Easton attorneys bring immigration practice to Norris McLaughlin

Baurkot & Baurkot attorneys Raymond Lahoud and William Menard and their staff joined Norris McLaughlin on Monday.

Lahoud will serve as member and chair of Norris McLaughlin’s immigration law practice and Menard is now an associate in the immigration law practice group.

Lahoud said his firm has been busy for many years, representing people from across the globe on immigration issues.

But with recent changes in travel and immigration law and increased enforcement of existing immigration laws under the Trump administration, demand for the firm’s services has grown dramatically.

Being part of the larger, well-established law firm helps in his and Menard’s efforts on behalf of clients.

“It’s already been an incredible resource and assistance to hit these cases,” Lahoud said.

One of his busiest areas of business is employment immigration and working with companies and their human resources department to make sure employees from another country who go to work for a firm have the proper documentation and approvals.

Lahoud said laws haven’t necessarily changed much; it’s just that they’re being more strictly enforced and companies with foreign workers are getting more carefully audited.

He said it’s important for a company to be compliant and have all proper documentation in order.

“The fines are incredible for employers,” he said.

Ed Miller, chief marketing officer for Norris McLaughlin, said being able to add the immigration and deportation defense specialty to the Allentown office of the Bridgewater, N.J.-based law firm has been a great benefit to the overall services the firm can now offer corporate and individual clients.

Matthew R. Sorrentino, chairman of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, said he was pleased to welcome the lawyers to the firm.

“They have a wealth of experience handling corporate and personal immigration matters that will add value to our business clients who will no longer have to seek these sophisticated services in Philadelphia or New York,” he said.