202.743.0181Peter F. Asaad is a Partner in our Immigration Practice. The focus of Mr. Asaad’s practice is on employment-based immigration matters to secure nonimmigrant and immigrant status for individuals in various categories.
Mr. Asaad has over 18 years of experience representing corporate clients and individuals on all business-related and employment-based nonimmigrant visas including H-1B, L-1, E-1/2, O-1 visas, as well as immigrant visas including EB-1, PERM, EB-2, EB-3, NIW, Adjustment of Status, consular processing, and other related matters.
Mr. Asaad has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) “as one of the nation’s leading litigators” in the field of immigration law and by the American Bar Foundation (ABF) as a top lawyer in the field among the “top one-third of one percent” of the lawyers in Washington, DC. He is ranked by AVVO, listed as a top Corporate Immigration Lawyer by Who’s Who, and ranked a top-rated AV lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been recognized among Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” in immigration law for over a decade and listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020-2023: Immigration Law. Mr. Asaad has additional experience in advising individuals with employment and family-based immigration, asylum, deportation, and other immigration matters. Mr. Asaad served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at American University, Washington College of Law, where he taught and developed an advanced course on business immigration. Mr. Asaad is the past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), DC Chapter, where he furthered the education needs of over 900 immigration lawyers. Prior to holding this position, Mr. Asaad served as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Immigration Litigation Committee for several years and served as Chair of the DC Bar Immigration & Human Rights Committee.
Partnering with HR professionals and labor and employment law counsel, Mr. Asaad manages the employment eligibility needs of Fortune 500 corporations, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions, as well as other large, medium and small companies to develop, day-to-day manage, and effectively streamline immigration and compliance programs.
Serving the needs of multinational companies seeking to expand foreign operations into the U.S., Mr. Asaad also focuses on forming subsidiary and affiliate entities and the intra-company transfer visas for executives, managers and essential personnel to lead and support the U.S. entity.
Leading the way in the representation of foreign entrepreneurs and start-ups, Mr. Asaad is the architect of the IN2NYC program and former Special Counsel to New York City. On behalf of the Mayor of New York City and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in partnership with the City University of New York (CUNY) and New York University (NYU), he developed and launched IN2NYC, the first municipal visa program in the nation designed to help international entrepreneurs create jobs in the United States. Serving the needs of immigrant entrepreneurs, start-ups, emerging companies and foreign investors, he works closely with individuals to create a pathway toward eligibility and approval for special H-1B cap exception, O-1A extraordinary ability, E-1/E-2 visas and L-1 visas for expanding foreign operations in the U.S., as well as permanent residence under the National Interest Waiver (NIW) and Extraordinary Ability (EB-1) categories.
Representative Experience
- Serve the unique and challenging employment authorization needs of a global technology and consulting services provider to third-party customers.
- Ensure employment authorization for government contractor with highly specialized employees to serve the needs of various national government agencies.
- Provide outside general counsel services for:
- Leading global broadband satellite communications provider with a gross annual income of over $1 billion and over 1,750 employees;
- Tier one automotive supplier which has a gross annual income of $88 million;
- Economics consulting firm which reports an annual income of $64 million;
- Architecture, engineering and interior design corporation which has a stated annual income of $19 million;
- Computer services firm which has a stated annual income of $8 million;
- Engineering and professional services company which has a stated annual income of $3.8 million;
- Importer and wholesaler of luggage and leather goods which has a stated annual income of $2.6 million;
- Electronics manufacturing firm with a stated income of $1.8 million; and
- International consulting firm which has a stated annual income of $1.7 million.
Honors & Awards
- Named in the Washingtonian Magazine’s list of “Top Lawyers” in immigration law (2011-present)
- Selected to Washington DC Super Lawyers List (2014-present)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (2020: Immigration Law)
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal (Corporate Immigration 2016, 2018, 2020)
- Ranked in Chambers USA® (2014–2017)
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Peer Review Rated
- Recognized as a leading litigator by The American Bar Foundation
- Recognized among the top one-third of one percent of the lawyers in Washington, D.C. by The American Bar Foundation
Publications and Speeches
- Co-Presenter, Immigration Law and Employer Compliance, Association for Corporate Counsel, InfoPAK.
