Minal A. Shah

Partner

D (415) 901-2270F (415) 677-9244mshah@gibney.com Connect
Minal A. Shah

Minal manages Gibney’s San Francisco office and oversees all immigration matters.  She also leads firm-wide practice development.  Specializing in business immigration for over 20 years, she manages immigration programs for multinational companies and start-ups, advising corporate clients on regulatory compliance, workforce management, travel and immigration policies.  She represents corporate and individual clients before U.S. immigration authorities and federal agencies.  She obtains temporary work authorization and permanent resident status for international personnel, including executives, multinational managers, scientists, professionals, health care workers, students and artists.   Minal develops practical solutions and effective strategies to adapt to changes in the legal and political landscape impacting immigration, enabling employers to recruit and retain international talent.

Prior to her immigration practice, Minal served as Appellate Law Clerk to Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon of the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii.

education

  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., cum laude
  • University of California, Irvine, B.A., cum laude

bar admissions

  • California

court admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • California Supreme Court

Experience

  • Management of comprehensive immigration benefits and compliance programs for corporate clients in a range of industries including biotechnology, healthcare, information technology, media, arts & entertainment, manufacturing, and financial services.
  • Worked with in-house counsel and human resources personnel to adapt immigration policies to expanding and diverse remote work arrangements. Developed a strategic approach to support business continuity and compliance, including: identifying cases requiring special action, developing cost-saving strategies to maintain work authorization, educating stakeholders, and providing practical solutions to address workforce planning.
  • Consulted with clients to understand the immigration implications of complex corporate mergers and acquisitions, advised on the impact of corporate reorganizations and advised on retention of key personnel post-transaction
  • Worked closely with in-house counsel to develop site-visit protocols and guide clients through government inspections and audits
  • Assisted scientific researchers, executives and artists in obtaining work visas and permanent residence based on extraordinary abilities and contribution to the national interests of the U.S.
  • Provided pro bono services to non-profit social services organizations and individuals, including preparation of U visa applications
  • Represented individuals in family-based immigration applications, petitions for lawful permanent residence, and applications for naturalization

Memberships & Affiliations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • Northern California Chapter of AILA, prior leadership positions include the Advisory Council/Board, liaison to the State Workforce Agency and Chair of the Legal Ethics, Unauthorized Practice of Law and Consumer Protection Committees

Community Involvement

  • Minal has worked with various legal aid organizations and immigration clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area to provide legal services to underrepresented groups and individuals.

Articles, Publications & Lectures

Minal has presented continuing education seminars and lectures to human resources personnel and legal counsel on various topics, including:

  • U.S. and Global Immigration: Corporate Compliance in an Enforcement Era
  • E-Verify and Worksite Enforcement
  • Hiring and Retaining International Personnel: Strategies and Emerging Issues in U.S. and Global Immigration
  • Intracompany Transfers:  U.S. and Global Perspectives
  • PERM Labor Certification
  • Immigration Basics for Corporate and In-House Counsel
  • Outstanding or Extraordinary?  How to Prepare a Successful EB-1 Petition
  • Redefining Discrimination: Using Social Cognition Theory to Challenge the Faulty Assumptions of the “Intent Doctrine” in Anti-Discrimination Law

education

  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., cum laude
  • University of California, Irvine, B.A., cum laude

bar admissions

  • California

court admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • California Supreme Court