Fisher Phillips has launched a new global mobility team to help multinational clients navigate a complex web of immigration and labour law compliance stemming from international assignments and remote work setups.

We are seeing a growing demand for assistance at this intersection and our global mobility team will help our clients meet those needs

A sub-practice of the US law firm’s international practice group, the team will be led by Nan Sato in Philadelphia and focus on outbound immigration, strategic workforce planning, and helping businesses adopt new working models in a compliant way.

“The ability to tap into a worldwide talent pool allows organisations to access diverse skills and perspectives but also comes with the complexity of navigating international labour laws,” says Sato. “We are seeing a growing demand for assistance at this intersection and our global mobility team will help our clients meet those needs.” 

Speaking to IEL, Sato expanded on the dangers of flexible work models, including “work from anywhere” policies, for unwary businesses. 

“There is a growing demand for short-term nomad visas and digital nomad programmes. Increased flexibility comes with risks, such as compliance challenges related to local employment laws, taxation, and cybersecurity and data privacy. The regulations around immigration and work visas are also fast changing,” she says.

Asked about the geographical focus of the new team, Sato says: “There are no specific priority countries as clients are hiring wherever the talent is and following their homegrown talent to wherever they want to be.”

Also commenting on the new team, immigration practice co-chair Jocelyn Campanaro says: “By leveraging our immigration and international teams, we are uniquely positioned to help employers worldwide thrive and grow while complying with the vastly different laws that govern the workplace.”

The US firm has greatly strengthened its coast-to-coast immigration practice in recent years. In 2021 alone, the firm added Detroit-based Elissa Noujaim Pinto, Jang Im and Arit Butani in San Francisco, and Connie Yang in Orlando to its roster.

The following year, the firm welcomed Brian Coughlin and Tatiana Chiu in Boston, and Emily Alvarez in Denver, while Alexandra LaCombe joined the Detroit office in 2023.

Fisher Phillips also opened its first international offices in Mexico last year with the addition of an eight-partner, 27-lawyer team from Deloitte.

At the time, firm chair John Polson said Mexico’s evolving legal landscape, modernisation of trade agreements, and growth in manufacturers nearshoring production closer to North American markets have “fuelled an increased demand for cross-border legal services”.

“Our launch in Mexico puts the firm in a better position to meet that demand and provide on-the-ground counsel to the multitude of international companies in the region,” he added.