Alternate Office(s)
Practice Areas
Education
- B.A., Pennsylvania State University, 1996, cum laude
- Universite de la Sorbonne, Paris, 1997, Cornell Institute for Comparative Law
- J.D., Cornell Law School, 1999, Executive Bench Brief Editor, Moot Court Board; Editor, LII-NY, Cornell Online Journal
Bar & Court Admissions
- North Carolina, 2000
Sarah E. Buffett
- Charlotte Office
- TEL: (704) 331-3565, (919) 286-8177
- FAX: (704) 339-5865
sarahbuffett@mvalaw.com
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In her international, corporate and immigration law practice, Sarah Buffett helps foreign and domestic businesses achieve their business goals by guiding them through the technical maze of immigration law and procedure.
She helps international clients who are establishing businesses in the United States obtain nonimmigrant visas for key foreign personnel. She also assists both domestic and foreign businesses and institutions win Lawful Permanent Resident status for long-term or permanent United States employees.
Experienced in advising clients on immigration-related corporate agreements and nonimmigrant consular processing, Ms. Buffett routinely counsels clients on I-9 completion, retention, related employer sanctions and audits, and conducts immigration due diligence on corporate transactions. She also defends clients in worksite investigations by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is a frequent national lecturer on I-9 compliance and business immigration.
She also possesses extensive experience in marriage-based immigration matters, including immigration interview preparation and representation.
Of Note
- Young Lawyer of the Year, American Immigration Lawyer's Association, 2006
- Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, Mecklenburg County Bar Association, 2006
- Member of the Board of Governors, American Immigration Lawyer's Association
- Participant, numerous community-focused Hispanic outreach initiatives
- Co-author, state legislation to protect the North Carolina immigrant population from notarial abuse
- Pro bono immigration counsel, Legal Services of Southern Piedmont
- Volunteer coordinator, UN's National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children
- Pro bono counsel for victims of domestic abuse, acquiring protective orders against abusers
- Recipient, Moore & Van Pro Bono/ Public Service Award, 2007
News
- Four MVA Attorneys Receive 2008 VLP Pro Bono Awards
- USCIS Changes Security Clearance Policy on Long-Pending Green Card Applications
Speaking Engagements
- Recent Development in Employment & Immigration Law CLE, April 16, 2008
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Mecklenburg County Bar
- American Immigration Lawyers Association: Vice Chair, National Business Immigration Committee; National Chair, New Members Divisions, Board of Governors, 2007-2008