Cletus M. Weber, Co-Founder and Managing Member

• Two decades of legal experience, primarily focusing on representing clients nationwide in the areas of Immigrant Investors (EB5), National Interest Waivers (NIW), Aliens of Extraordinary Ability (EB-1A), Outstanding Professors or Researchers (EB-1B), Multinational Executives or Managers (EB1C), and J1 Waivers, as well as PERM labor certification, H1B, L1, and other areas of employment-based immigration law.
• Written, spoken, and edited nationally on EB5 Investment Visas, National Interest Waivers, Aliens of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professors or Researchers, PERM Labor Certification, H-1B cap exemptions, law office management and technology, and other areas of immigration law and practice.
• Selected Books:
  • Editor-in-Chief, AILA's Manual on PERM Labor Certification:  Strategies, Samples, and Guidance for Achieving Success (AILA 2011).
  • Associate Editor, Immigration Options for Investors & Entrepreneurs, 2nd Edition (AILA 2010).
  • Associate Editor, Immigration Practice Pointers: Tips for Handling Complex Cases (AILA 2010-2011).
• Selected Book Chapters:
• E. Peng, J. Robles & C. Weber, "Introducing the PERM-to-Green Card Path and the Players, Hurdles, and Traps You are Likely to Encounter Along the Way," Book Chapter in AILA's Manual on PERM Labor Certification:  Strategies, Samples, and Guidance for Achieving Success (American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), 2011).
• S. Barnes, A. Dgebuadze, J. Robles, R. Webber, A. Weigel & C. Weber, "Knowing What to Do and When to Do It: A Step-by-Step Guide to Successful PERM Labor Certification Practice," Book Chapter in AILA's Manual on PERM Labor Certification:  Strategies, Samples, and Guidance for Achieving Success (American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), 2011).
• C. Weber, "For H-1B Cap Exemptions, 'Related or Affiliated' is Pretty Close to Where It's 'at'," in Immigration Options for Physicians, 3rd Edition (AILA) (2009).
• D. Jones, R. Auerbach & C. Weber, "Technology for the Immigration Practitioner," Immigration & Nationality Handbook, 2006-2007 Edition (AILA).
• G. Walther & C. Weber, “Part 1 – General Automation Issues,” AILA's Guide to Technology and Legal Research for the Immigration Lawyer, 3d Ed. (H.A. Jenkins, Ed.) (AILA 2003).
• G. Walther & C. Weber, “Part 2 – Creating and Using Your Own Website,” AILA's Guide to Technology and Legal Research for the Immigration Lawyer, 3d Ed. (H.A. Jenkins, Ed.) (AILA 2003).
• Selected Articles:
• C. Weber, "Immigration Without Labor Certification: When and Why to File an EB-1 or NIW Petition," 9 Bender's Immigration Bulletin 571 (2004), republished online by Immigration Lawyers on the Web (ILW).
• C. Weber & R. Wada, "National Interest Waivers - a 2002 Practice Update," 7 Bender's Immigration Bulletin, 391 (2002), republished as a book chapter in Homeland Security, Business Immigration: The Challenges of Practicing In Today's Recessionary Environment (AILA 2003).
• Several papers on law office management and technology for immigration lawyers.
• Selected National EB-5 Presentations:
  • Discussion Leader, "'Where, Investor, Are You From?'—Country Specific Issues," EB-5 Investors & Regional Centers—Navigating Through New Challenges and Building a Sound Practice, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), San Antonio, Texas, October 21, 2011.
  • Discussion Leader, "Preparing the EB-5 Case—Practice Tips and Documentation," 2011 EB-5 Investors & Regional Centers—Emerging Issues & Winning Strategies for Your Clients and Your Practice, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Discussion Leader, "Analyzing the Case—Determining if EB-5 (Or Something Else) is the Best Path," 2010 National Special Topics Conference on Investing in America—Making EB-5 Work for Your Clients and Your Practice, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Boston, Massachusetts.
• Selected National Presentations on PERM Labor Certification, Alternatives to PERM Labor Certification, Etc.:
• Discussion Leader, "But I Thought I Just Needed a Letter! Coping with Tricky TN Issues at the Border," July 14, 2011 National Teleconference, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
• Panelist, "PERM Labor Certification: The Long and Winding Road to 'PERM'anent Residency and How to Get There," 2011 Annual Conference on Immigration Law, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), San Diego, California.
• Discussion Leader, "Allied Health Care Professionals [i.e., Nurses, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Audiologists, Medical Technologists (Clinical Laboratory Scientists), Medical Technicians (Clinical Laboratory Technicians), and Physicians Assistants]," November 4, 2010 National Teleconference, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
• Discussion Leader, "Law Office Technology: Managing Technology Before it Manages You!" 2006 Annual Conference of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), San Antonio, Texas.
• Panelist, "Crème de la Crème: Extraordinary, Outstanding, Multinational and Exceptional," a national three-part immigration law teleconference sponsored by Immigration Lawyers on the Web, Summer 2003.
• Invited Speaker, "The Labor Certification Process and Other Options" for Business Immigration: The Challenges of Practicing In Today's Recessionary Environment (AILA 2003 Midyear CLE Conference, Cancun, Mexico, January 31, 2003).
• Selected Regional Presentations:
• Presenter, "Waves, Hands, Pyramids, Drains, and Mirrors—Conceptual Guidance to Improve Your Law Practice and Keep You Out of Trouble," 2011 Ethics Boot Camp—Evolve Intelligently and Avoid Making Ethics/Malpractice Mistakes, Washington State Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Seattle, Washington, December 5, 2011.
• Panelist, "Techno Ethics," AILA Pacific Northwest Technology and Ethics Conference, Washington State Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Seattle, Washington, August 11, 2011.
• Panelist, "Social Media, Social Networking and Ethics," AILA Pacific Northwest Technology and Ethics Conference, Washington State Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Seattle, Washington, August 11, 2011.
• Panelist, "Problems and Strategies for Dealing with Prolonged Backlogs," 2011 Northwest Regional Immigration Law Conference, Oregon and Washington Chapters of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Portland, Oregon.
• Discussion Leader, "Immigration Without Labor Certification: When, Why, and How to File an EB-1 or NIW Petition," 2004 Northwest Regional Immigration Seminar, Seattle, Washington.
• Discussion Leader, "Alternatives to Labor Certification," 2003 Northwest Regional Immigration Seminar, Portland, Oregon.
• Several presentations on law office management and technology for immigration lawyers.
• Professional Service in Immigration Law and State Bar Associations:
  • 2011-Present, Member, National EB-5 Conference Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
  • 2010-Present, National Board of Publications Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (Chair, 2011-2012; previously Vice Chair, 2010-2011).
  • 2009-Present, Member, Association to Invest In the USA (IIUSA), a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit industry trade association of active EB-5 Regional Centers, attorneys, and other EB-5 related service providers (Member of national conference committee for 2011 IIUSA EB-5 International Investment & Economic Development Forum, Seattle, Washington).
  • 2010-2011, Member, National Topics 1 (EB-5) Conference Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
  • 2006-2007, Member, National Ethics, Professionalism, and Member Services Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
  • 2001-2008, Executive Committee, Washington State Chapter of AILA.
  • 2002-2005, Member, Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) Committee, Washington State Bar Association (WSBA).
  • 1999-2004, Webmaster, AILA Washington Chapter (created Chapter’s first website).
• Legal Experience:
  • 1992-Present, Co-Founder and Managing Member, Peng & Weber, PLLC, Attorneys at Law, Seattle/Mercer Island, Washington.
  • 1991-1992, Staff Attorney/Policy Analyst, Majority Caucus, Washington State Senate, Olympia, Washington.
  • 1989-1991, Associate Attorney/Clerk, Ogden Murphy Wallace, Seattle, Washington.
  • 1988-1989, Law Clerk, McCarthy, Sweeney & Harkaway, Washington, D.C.
  • 1988, Intern, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.
• State and Federal Bar Admissions:
  • 2003, U.S. Supreme Court, Washington, D.C.
  • 1993, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
  • 1990, Washington State Supreme Court.
• Education:
  • 1989 Juris Doctor (J.D.), The National Law Center, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Law Review).
  • 1986 B.B.A., College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia (Beta Gamma Sigma honors).
• Honors:
  • 1988-1989, Managing Editor, The George Washington University Law Review.
  • 1987-1988, Member, The George Washington University Law Review.
  • 1985, Inductee, Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society.
• Languages:
  • Through self-study and nine trips to China since 1991, can read and speak "traveler's" Chinese.
• Selected Press Coverage of Cletus M. Weber on Immigration Law:
  • Re: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visas (December 11, 2011):

