Marsha T. Mavunkel

Member

Practice Areas:

Legal Assistant:

Focused on family and employment-based immigration, assisting both individuals and businesses.

Marsha serves as Chair of the Seattle Immigration Group and focuses her practice exclusively in the area of U.S. Immigration and Naturalization law. She advises clients on family and employment-based U.S. immigration law, and assists both corporate and individual clients with all aspects of the immigration process. She advocates for her clients on a wide range of cases, including: H-1B professionals, E-2 Treaty investors, L-1 intra-company transfers, TN professionals, J-1 exchange visitors, F-1 students, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, outstanding researchers, professors, and persons of extraordinary ability, and labor certifications under PERM regulations. She has also worked on VAWA cases, naturalizations, and a range of family-based permanent residence cases.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Marsha worked within the immigration field as a researcher, visiting international professional, and as a volunteer.

Professional & Community Activities Professional & Community Activities

Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association Executive Committee – Washington State Chapter (2019-present)
Vice Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association Executive Committee – Washington State Chapter (2017-2019)
Secretary, American Immigration Lawyers Association Executive Committee – Washington State Chapter (2016)
Member, Washington Technology Industry Association (2016)
Membership Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association Executive Committee – Washington State Chapter (2015)
Vice President of Diversity, Washington Women Lawyers (2013-present)
Member, South Asian Bar Association (2013-present)
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (2013-present)
Co-chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association – Washington State Chapter New Members Division (2013-2015)
Volunteer Immigration Attorney, King County Bar Association Neighborhood Legal Clinics (2013-present)
Seattle Human Rights Commissioner, Seattle Human Rights Commission (2011-2014)
Volunteer, Pro Bono Attorney, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (2010-present)

Publications & Speaking Engagements Publications & Speaking Engagements

Speaker, Seattle SHRM, " Navigating U.S. Immigration: Key Strategies for HR Personnel Managing International Talent" (September 2024)
Speaker, “Nailing Down the Basics – A Comprehensive Introduction to Immigration Law”, AILA Washington Chapter (February 2021)
Co-author, Significant Delays by USCIS in Processing and Issuance of Post-Completion OPT EADs for International Students (June, 2019)
Co-author, Department of Labor Operations During the Government Shutdown (January, 2019)
Co-author, The Invisible Wall: Limits to Business Immigration Under the Current Administration, Washington State Bar Association Business Law Section Newsletter (Fall 2018)
Co-author, Department of Homeland Security Considers Policy Change That Would Prevent H-1B Extensions (January, 2018)
Co-author, Supreme Court Upholds Travel Ban (December, 2017)
Speaker, U.S. Immigration Under the Current Administration (September, 2017)
Author, Is Your Business Prepared for an I-9 Audit? (September, 2017)
Co-author, Policy Change Regarding Advance Parole for Adjustment of Status (AOS) Applicants (August, 2017)
Author, Supreme Court Decision Upholds Limited Version of President’s Travel Ban (June, 2017)
Co-author, 5 Things You Should Know About the President’s Executive Order on Immigration (March, 2017)
Co-author, Workplace Site Visits – What You Can Do To Prepare (February, 2017)
Co-author, Seattle Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Extending Nationwide Block of President’s Executive Order on Immigration (February, 2017)
Co-author, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds TRO on Travel Ban (February, 2017)
Co-author, President’s Immigration Ban Temporarily Suspended (February, 2017)
Co-author, Immigration Alert: Impact of Proposed White House Executive Order on Employment-Based Immigration (February, 2017)
Co-author, Employers Advised to File H-1B Petitions for Employees in TN Status (February, 2017)
Co-author, President’s Executive Order Suspends Entry Into U.S. for Foreign Nationals from Seven Countries and Impacts Visa Processing (January, 2017)
Co-author, President’s Executive Order Expected to Suspend Entry into U.S. for Foreign Nationals from Seven Countries (January, 2017)
Speaker, How to Prepare for the 2017 H-1B Lottery (January, 2017)
Speaker, “How to Prepare for the H-1B Lottery” Webinar (2015)
Speaker, Ryan Swanson Annual Employment Law Seminar (2014, 2015)
Speaker, “I-9 Audit Basics & Best Practices for Employers” Webinar (2014)
Speaker, “Immigration Reform: The Impact of Current Legislation on Washington Employers,” Puget Sound Business Journal Seminar (2013)
Featured, International Human Rights Clinic Team to Argue Before Inter-American Court, Seattle University School of Law News Archive (2009)
Featured, Clinic Cases Help Students Make a Difference, King County Bar Association Bar Bulletin (2009)

LANGUAGES

Malayalam (dialect of Kerala, India)

ARTICLES ARTICLES

H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens March 9th and USCIS Delays Effective Date of H-1B Wage-Based Preference System (February, 2021)
USCIS Restores Policy That Computer Programmers Qualify for H-1B Status (February, 2021)
DHS Announces Final Rule Imposing New Wage-Based H-1B Selection Process (January, 2021)
The U.S. Department of State Updates National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from the Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland (October, 2020)
USCIS Fee Increase for Filing Petitions and Applications (June, 2020)
DHS Provides COVID-19 Exceptions to I-9 Compliance (March, 2020)
USCIS Suspends In-person Services (March, 2020)
Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Enforce Public Charge Rule (January, 2020)
USCIS Announces Implementation and Timeline for Electronic Registration Process for Upcoming H-1B Cap Season (December, 2019)
BREAKING NEWS: Public Charge Rule Enjoined (October, 2019)
New Form for Nonimmigrant Extension and Change of Status Application to be Required Soon (March, 2019)
USCIS Announces Partial Implementation of New H-1B Process (January, 2019)
Get Ready for H-1B Cap Filings on April 2, 2018 (January, 2018)
Extreme Vetting: Plan Ahead and Prepare for Possible Delays in Visa Processing (June, 2017)
5 Things You Should Know About the President's Executive Order on Immigration (March, 2017)
Impact of Proposed White House Executive Order on Employment-Based Immigration (February, 2017)
President's Executive Order Expected to Suspend Entry into U.S. for Foreign Nationals from Seven Countries (January, 2017)

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HOBBIES & INTERESTS

Marsha is a Bay Area, California transplant, who relocated to Seattle for law school and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. She is a first-generation American whose parents emigrated from India. Marsha volunteers with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project as a pro bono attorney and in her spare time she enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling as much as possible.