Bill’s legal work focuses on immigration and nationality law, as well as outbound emigration and related international law. He regularly represents clients in immigration matters before the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Labor, as well as before US and foreign consulates.
During law school, he served on the editorial board of the Houston Journal of International Law.
Experience
viewpoints
Cap-Exempt H-1B Petitions Once Again Eligible for Premium Processing
July 25, 2017 | Blog | By William Coffman
Effective immediately, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will resume premium processing for select cap-exempt H-1B petitions. Cap-exempt petitioners who are eligible for premium processing can file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, along with the filing fee of $1,225.
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USCIS Reveals H-1B Cap Submission Numbers & President Trump Signs a New Executive Order
April 19, 2017 | Alert | By William Coffman
As a follow-up to the April 7, 2017 announcement that the H-1B cap had been reached, on Monday, April 17, USCIS revealed that it has now completed the random selection of the 85,000 petitions for the quota and that in total, the agency received 199,000 H-1B cap-subject submissions.
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FAQs for Entering the U.S.—Entry Inspection and Electronic Devices
April 6, 2017 | Blog | By William Coffman, Cassie Ramos
All individuals entering the U.S. at international ports of entry are inspected by US Customs & Border Protection (CBP). This occurs at either the arrival airport in the U.S., Pre-Flight Inspection if flying from most Canadian airports, or border crossings into the U.S. from either Canada or Mexico.
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Increased Scrutiny of Visa Applications and Possible Delays
March 28, 2017 | Alert | By William Coffman
On March 17, 2017, the Department of State (“DOS”), through the Secretary of State, issued a cable to all US consulates and embassies with guidance on enhanced screening and vetting of applications for US visas and other immigration benefits.
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DHS Site Visits and Inspections — Be Prepared
March 9, 2017 | Alert | By Susan Cohen, William Coffman
From time to time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducts site visits at the offices of employers petitioning for temporary work visas on behalf of their employees. These visits are funded by the $500 “anti-fraud” fee that is a component of the filing fee for H-1B and L-1 visas.
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Work and Travel Guidance for F-1 Students with Pending H-1B “Change of Status” Applications and “Cap-Gap” Employment Authorization
March 8, 2017 | Advisory | By William Coffman
This advisory summarizes key travel and employment issues if you are an F-1 student with Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment eligibility valid to April 1, 2017 or later, and an H-1B filing on your behalf has been accepted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
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RECENT IMMIGRATION LAW CHANGES AND A ROADMAP FOR COMPLIANCE IN A NEW ADMINISTRATION
January 23, 2017 | Blog | By William Coffman
Update - NEW BOSTON EVENT DATE: Due to safety concerns surrounding the recent snow storm, Mintz Levin rescheduled the Boston Immigration Seminar to Thursday, March 2. To register, please click here or see below. We hope you can join us!
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2018 Green Card Lottery Registration
September 23, 2016 | Alert | By William Coffman
On October 1, 2016, the US Department of State will begin accepting requests to register for the 2018 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2018), also known as the Green Card Lottery.
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UK Immigration: SMS Request Premium Service Announced for Future Implementation
September 22, 2016 | Blog | By William Coffman
The UK Home Office has announced plans to offer an optional premium service for requests made through the Sponsor Management System (SMS). This service will allow Sponsors to pay a fee of £200 for expedited processing of certain types of requests including Certificate of Sponsorship allocation and Level 1 user appointment.
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Work and Travel Guidance for F-1 Students with H-1B Change of Status Petitions
June 27, 2016 | Blog | By Immigration News Team, William Coffman
Practice Chair Susan Cohen and Of Counsel Bill Coffman have published annual guidance on travel for F-1 students who are the beneficiaries of H-1B petitions with change of status requests.
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News & Press
USCIS Fee Increases May Have Unintended Consequences
February 15, 2024|
Twenty-Eight Mintz Attorneys Named To Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers List
November 22, 2022|
Best Lawyers® recognized 108 firm attorneys in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Notably, two Mintz attorneys – Poonam Patidar and Scott M. Stanton – received 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” awards, and 28 firm attorneys were included in the inaugural edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
One Hundred Mintz Attorneys Ranked as Leaders by Best Lawyers 2020
August 15, 2019|
Immigration Compliance Essentials For 2019
January 22, 2019|
Events & Speaking
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Dec
6
2018
Immigration Compliance & Risk Management Webinar Series
Part II: Creating Compliance Policies for a New Era
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Oct
25
2018
Immigration Compliance & Risk Management Webinar Series
Part I: Keeping DHS in Your Sights: Site Visits & Record Keeping
Panelist
Aug
10
2018
2018 AILA Employer Compliance and Worksite Enforcement CLE Conference
Sheraton Boston Hotel, 39 Dalton St., Boston, MA
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May
30
2017
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May
24
2017
Employment-based Immigration: Talent Acquisition, Retention & Compliance under a New Administration
Mintz Levin
San Diego, CA
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Feb
16
2017
A Round-up of Recent Immigration Law Changes and a Roadmap for Compliance in a New Administration
Mintz Levin
New York, NY
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Recognition & Awards
Best Lawyers in America: Immigration Law (2013 – 2027); Lawyer of the Year (2025)
Chambers USA: Massachusetts – Immigration (2021 – 2026)
Recommended by The Legal 500 United States for Labor & Employment: Immigration (2014, 2020 – 2025)
International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers (2016 – 2019)
Top Author in the semiconductor industry, JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards (2016)
Boston Magazine: Top Lawyers – Immigration (2021)
Involvement
- Panelist, AILA's Employment-Based Green Card Applications: Considerations and Strategies webinar
- Member, Boston Bar Association
- Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Recent Insights
2027 Business Immigration Outlook for Employers
October 30, 2026| Webinar
