DALLAS & HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Fragomen Worldwide, the world’s leading corporate immigration firm, is
expanding its presence in Texas and significantly enhancing its global
energy industry practice with the addition of four highly regarded
immigration attorneys. These new partners will be located in Fragomen’s
office in Dallas and the firm’s new office in Houston.

Former Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) Partners Steve
Ladik, Kristi
Taylor and Paige
Taylor and their teams have joined Fragomen in both Dallas and
Houston, while Kelly D. Cobb, previously a partner with
FosterQuan LLP, will be based in Fragomen’s new Houston office. More
than 30 new attorneys, paralegals and support staff are following the
partners to Fragomen’s expanded Texas presence.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming some of the nation’s finest immigration
lawyers to our team,” said Austin
T. Fragomen, Chairman of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Texas is a
unique economic powerhouse and a major center of the global energy
industry. Adding this new presence and talent will be a significant
benefit to our clients in Texas and worldwide.”

Fragomen’s four new partners are all prominent in the field of
immigration law:

Steve Ladik, formerly Managing Partner of BAL’s Dallas office, is
a past president of both the American Immigration Lawyers Association
(AILA) and the American Immigration Lawyers Foundation. He has been
listed in the Best Lawyers in America for more than 14 years.
Ladik was also named “Dallas Best Lawyers Immigration Lawyer of the
Year” for 2012.

Paige L. Taylor focuses on representing clients in the
engineering and technology industries, including electronics and
telecommunications. She has served on numerous committees for AILA and
is the author of the annual Texas Tech Review Fifth Circuit Survey on
Immigration Law. She is recognized nationally for her knowledge of
PERM and is Chair of the State Bar Committee on Immigration and
Nationality Law.

Kelly D. Cobb advises U.S. and international clients on
immigration issues related to corporate restructuring including mergers
and acquisitions, joint ventures and start-ups. She has more than 15
years of experience counseling clients in the energy sector,
particularly focusing on assisting international corporations in vessel
exemptions, specialist work authorizations and crew member exemptions on
the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

Kristi Taylor advises and defends employer sanctions cases, helps
develop strategies to address workforce reductions, and has extensive
experience in due diligence and management of the immigration process
before and after mergers and acquisitions. She also advises clients on
public access files and I-9 program improvement and compliance.

“We are enthusiastic about joining Fragomen, which is consistently
recognized by independent observers as the world leader in immigration
law,” said Ladik. “Our clients’ business immigration needs are becoming
increasingly challenging in today’s rapidly evolving and highly mobile
international environment. Effectively serving them requires the kind of
in-depth knowledge, resources, sophisticated information technology, and
the extensive footprint providing global capabilities that only Fragomen
offers.”

Cobb noted the growing complexity of immigration law, both here and
abroad. “It became clear to me that truly serving the wide range of
client needs requires extraordinary resources and capabilities, and no
other firm in the immigration field can match Fragomen in that respect,”
said Cobb.

Daryl
Buffenstein, a partner who joined Fragomen in its Atlanta office in
2012, noted the move’s clear rationale. “I have previously worked with
Steve, Paige and Kristi, who are outstanding attorneys with a
sophisticated practice. They recognize that businesses are increasingly
requiring a more multi-faceted and global platform, and appreciate how
Fragomen’s superior resources and collegial environment will enable them
to better serve their clients. Our clients have benefited enormously
from my move to Fragomen. I’m confident our new partners’ clients will
have a similar experience.”

About Fragomen Worldwide

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP and Fragomen Global LLP
(collectively known as “Fragomen” and “Fragomen Worldwide”) is
recognized as the world’s leading global corporate immigration services
provider. The firm employs more than 400 immigration attorneys,
solicitors and equivalents and 2,200 professionals and support staff
located in more than 40 offices in 18 countries. For 60 years, Fragomen
has represented a broad range of companies, organizations and emerging
businesses, working in partnership with clients to facilitate the hiring
and transfer of employees worldwide. For detailed information about
Fragomen’s practice, please visit www.fragomen.com.

• Company Legal & Law Matters
• Business
• immigration law
• Texas