Nikki is the Chair of the firm’s Immigration practice group, and a member of the Business and Real Estate groups.
Nikki feels immense satisfaction guiding foreign nationals and U.S. company employers through the complex U.S. immigration system. Her extensive experience includes:
- Securing temporary work visas such as H‑1B, L, TN, J, and O for foreign employees
- guiding employers through the elaborate PERM labor certification process, which is often the first step in sponsoring employment-based green cards
- EB‑1 and EB‑2 immigrant petitions (I‑140), including Multinational Managers and National Interest Waiver (NIW) cases in STEM fields
- family-based and employment-basedgreen card applications (I‑485)
- work authorization and travel documents
- applying for visas at U.S. Consulates overseas and applying for admission at U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) checkpoints following overseas travel.
In addition to securing immigration benefits, Nikki also advises companies on compliance programs, including responding to Social Security “no match” letters, I‑9 compliance, foreign employee tax matters, and more.
Further, as a former Realtor and in-house counsel to a prominent real estate brokerage, Nikki is a skilled advocate when representing individuals and companies of all sizes in real estate sales, business sale transactions, and contract negotiations. Nikki is adept at handling matters such as Realtor listing contracts, land contracts, easements, land divisions, zoning changes, and conditional use permits.
Admitted to Practice
- Wisconsin State Courts
- Illinois State Courts
- Federal immigration proceedings: US Citizenship and Immigration Service, US Department of Labor, US Department of Homeland Security
Honors & Recognition
- AV- Preeminent, Peer Rating by Martindale Hubbell, 2013-present
See our disclaimer regarding third-party awards.
Education
- J.D., University of Colorado School of Law, 2005
- Certified Mediator
- Jessup International Moot Court
- B.A., with distinction, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1998
Community Involvement & Board Memberships
- Team Director/Coach: Madison West H.S. Mountain Bike Team
- Board Member: The Nakoma League (2014-2019)
- Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (2005-2013)
- Cast Member/Choreographer: The Denver Law Club- a satirical musical comedy troupe delivering ethics CLE with flair! (2006-2013)
- U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, Côte D’Ivoire, West Africa (1999-2001)
Professional Memberships
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- State Bar of Wisconsin
- Dane County Bar Association
Nicole’s Latest Writing & Presentations
‘Tis the Season to Register for the Fiscal Year 2024 H-1B Visa Lottery!
HR Heads Up | 02.15.23
Each year, employers compete in a lottery to secure coveted H-1B visas for their foreign employees. The H-1B visa allows foreign nationals to enter the United States to perform temporary work in a “specialty occupation” in numerous industries, such as technology, healthcare, professional services, education, and more. H-1B employees can work initially for three years, can extend H-1B status up to six years, and can often be sponsored by employers for legal permanent residence in the future.