- Co-Author, Ensuring Corporate Compliance: E-Verify and I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, Bloomberg Law Reports-Labor & Employment, 2010, Vol. 4, No. 26 at 12.
- Co-Presenter, The HR Immigration Pocket Reference, Society for Human Resource Management.
- Co-Author, H-1B: Solutions for Short and Long-Term Needs, Law360, last modified April 26, 2010.
- Author, Obama’s Immigration Agenda: Change Likely in Law and Enforcement, Workplace Law, Society for Human Resources Management, last modified November 21, 2008.
- Co-Author, E-Verify: A Trojan Horse at the Employer’s Doorstep, Wash. Col. Law, Business Law Brief, 2008, Vol. 4, No. 1 at 26.
- Guest, WJLA, ABC News, New Employment Visa Reform Passes: Additional H-1B Numbers; One Year Experience Requirement for L-1 Blanket Entrants; Fees and H-1B Dependent Attestations Reinstituted, WJLA, ABC News, Legal Resource Center (last modified January 12, 2006); Multinational Managers and Executives, WJLA, ABC News, Legal Resource Center (last modified November 21, 2005).
SELECTED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Speaker, The Buy American, Hire American Executive Order: How "Putting American Workers First" is Impacting U.S. Business Immigration, DC Bar, June 26, 2018.
- Speaker, Reporter’s Roundtable On The Current Immigration Issues Relating to Youth in the United States, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), National Press Club, May 17, 2016.
- Speaker, Planning Your Path: Work Visa Information Session, The Washington Center (WIC), February 12, 2016.
- Speaker, Planning Your Path: Work Visa Information Session, GlobalTies, March 23, 2016.
- Speaker, Immigration Law Practice Clinic, Nonimmigrant Visas: L-1 Intracompany Visas, District of Columbia Bar Association, September 18, 2015.
- Speaker, Planning Your Path: Work Visa Information Session, The Washington Center (WIC), September 18, 2015.
- Speaker, Paving Your Eligibility Pathway, Green Card Tips for Scientists, Professors and Researchers, American Chemical Society (ACS), September 17, 2015.
- Speaker, Bordering on Legal Limits? A Symposium Analyzing the President’s Executive Action on Immigration, Beyond Implementation: State Responses and Future Immigration Legislation, American University, Washington College of Law, January 30, 2015.
- Speaker, What Every Employer Should Know About the President's Executive Action on Immigration, DC SHRM ("HRA-NCA"), January 13, 2015.
- Speaker, 4th Annual Compensation & Benefits Summit, Why is Hiring Non-U.S. Workers a Benefit to My Company: How do I sponsor an employee for U.S. Permanent Residence or an Employment Visa?, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HRA-NCA, October 7, 2014.
- Speaker, EB-1 vs. EB-2 for Non-Profits, Global Immigration Council, June 5, 2014.
- Speaker, International Student Services, H-1B Information Session, American University, March 27, 2014.
- Moderator, Dinner Meeting with Government and Private Advocacy Experts, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), DC Chapter, March 26, 2014.
- Speaker, Immigration Issues and Dealing With Overseas Workers – I-9 Compliance, Getting Foreign Workers US Visa and Hiring and Overseeing Workers Outside the U.S., Society for Human Resource Management, Northern Virginia Chapter (NOVA SHRM), February 26, 2014.
- Speaker, Expanding the Talent Pool by Hiring and Retaining Foreign Nationals: A Core Competency for Hiring the Best and Brightest, Society for Human Resource Management, DC Chapter (HRA-NCA), April 2013 and November 2012.
- Speaker, Developing and Maintaining Effective I-9 Compliance Policies, Society for Human Resource Management, Northern Virginia Chapter (NOVA SHRM), April 2013 and November 2012.
- Speaker, Developing and Maintaining Effective I-9 Compliance Policies, Society for Human Resource Management, DC Chapter (HRA-NCA), April 2013 and November 2012.
