Hollister Legal

HLS attentively works with clients to convert their business ideas into practical realities.  Whether assisting clients in selecting the right business entity to form, planning and structuring their business entity, creating a business plan to seek funding for a start-up venture, acquisition or merger, or assisting clients in restructuring parent and subsidiary ownership structures, the Firm gives practical business and legal advice for all phases of a business entity's life cycle.

The Firm counsels clients on the numerous complex issues surrounding creation of new business entities, including structuring and creating the entity, advising clients of tax benefits from choosing one legal entity versus another legal entity, providing capital for the entity and beginning business operations, with a view to ongoing business issues and exit strategies.  HLS also advises clients on the dissolution of a business entity when it is no longer needed.

HLS assists clients in determining business equity and entity value, as well as identifying likely suitors for acquisition of the business or its assets, evaluating whether a company should consider an acquisition or a merger, and identifying alternative strategies to sustain and grow owner assets.

The Firm has significant experience in handling a broad spectrum of transactions. HLS generally assists clients from the earliest stages of their transactions by evaluating and developing various strategies for achieving their business objectives and structuring the business deals that follow. HLS also handles all aspects of the transaction process from the initial discussions, letters of intent and deal financing, to negotiating the agreement, performing due diligence and closing the deal. The Firm has the experience to assist clients with numerous transactions, including complex corporate restructuring transactions, merger and acquisition agreements, developing and interpreting enterprise services agreements, negotiating and structuring joint ventures, preparing master agreements, lease agreements, mezzanine financing agreements, licensing agreements, and marketing agreements across a variety of industries.

The tax practice of Hollister Legal Services, PLLC (“HLS” or “Firm”) encompasses federal, state and local tax law in the context of structuring transactions and business enterprises, tax planning and consulting and representing individual and business clients in tax litigation. HLS advises and represents clients in the following areas:

Hollister Legal Services, PLLC (“HLS” or “Firm”) works with companies and multinational corporations to develop and streamline their immigration programs and help them to secure each foreign national’s legal right to work in the United States of America. The Firm provides the following three (3) core immigration related services to its client base: (i) non-immigrant visas; (ii) immigrant visas; and (iii) immigration compliance.

Temporary Business or Pleasure Visas (B-1/B-2):  The Firm helps foreign citizens generally enter the U.S. for 1 to 6 months period through a B-1 business visa or a B-2 tourist visa.  HLS helps U.S. and foreign employers prepare the necessary documentation to qualify foreign citizen travelers for issuance of multiple entry B-1/B-2 visas.

Visa Waiver Program:  HLS prepares supporting letters and other applicable documents to help foreign citizen business and tourist travelers from qualified countries enter the U.S. for 90 days or less without a B-1/B-2 visa under the "Visa Waiver Program."

L-1A/L-1B Intracompany Transferee Visas:  HLS attentively helps beneficiaries of this non-immigrant visa prepare the necessary documentation to transfer managers, executives and employees with "specialized knowledge" to the U.S. for up to three years, with the option of extending their L-1 visa in two-year increments (the maximum period of stay is seven years for managers and executives and five years for persons with specialized knowledge).  The Firm also helps clients with over $25 million or more than 1,000 employees to apply for a "blanket L petition," which saves significant time and expense in transferring personnel from overseas under an L-1 visa.

E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor Visas:  The Firm works closely with those clients from qualified countries owning a more than a 50% equity interest of a U.S. subsidiary with which the U.S. has a treaty on international trade and investment on employing foreign citizen workers with the same nationality as the owners of the company to enable the foreign citizen workers to obtain E-1/E-2 visas.

TN-1/TN-2 Visas for Professionals from Canada and Mexico:  HLS provides expert advice to U.S. employers hiring Canadian and Mexican professionals using the TN visa category under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). TN visas are issued for up to one year at a time, and they can be renewed annually.

H-1B Specialty Occupation; H-2B Workers (Seasonal Workers):  The Firm attentively advises employers and individuals concerning the requirements for H-1B petitions, including: (i) online filing of the labor condition application with the U.S. Department of Labor; (ii) H-1B portability for individuals already in H-1B status changing employers; (iii) posting H-1B hiring notices at the employment facilities; and (iv) maintaining an H-1B public access file for each H-1B worker.  HLS also works closely with employers and visa beneficiaries in obtaining H-2B visas for seasonal workers.

P Visas for Athletes, Entertainers and Dependents:  HLS is readily available to assist internationally recognized athletes, entertainers and their dependents in obtaining P visas.  The 4 types of P visas the Firm can help process are: (i) P-1 visa for an athlete or athletic team member or entertainment group member; (ii) P-2 visa for exchange program artists and entertainers; (iii) P-3 visas for culturally unique artists and entertainers; and (iv) P-4 visas for dependents of athletes and entertainers.

O-1 Extraordinary Ability Individuals:  HLS works closely with O-1 visa applicants possessing extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics by helping the applicant build a case showing the extraordinary ability demonstrated through sustained national or international acclaim.

J-1/F-1 Visas:  The Firm counsels prospective J-1/F-1 visa applicants seeking to come to the U.S. in order to attend an academic program as a full time student.  HLS also works closely with those F-1 visa holders entitled to engage in practical training in their field of study.  There are two common types of practical training: (i) curricular practical training; and (ii) optional practical training.

Other Assorted Non-immigrant Visas:  The Firm also regularly assists clients on issues relating to other nonimmigrant visas for temporary employment in the United States, such as H-3 visas for foreign trainees coming to the United States to receive training that is not available in their home country.

EB-1 Green Card (Outstanding Researchers, Multinational Executives and Extraordinary Aliens): HLS works closely with its clients to help qualifying foreign citizens obtain employment-based green cards on the basis of the foreign citizen’s extraordinary ability, being an outstanding professor and researcher, or being a multinational executives.

EB-2 Green Card (Professionals with Advanced Degrees and Exceptional Ability Persons): The Firm attentively helps prepare documents for foreign citizens with exceptional ability and professional workers who have a master's or higher degree or a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience after obtaining their bachelor’s degree.

EB-3 Green Card (Professionals and Skilled Workers): HLS diligently works with foreign citizens who qualify for EB-3 based green cards. The Firm spends extensive time with prospective EB-3 green card candidates on passing the stringent labor certification requirements imposed by the U.S. Department of Labor. The labor certification process involves advertising the job to U.S. workers over a period of six months in a manner that is normal to the company and its industry.

Immediate Relatives: The Firm assists spouses, children under the age of 21 or even parents of green card holders and U.S. citizens. Applying for a spouse involves extensive paperwork and careful structuring of the petition.

U.S. Citizenship: HLS works closely with clients who wish to apply for U.S. citizenship. HLS attentively helps its clients build strong cases when the facts enable HLS to do so.

H-1B Public Access Files: The Firm advises employers of H-1B workers on how to post a notice at the time of hiring a foreign citizen as a worker and how to maintain a public access file until one year beyond the validity of the H 1B petition (or one year after termination of employment, if sooner).

I-9 Employment Verification: HLS can work closely with clients to design and implement an I-9 employment verification system to verify work eligibility of all workers and to keep related records, including the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form. Failure to fully comply with these regulations can result in employer sanctions.

Immigration Issues Arising From Mergers and Acquisitions. The Firm offers clients insights on immigration consequences from mergers and acquisition transactions.