Legal Updates

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for March 2019 shows modest progress for EB-1 for all chargeability areas as well as EB-2 for China and India; EB-3 and Other Workers China, India and the Philippines; and EB-5 China and Vietnam, with the remainder of the priority dates remaining Current.

The USCIS Ombudsman reported that the agency has resolved a discrepancy in the application of policy concerning persons with advance parole who recently filed renewal applications and then left the United States.

USCIS announced that it has revised Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and is introducing a new Form I-539A, effective March 11.

Barlow Research’s December 2018 First Friday Web Conference, titled “Evolving Challenges and Competition for Small Business Banking,” focused on new challengers entering the financial services market. This article provides a summary of attorney Karen Grandstrand’s comments during the Web Conference.

The U.K. governmental authority that publishes LIBOR may phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. Lenders who use LIBOR will need to determine what effect the phasing out of LIBOR will have for the lender and its borrowers.

This article focuses on options available to Postdoctoral Scholars to attain permanent residence based on their professional skills. 

We are currently in or entering a new bust cycle in production agriculture. While producers have generally managed to continue operating, bankruptcy filings and farm foreclosures are on the rise and prior fixes may no longer be available. Dealing with lenders can be a challenge in these circumstances, and it is important for professionals advising producers to follow a few simple rules to effectively negotiate with their clients’ lenders.

This article provides a brief examination of the changes in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure that went into effect on December 1, 2018, and how those changes may impact the bankruptcy practice.

Worldwide debt has grown to nearly $250 trillion, a substantial increase since the Great Recession in 2008. The makeup of the debt held by individuals has changed and the amount of corporate debt has significantly increased. With economic challenges on the horizon, these changes will likely affect the processes individuals and corporations pursue to address debt.

USCIS will resume premium processing on Tuesday, February 19, for all H-1B petitions filed on or before December 21, 2018.