- Moderator, What Does it Mean for You and Your Client, American Bar Association (ABA), ABA Lunch N/ Learn: Prosecutorial Discretion, June 7, 2012.
- Webinar Speaker, H-1B Site Visits, Immigration Solutions Group, PLLC, March 13, 2012.
- Speaker, Developing and Maintaining Effective I-9 Policies, Leesburg SHRM Chapter, October 11, 2011.
- Speaker, Developing and Maintaining Effective I-9 Policies, Montgomery County SHRM Chapter, July 20, 2011.
- Guest Faculty Speaker, International Human Rights Law Clinic Seminar, American University, Washington College of Law, April 14, 2011.
- Speaker and Program Chair, ABA Pro Bono Training: The Essentials of Immigration Court Representation, American Bar Association (Miami, Florida), April 13, 2011.
- Moderator, ABA Immigration Litigation Subcommittee Lunch and Learn Series: The Varying Definitions of Conviction, American Bar Association, March 24, 2011.
- Speaker and Program Chair, ABA Pro Bono Training: The Essentials of Immigration Court Representation, American Bar Association (Washington, DC), February 24, 2011.
- Moderator, ABA Immigration Litigation Subcommittee Lunch and Learn Series: An Analysis of USCIS Rulemaking and Policy Procedures, American Bar Association, February 23, 2011.
- Moderator, E-Verify & Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting, American University, Washington College of Law, February 22, 2011.
- Program Chair and Moderator, The Role of Federal Government Agencies in Immigration Compliance and Employment, District of Columbia Bar CLE, February 16, 2011.
- Moderator, ABA Immigration Litigation Subcommittee Lunch and Learn Series: Avoiding Discrimination Claims in the Employment Verification Process: An Introduction to the Office of Special Counsel, American Bar Association, April 23, 2010.
- Panel Speaker, ABA Administrative Law Annual Conference: What Every Lawyer Should Know About Immigration Law, American Bar Association, November 4, 2010.
- Moderator, Georgetown University Law Center: Arizona SB 1070 Debate, Georgetown University Law Center, November 3, 2010.
- Moderator, ABA Immigration Litigation Subcommittee Lunch and Learn Series: The Year of Arizona, American Bar Association, October 18, 2010.
- Speaker, Employing Foreign Nationals in Today’s Immigration Environment, Society for Human Resource Management, HRA-NCA 2007 Annual Conference, September 2, 2009.
- Speaker, Maximizing U.S. Returns on Shared Knowledge: Innovative Frameworks for Technology Transfer and Full Global Engagement – How Do We Maintain the Best and the Brightest?, National Academies of Science, Government University Industry Research Roundtable, June 3, 2009.
- Speaker, New Office, Subsidiary or Affiliate: Investment Alternatives for Immigrant Entrepreneurs, District of Columbia Bar, April 6, 2009.
- Speaker, High-Skilled Immigration Matters: Current Issues, Tips and Guidance, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development, Rockville Innovation Center, November 9, 2007.
- Speaker, Employing Foreign Nationals: Current Issues, Tips and Guidance, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development, Wheaton Business Innovation Center, October 24, 2007.
- Speaker, What Employers Ought to Know about Immigration Law and Regulations, Wheaton Business Innovation Center, April 25, 2007.
- Speaker, High-Skilled Immigration Matters: Current Issues, Tips and Guidance, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development, Rockville Business Innovation Center, March 21, 2007.
- Speaker, Immigration Reform and What It Means to Technology Companies, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development, MTDC Facility in Rockville, February 8, 2007.
- Speaker, Employing Foreign Nationals in Today’s Immigration Environment, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development, Silver Spring Innovation Center, January 10, 2007.
- Speaker, Employing Foreign Nationals in Today’s Immigration Environment, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development, December 8, 2006.
- Speaker, Global Immigration Matters: Employment of Foreign Nationals in Today’s Immigration Environment, The Maryland Tech Council, October 13, 2006.
