A. James Vázquez-Azpiri counsels corporate clients on hiring and retaining foreign employees in his business immigration law practice. He advises businesses on labor certifications, specialty occupation petitions, and intracompany transfers. Clients rely on James for guidance through immigration law compliance during mergers, acquisitions, and corporate restructurings. He helps clients think and work proactively by providing them with traditional compliance policy reviews and audits, case management and litigation technology, and international executive travel and foreign resident worker visa processing.
Extended Profile
A co-leader of the firm’s global immigration practice, James is part of Morgan Lewis’s cross-practice Global Workforce team. The group provides integrated cross-border advice, counseling, and strategic planning across the spectrum of labor, employment, benefits, and immigration issues.
Before joining Morgan Lewis, James was a partner at a San Francisco-based firm. He also served as an adjunct attorney for the US Commission on Immigration Reform.
Legal and human rights groups have acclaimed James’s pro bono work. He has received both the C. Anthony Friedrich Memorial Award from the International Human Rights Law Group and the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services from the State Bar of California.
James is fluent in Spanish.
Education
Harvard Law School, 1995, LL.M.
New York University School of Law, 1992, J.D.
Princeton University, 1987, M.A.
University of St. Andrews, Scotland, 1985, M.A.
Admissions
California
Awards and Affiliations
Recognized, Leading US Corporate Employment Lawyer, Lawdragon 500 (2020, 2021)
Band 1, Immigration, California, Chambers USA (2018–2020)
Ranked, Immigration, Nationwide, Chambers USA (2019)
Ranked, Immigration, California, Chambers USA (2007–2017)
Ranked, Immigration: Business, USA, Chambers Global (2010–2013, 2016–2020)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360 (2017, 2019)
Recognized, Top Authors for Immigration, JD SupraReaders’ Choice Awards (2017)
Recognized, Immigration MVP, Law360 (2016)
Recommended, Labor and Employment – Immigration, The Legal 500 US (2014, 2016-2020)
Finalist, The Recorder’s Litigation Department of the Year – Labor and Employment (2013)
