Legal Expertise

John Exner is an experienced immigration attorney, with a practice dedicated primarily to the representation of businesses and individual clients in a variety of employment-based and family-based immigration matters. Though John represents clients in nearly all industries, he has a particularly strong focus in the Healthcare, Medical Research, Video Game, Education, Engineering, Aviation, Automotive, Athletics, Telecommunications, Fashion, Music, and Entertainment industries. He has represented foreign nationals and employers in each of these industries in a wide range of immigration matters.

In addition, John regularly counsels clients on immigration enforcement issues, E-Verify, and I-9 compliance, on both the federal and state level. He has worked with several clients to prepare comprehensive I-9 and E-Verify compliance programs, and has extensive experience responding to I-9 audits, public access file audits, and H-1B site visits. 

Representative Matters

• Preparing and filing hundreds of nonimmigrant visa petitions, with a particular emphasis on H-1B, H-2A, L-1, E-1, E-2, E-3, O-1, P, I, and TN petitions;
• Guiding international investors, entrepreneurs and multinational companies in the process of establishing U.S. offices and operations for purposes of obtaining E-2 investor visas and L-1 new office visas;
• Preparing and filing O-1 petitions, and EB-1 petitions for Multinational Executives, Outstanding Researchers, and individuals of Extraordinary Ability – with a strong focus on the video game, healthcare, entertainment, athletics, technology, engineering, medical research, and robotics industries;
• Preparing and filing hundreds of Labor Certification (“PERM”) applications, for EB-3 and EB-2 filings;
• Preparing and filing EB-2 Exceptional Ability Schedule A, Type II immigrant petitions, for professionals with exceptional ability in their field; 
• Working with professional athletes and entertainers on P-1, O-1, and EB-1 petitions; and
• Preparing and filing hundreds of Schedule A, Type I immigrant petitions for healthcare industry clients, including nurses and physical therapists.

Honors & Awards

• "Southern California Rising Stars," Super Lawyers (2017 - 2018)

Professional, Business and civic Affiliations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
• AILA Military Assistance Program (MAP) Volunteer

Other Career Experience

• Associate, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (2010)
• Associate, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC (2007-2009)

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