Elise S. Levasseur, a Member in Dickinson Wright’s Troy office, focuses her practice on immigration law. She is experienced in handling a number of immigration-related matters, such as permanent employment visas, nonimmigrant visas for business professionals, and citizenship applications. Elise has served as counsel to major corporations seeking entry of managerial and executive-level foreign personnel. Elise has also been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® in Immigration Law since 2009 and was awarded Lawyer of the Year in 2023.
Education & Credentials
Education
Wayne State University
B.A., 1980Detroit College of Law
J.D., 1985Bar Admission
Acknowledgements
- Best Lawyers in America®
- “Lawyer of the Year”, Immigration Law, 2023
- Immigration Law, 2009-2024
- Michigan Super Lawyers®
- Immigration Law, 2008, 2010-2013
- DBusiness Magazine
- "Top Lawyers," Immigration Law, 2016, 2018-2023
Prominent Assignments
Experienced in the following areas:
- Permanent employment-based immigrant visas for multinational executives and managers
- Extraordinary ability aliens
- Outstanding researchers and professors
- Aliens with advanced degrees and skilled workers
- National interest waivers
- Alien labor certifications
- Reduction-in-recruitment
- Adjustment of status
- Visa processing at U.S. Consulates
- Nonimmigrant visas for business professionals
- Intracompany transferees, investors, aliens of extraordinary ability, trainees, and skilled workers
- Qualification and entry under the North American Free Trade Agreement
- Visas for physicians and medical professionals
- Applications for citizenship
- Vehicle seizures
- Employment verification & employer sanctions
- Deferred inspection and admission
- Immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions
Counsel to companies seeking employment of foreign nationals in the H-1B visa category who have attained the level of a Bachelor's Degree by virtue of work experience.
Counsel to companies encountering INS resistance to the entry to the United States of Canadian or Mexican citizens under North American Free Trade Agreement.
Counsel to foreign national physicians seeking H-1B, O-1 and TN-1 nonimmigrant classification.
Counsel to new businesses seeking work authorization for foreign personnel.
Counsel on I-9 Audits and Notice of Intent to Fine Settlement.
Counsel to major corporations encountering U.S. Consular Office resistance to issuance of E, L, H or other work-authorized visas.
Counsel to major corporations seeking entry of specialized knowledge, managerial and executive level foreign personnel.
Professional Involvement
- American Immigration Lawyers Association, Former Vice Chair and Education Chair, Member since 1986
- Past Chair of Immigration Committee, International Section, Michigan Bar Association
- Past Co-Chair of INS Liaison Committee, Michigan Chapter, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Publications/Presentations
-
Co-Presenter, "Key Immigration Takeaways for Health Care Professionals: H-1B, J-1, and Conrad/National Interest Waivers," Dickinson Wright Healthcare Webinar, October 2023
- Author, "OFLC Clarifies Telecommuting in the PERM Context for Both Prevailing Wage Requests and PERM Applications," Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, July 2022
- Author, "USCIS Decouples EAD Card and Advance Parole Travel Documents to Speed EAD Card Processing for Adjustment Applicants," Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, March 2022
- Author, "Am I An Essential Traveler Between Canada and the U.S. or Mexico and the U.S.?" Dickinson Wright Immigration Insights and Issues Blog, March 26, 2020
- Author, "Update on Coronavirus: Travel Restrictions and Quarantine Now Extended to Certain Travelers from Iran," Dickinson Wright All Things HR Blog, March 9, 2020
- "Immigration Compliance: Eight Areas of Responsibility" (Presenter), Dickinson Wright Webinar, October, 2015.
- "New Focus on Immigration and Tax Criminal Prosecution: Employer I-9 Compliance More Imperative Than Ever", Michigan Business Law Journal, Vol 28, Issue 3 (Fall 2008)
- Frequent lecturer on business immigration topics to American Society of Employers, American Payroll Society, Michigan Bar Association, and American Immigration Lawyers Association-Michigan Chapter