- Speaker, What All Lawyers Should Know About Immigration Law, District of Columbia Bar, December 7, 2005.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA APPEARANCES
- International Television Broadcast with Al Jazeera America, The Syrian Refugee Crises and the U.S. House of Representatives Vote to Bolster Security (November 19, 2015).
- Interview with F.I. Investment Group, South Asian Weekly (September 18, 2009).
- Interview by Voice of America’s Persian News Network (PNN), The Roya Khat Television Program, Straight Talk on H-1Bs (May 7, 2009) (an interactive television program which aims to promote engagement and interaction between Iranians and Americans).
- Interview by Washington Post Radio, 107.7 FM and 1500 AM (December 12, 2006) (A follow-up to a December 7, 2006, section B, front page article, “Deporting a Model Noncitizen,” by Marc Fisher).
- Interview by Clinic Radio, 100.3 FM and 980 AM, Clinic Attorney (October 7, 2005) (live radio immigration clinic for the public).
- Interview by Middle East Television Network, “Ask an Attorney,” Alhurra Program (July 7, 2005).
IN THE NEWS
- Allen Smith, Employers, Society for Human Resource Management, Still on Edge over STEM OPT Program (February 18, 2016).
- Neal Earley, Montgomery County Sentinel, Undocumented immigrants negotiating broken system (May 20, 2016).
- Liz Robbins, New York Times, CUNY Schools to Lure Foreign Entrepreneurs With New Visa Program, (February 17, 2016).
- Allen Smith, Society for Human Resource Management, ‘Smart I-9 Form’ Comes Up Short (January 20, 2016).
- Allen Smith, Society for Human Resource Management, DACA Quietly Marches On (September 30, 2014).
- Esther Cepeda, The Washington Post, Immigration’s Sticky Issues (February 6, 2014).
- Jenna Greene, The National Law Journal, Deportation Cases Get a Fresh Look (January 9, 2012).
- Lisa R. Bliss, ABA Litigation News, Representing Clients with Limited English Proficiency (October 13, 2010).
- Lisa R. Bliss, ABA Litigation News, ABA Support Retooling Immigration Court System (April 19, 2010).
- Moira Herbst, BusinessWeek, Immigration: When Only ‘Geniuses’ Need Apply - Top Artists, Writers, and Musicians are Among those Awarded O-1 Visas Each Year to Add to U.S. Culture and the Economy (May 17, 2009).
- Melissa Frederick, The Examiner, Grassley, Durbin Target Visas for Tech Workers (June 8, 2007).
- Melissa Frederick, The Examiner, Legislation Inadequate to Fight Tech Worker Shortage, Advocates Contend (May 23, 2007).
- Marc Fisher, The Washington Post, Follow-up to Deporting a Model Noncitizen, Section B (December 12, 2006).
- Marc Fisher, The Washington Post, Deporting a Model Noncitizen, Section B (December 07, 2006).
Civic Involvement
- Succeeded at representing a pregnant mother in detention with two U.S. citizen children: succeeded at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; overturned immigration judge’s deportation order; achieved release through assistance of Congressional support and the Washington Post; obtained TPS followed by Adjustment of Status to obtain Permanent Residency.
Memberships and Affiliations
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Member
- American Immigration Lawyers Association, DC Chapter (AILA DC), Former President
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Former Business Immigration Committee Member
- GlobalTies U.S., Director of the Board
- Society for Human Resource Management, DC (SHRM), Former Vice-President, Director
- American Bar Association (ABA), Former Chair of Immigration Committee
- District of Columbia Bar (DC Bar), Chair of International Law Section and Chair of the Immigration and Human Rights Committee
- ABC News (WJLA) Program, Immigration Lead Counsel
- FWD.us, led by principal Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Innovation Council Member
- New York City Department of Economic Development (NYCEDC), Immigration Advisor
- Partnership for a New American Economy, Member
News, Events & Insights
Education
American University, Washington College of Law, J.D.
- with honors
University of Rochester, B.A.
- with honors
Previous Experience
- Quarles & Brady, LLP, Partner
Areas of Practice
Clerkships
- Judicial Law Clerk, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Judge Leonard Braman
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- Maryland Court of Appeals