Prior to joining Withers, I served for nearly 10 years as a US diplomat, with Visa Officer assignments in China and the UK. Along the way, I was also fortunate to be able to pick up Chinese and Russian language skills.

As a non-attorney, I bring a different and perhaps more practical perspective to our private client work. I enjoy working with our private client attorneys to not only help devise the right strategy for the client, but also to think about the execution and logistical steps in order to achieve our clients’ goals in the most efficient manner.

I greatly enjoy helping individuals or families to achieve their immigration objectives. I think of immigration as a journey: when you are able to help a client settle in a new country, or obtain citizenship or residency through an investment immigration program, there is a great feeling of satisfaction when the final result is achieved.

I am most inspired when we are able to help clients overcome previously refused visas. It’s always surprising to see CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other highly-successful individuals refused visas. Having worked in the government previously, I believe it’s sometimes a problem of miscommunication. Nevertheless, I’m glad to say that more often than not we have been able to help resolve such situations, which I think is a value-add for both the client and for the country they are trying to move to.