multinational managers.
E-2 visas for foreign investors and their employees.
H-1B, E-3, and L-1 work visas for specialized knowledge workers in information technology, consulting, hospitality, manufacturing, and many other industries.
Handles administrative appeals and federal court litigation in cases where government agencies (e.g. U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) have wrongfully denied an immigration benefit.
Provides day-to-day counseling for employers with difficult I-9 and E-Verify scenarios, trains HR staff on I-9 law and procedures, and assists with internal audits and remediation.
Defends companies in government I-9 investigations and enforcement proceedings, against allegations of citizenship status discrimination, and in wage and hour investigations.
Obtained temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and favorable settlements for companies victimized by departing employeesโ misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of noncompetition, non-solicitation, and other restrictive covenants.
First-chaired jury trials and administrative hearings against alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accusations of workplace defamation, and alleged race and sex discrimination, including a defense verdict in one of the first jury trials under the ADA to involve the โcatโs pawโ theory of liability after the U.S. Supreme Courtโs 2011 decision in Staub v. Proctor Hospital.
University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 2000
Michigan State University, B.A., 1996
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2004
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 2002
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 2002
Chambers USA, Immigration, 2023
“Best Lawyers for Immigration,” Columbus CEO, 2022
The Legal 500 US, Recommended in Immigration (2017 to Present)
American Immigration Lawyers Association
American Health Lawyers Association
American Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
Columbus Bar Association
Advocating Opportunity: Pro Bono Legal Services Provider for Victims of Human Trafficking
Worthington Youth Boosters: Travel Soccer and Basketball Coach
Southeast Health Care Services: Former Board President
Judicial Release Coalition: Pro Bono Legal Services Provider
July 17, 2023
February 21, 2023
February 13, 2023
January 25, 2023
December 21, 2022
October 27, 2022
September 27, 2022
May 19, 2022
April 12, 2022
March 11, 2022