  • Seattle Times, "Wealthy immigrants can invest way to visas"

  • Re: 2009 Microsoft layoffs and H-1B workers:

  • Seattle Times, "Lawmaker asks Microsoft about keeping American workers"

  • Daily Telegraph (UK), "Republican senator Charles Grassley urges Microsoft to protect US workers"

  • Workforce Management, "Deep Corporate Staff Cuts Heat Up H-1B Visa Debate"

  • Lawyers USA, "Senator to Microsoft: lay off foreign workers first"

  • USlaw.com, "Senator Raises Immigration Issues Over Microsoft Layoffs"

  • American Constitution Society Blog, "Senator Raises Immigration Issues Over Microsoft Layoffs"

  • ImmigrationProf Blog, "Microsoft Layoffs: Should Noncitizens Go First?"

  • TechFlash (Seattle's Technology News Source), "Senator: Microsoft should cut foreign guests before Americans"

  • War Stories of a Recruiter, "The Great H1-B Debate: Should we hire Americans?"

  • Investor Village, "Should American citizens have priority over foreign (HB-1 work visa program) workers?"

  • Re: Challenges facing HR managers who discover undocumented workers:

  • HR Magazine, "Unmasking Illegal Workers," (Dec. 1, 2007) (HR Magazine is a publication of the Society for Human Resource Management.)

  • Re: Difficulties caused by severe backlogs in immigrant visa numbers:

  • Seattle Times, "Visa delays hold up jobs, green cards for foreigners" (November 25, 2005).

  • Re: Running out of options in immigration law:

  • Seattle Times, "When visa expires, reality sets in" (August 28, 2004).

  • Editorial comments on immigration law and policy:

  • Seattle Times, House leadership refused to seriously debate the issue." (February 3, 2006).

  • Mercer Island Reporter, "Immigration reform must reflect economic realities, common sense" (June 7, 2007).