Green and Spiegel welcomes Former USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate Supervisor David Spaulding to its Philadelphia office, strengthening its Compliance and Regulatory Practice amidst a climate of heightened enforcement.
Philadelphia, PA: On Monday, June 17, 2019, David Spaulding joined the North American immigration law firm Green and Spiegel in Philadelphia as the Head of the Firm’s Compliance and Regulatory Practice Section. Spaulding is poised to be a critical asset to the Firm, leading a team dedicated to Form I-9 and related employer compliance matters, navigating EB-5 Regional Center and H-1B site visits, and obtaining immigrant and nonimmigrant benefits for clients.
Spaulding joins the firm immediately following his position as Investigation Group Supervisor for the Department of Homeland Security, a role he held for more than seven years. He also served as an Immigration Officer for Legacy INS and USCIS for 17 years prior to that time, where he decided cases filed by prospective immigrants and their attorneys.
U.S. Practice Director and Managing Partner Jonathan A. Grode commented on the hire as continuing to fulfill growing demand largely unmet in the industry to date, given the Trump Administration’s increased focus on enforcement.
“For years Green and Spiegel has helped employers of all sizes navigate the labyrinth that is federal worksite enforcement actions. With the current Administration’s enhanced effort in this regard, it became apparent that we needed to add an experienced compliance attorney to fulfill the demand and better serve our clients,” Grode explained.
“To have David Spaulding join the Firm to help further develop and direct this practice area exceeded our expectations for the ideal hire that we had in mind. Understanding how or why the government takes certain actions is nearly impossible without having been part of that decision-making in the past. With decades of experience, I can think of no better attorney in the Philadelphia area – or, frankly, the nation – to take on these challenges,” Grode added.
Indeed, Spaulding’s hire comes on the heels of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s quadrupling of enforcement actions against employers in the past fiscal year, with the prospect of a more heavy-handed approach in 2019-20 as immigration-related issues dominate the national discussion.
“Employers – whether they use foreign labor or not – need to be aware of the Administration’s Form I-9 compliance priorities. At this point it’s not an exaggeration to say that every business needs to be prepared for a visit from Homeland Security Investigations,” Spaulding explained. “Further, those that do leverage immigration benefits – whether it be H-1B temporary workers, aggregating EB-5 capital investment, or transferring employees from abroad – have an even greater chance of surprise visits.”
“I am very excited to assist the clients of Green and Spiegel to develop robust compliance mechanisms, that reduce risk and improve profitability. Two decades of regulatory and enforcement experience has equipped me with a broad and deep understanding of the challenges business face in this complex and dynamic legal environment,” he added.
Beyond his recent USCIS positions, Spaulding boasts a resume full of impressive government experience. A veteran, Spaulding served in the U.S. Navy as an enlisted sailor and subsequently a Stinger Missile Team Sergeant with the Pennsylvania National Guard. Spaulding has also served as a Special Prosecution Assistant in the Chester County Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office, where he calls home with his wife and three children.
Spaulding is also a graduate of La Salle University (B.A., magna cum laude) and of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law (J.D.).
ABOUT: Green and Spiegel is one of the world’s oldest immigration law practices specializing in North American immigration law. From large corporate employee transfers to difficult family sponsorships and humanitarian applications for permanent residence, Green and Spiegel can help. With top legal minds in corporate employee transfers, removal/deportation, immigrant investment, family immigration, immigration compliance, and resolution of inadmissibility issues, the professionals at Green and Spiegel have been recognized as industry leaders.
