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Melina  LaMorticella

Melina LaMorticella

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503.802.2122
melina.lamorticella@tonkon.com
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Overview

Melina represents regional and international companies in matters related to employment-based immigration. Melina has successfully handled immigration matters for multinational corporations and regional technology firms, health care providers, and universities on non-immigrant and immigrant visa options and procedures including Conrad 30 waivers, PERM Applications and Naturalization Applications, and Extraordinary Ability Petitions. 

Melina was chair for the Oregon Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association from 2016 to 2018 and Liaison to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles for five years. She served for two years at Portland State University’s Immigration Clinic and currently mentors first year law students at Lewis & Clark. Melina is a frequent speaker on employment-related immigration.

Prior to joining Tonkon Torp, Melina practiced immigration law at a boutique firm in Portland. Before she earned her law degree, Melina worked for more than eight years as an immigration paralegal in the Portland area, she lived in Tokyo for one year, and she had a brief career as an editor in New York City.
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Get To Know

Before pursuing law, Melina worked as an editor at a science text book company in New York City. She has lived in Tokyo, Japan and Quito, Ecuador. A fluent Spanish speaker, she enjoys travel abroad with her family. Closer to home, Melina likes to hike and garden, and can often be found cheering on the sidelines of her children’s soccer games.
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Featured Work

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Community Involvement & Activities


American Immigration Lawyers Association
2016-2018, Oregon Chapter Chair


Department of Motor Vehicles
2011–2016, Liaison
 
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Professional Memberships

American Immigration Lawyers Association
Multnomah Bar Association
Portland Human Resources Management Association
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Awards & Recognition

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers

2020, Labor & Employment: Immigration
2019, Associates to Watch – Labor & Employment: Immigration

The Best Lawyers in America

2021, Ones to Watch – Immigration Law
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Recent News

12.22.2020

Business Immigration Attorneys Hold Encore of Popular Year-End Employer Briefing

On December 10, Tonkon Torp Business Immigration lawyers Alan Perkins, Turid Owren, Melina LaMorticella, and Melany Savitt hosted an encore presentation of their Annual Immigration Update for employers to review changes and challenges in business…
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12.1.2020

Business Immigration Attorneys Host Year-End Employer Briefing

On November 12, Tonkon Torp Business Immigration lawyers Alan Perkins, Turid Owren, Melina LaMorticella, and Melany Savitt hosted their Annual Immigration Update for employers. The briefing covered changes in and challenges for business immigration…
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9.22.2020

Business Immigration Webinar Looks at the Impact of COVID-19 and Trump

On September 10, Tonkon Torp’s Immigration Practice Group launched a recurring webinar series to help businesses navigate and preview changes affecting business immigration. Attorneys Melina LaMorticella, Alan Perkins, and Melany Savitt hosted the…
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8.21.2020

Nine Rising Tonkon Torp Attorneys Included on 2021 “Ones to Watch” List

Nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing nine practice groups have been honored in Best Lawyers' inaugural Ones to Watch directory. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch is a peer-review honor focused on acknowledging attorneys who have been in private practice…
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7.29.2020

Melina LaMorticella Joins UO Town Hall in Support of International Students

Tonkon Torp Business Immigration partner Melina LaMorticella participated in a virtual town hall hosted by University of Oregon President Michael Schill to help international students navigate this time of crisis and change.
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4.27.2020

Chambers USA Names 20 Tonkon Torp Attorneys in 2020 Ranking

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 20 Tonkon Torp attorneys in seven practice areas in its 2020 USA Guide. Eighteen of the Tonkon Torp attorneys named have been previously ranked by Chambers.
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3.20.2020

Melina LaMorticella and Melany Savitt Review 2020 H-1B Season for AILA Oregon

Tonkon Torp partners Melina LaMorticella and Melany Savitt led a CLE program for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Oregon chapter on the 2020 H-1B lottery season. The attorneys reviewed the competitive H-1B program from both the…
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2.25.2020

Tonkon Torp Immigration Attorneys Brief Employers on the 2020 H-1B Cap Season

On February 6, attorneys from Tonkon Torp’s Immigration Practice Group held a briefing for employers to help them prepare for the upcoming H-1B Cap season. Attorneys Melina LaMorticella, Turid Owren, Alan Perkins, and Melany Savitt led a program that…
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12.11.2019

Tonkon Torp Announces Three New Partners

Tonkon Torp LLP has elected Claire Brown, Melina LaMorticella, and Melany Savitt to the partnership, effective January 1, 2020.
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9.30.2019

