Bob has focused his practice exclusively on immigration and nationality law for more than two decades. Chair of the firm’s Immigration Group, he serves the immigration needs of individuals and employers, including those skilled and highly trained in:
- the sciences
- the arts
- medicine
- commerce and industry
Bob also assists:
- employers in securing non-immigrant work visas for new hires and permanent residence for permanent personnel
- health care institutions with immigration issues of foreign-born professional staff
- institutions in developing and implementing system-wide immigration policies and protocols
- multi-national companies in bringing in executives, managers or individuals with specialized knowledge
- universities with foreign-born faculty, researchers, and graduates, including Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh
- entrepreneurs forming start-up enterprises or relocating to the U.S. in securing treaty-based visas
- individuals seeking status based on family or asylum
Active in civic and community issues, Bob has:
- trained volunteer lawyers to represent foreign nationals trying to secure U.S. citizenship
- helped counsel Muslim individuals from 26 countries who were forced to register with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in the wake of the events of September 11, 2001
- facilitated the integration of hundreds of now-former Russian citizens into U.S. society
- assisted the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) in formulating public policy
Bob is an adjunct Instructor in Immigration Law at the West Virginia University College of Law. He publishes op-ed pieces on immigration in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Business Times, and other publications. His high-profile work representing clients from a broad range of industries and ethnic/cultural backgrounds has been the featured in The New York Times and other publications. His monthly newsletter for the firm, Legally Speaking, addresses recent changes and updates on immigration law and policy.
In 2008, Bob was elected Chapter Chair of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Allegheny County Bar Association's Immigration Practitioners Committee. His leadership roles in the community have included service as:
- President, American Civil Liberties Union, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter
- Chair, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Pittsburgh Chapter
- Board Member, HIAS
• Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rated
• For ten years, selected for inclusion "The Best Lawyers in America" in the area of Immigration law
• Selected as a Corporate Counsel Super Lawyer in Immigration (2009)
• Selected as a "Super Lawyer" by Philadelphia Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine (2006 through 2009)
• Annual Honoree, Jewish Education Institute (2001)
• Pro Bono Award, Allegheny County Bar Association (1999)
• Levinson Award for community leadership, United Jewish Federation (1997)