Tonkon Torp Hosts Employers for Worksite Enforcement Business Immigration Briefing

Tonkon Torp Business Immigration lawyers Alan Perkins, Turid Owren, Melina LaMorticella, and Melany Savitt hosted their annual business immigration briefing for employers focusing on worksite enforcement by ICE, DOL, and USCIS.
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Recent Alerts

2.8.2021

H-1B Lottery Updates for Fiscal Year 2022

On February 5, 2021 the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced H-1B Cap Registrations for the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 2022) lottery will be accepted from March 9, 2021 (noon Eastern) through March 25, 2021 (noon Eastern). USCIS…
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1.27.2021

Biden Administration Executive Orders Impact International Travel

The Biden Administration issued a Proclamation on January 25, 2021 reinstating the COVID-related travel bans put in place and slated to be lifted on January 26, 2021 by the Trump Administration.
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1.14.2021

DOL Publishes Final Rule Impacting Prevailing Wages

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule to incorporate changes to the computation of prevailing wage levels for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 temporary classifications, as well as for certain permanent residence cases requiring labor…
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1.8.2021

New Regulation Creates Wage-Based Selection Process for H-1B Lottery

On January 8, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security published a new regulation that will change the annual H-1B cap selection process from random selection to wage-based selection. In short, USCIS will rank and select H-1B cap registrations that…
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6.23.2020

Trump Proclamation Suspends Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants

On June 22, 2020, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation temporarily suspending entry into the United States of foreign nationals seeking certain nonimmigrant (temporary) work visas.
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3.25.2020

The Impact of COVID-19 on Business Immigration

COVID-19 is rapidly affecting business immigration in multiple ways. Below is an outline of key impacts to date. Additional current information and details can be provided by attorneys in the Immigration and Labor and Employment practice groups.
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12.10.2019

H-1B Cap Electronic Registration: March 1-20, 2020

USCIS has announced that it will utilize a new electronic registration process for FY2021 H-1B cap petitions. Registrations must be submitted from March 1 through March 20, 2020. USCIS will charge a $10 registration fee.
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10.1.2019

2021 DV Lottery Registration Oct. 2 to Nov. 5

Online registration for the 2021 DV Lottery (DV2021) begins Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and will end Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5).
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1.29.2019

New (Cap) H-1B Filings: April 1-5 Deadline

H-1B season is underway! U.S. employers can file for new H-1B visas on behalf of prospective or existing employees beginning April 1, 2019. The anticipated window for filing new H-1B petitions under the USCIS H-1B quota for FY2020 is April 1 through…
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10.30.2018

2020 DV Lottery Registration Deadline is Nov. 6

There is still time to register for the 2020 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Lottery). Online registration for the DV Lottery began Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and will end Tuesday, November 6…
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Publications & Presentations


"Business Immigration Update," September 2020

Panelist, "International Student Town Hall," University of Oregon, July 2020

"H-1B Cap Season 2020," American Immigration Lawyers Association, Oregon Chapter, February 2020

“H-1B Cap Season 2020,” February 2020

"Worksite Enforcement Business Immigration Briefing," September 2019

“Visas – Who Can Come? Who Can Stay?” Annual Labor & Employment Law Update, May 2019

"Business Immigration Review and 2019 Forecast Briefing," December 2018

"Business Immigration for Startups," November 2018

"Worksite Enforcement, Compliance Best Practices & Forms I-9," June 2017

"What Immigration Means to Healthcare Delivery in Oregon," Oregon State Bar Health Law Section, June 2017   

"H-1B Cap Season 2017 and Trump Administration Executive Orders," February 2017

"Business Immigration 2017," February 2017

"Employment-Based Immigration," American Immigration Lawyers Association, Oregon Chapter, May 2016

"Recent Developments in L Visas," Northwest Regional Immigration Law Conference, American Immigration Lawyers Association, March 2016

"Getting Ready for H-1B Cap Season," January 2016

"INA 204(l) – Navigating the Law for Surviving Relatives and Others Measures of Extraordinary Relief," Northwest Regional Immigration Law Conference, American Immigration Lawyers Association, March 2015

"The Role of the Human Resource Department in Facilitating International Assignments," Global Special Interest Group of PHRMA, February 2015

 
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Services

Business Immigration
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Education

J.D., Lewis & Clark Law School, 2010

B.A., University of Oregon, 1992
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Bar & Court Admissions

Oregon State Bar
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