Overview
Helena Wasey Abebe provides nuanced legal advice to corporate clients on complex U.S. business immigration processes, develops corporate immigration sponsorship policies, and partners with client contacts throughout the talent hiring and retention process. She has significant experience handling E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1A, L-1B, TN, PERM (labor market test), EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 matters for Fortune 500 companies within the manufacturing, e-commerce, retail, energy, marketing, mining, finance, technology, pharmaceutical and entertainment industries. She also has experience providing advice on and handling family-based immigration and naturalization (citizenship) matters.
Prior Experience
Helena has over 12 years of experience in the U.S. immigration law field, including as an immigration paralegal. Immediately before joining Faegre Drinker, Helena served as in-house legal counsel for a fast-growing start-up and handled all aspects of the company’s immigration work and provided advice related to its international growth efforts. She also evaluated existing immigration and HR processes and developed scalable and well-articulated company-wide policies and processes in line with the company’s growth strategy. Prior to that, she served as an associate at a full-service law firm in Washington, D.C. where she advised major multinational companies on all facets of U.S. business immigration processes and managed relationships with key contacts.
Languages
Helena is fluent in Amharic and French.
Related Legal Services
Related Industries
Credentials
Bar Admissions
District of Columbia
New York
Court Admissions
New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Languages
Amharic
French
Education
Louisiana State University Law Center
LL.M. Journal of Civil Law Studies (graduate editor) (2009)
Jean Moulin University Lyon 3
Masters in Law - International Public Action, with distinction (2007)
Pierre Mendès-France University Grenoble 2
LL.B. with distinction (2004)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
Other Perspectives
- Decoding Apple's $25 Million Settlement: A Deep Dive Into PERM Recruitment Practices
Republished in HR Legal & Compliance Excellence, December 4, 2023
Leadership & Community
Pro Bono
- Volunteer Attorney, American Bar Association, Free Federal Legal Answers (Immigration)
- Intake for VAWA/U visa eligible individuals at Montgomery County’s Family Justice Center
- Obtained VAWA protection and lawful permanent resident status (green card) for victim of domestic violence
- Obtained lawful permanent resident status (green card) and citizenship for spouse of U.S. citizen affected by travel ban
- Former Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) DC Chapter Pro Bono Committee
Professional Associations
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), 2015-present
- AILA DC Chapter Education Committee (Co-Chair/Member) — 2019-22
- AILA African Diaspora Interest Group — Leader, 2022-23
- AILA New Members Division — Member, 2023-24
- American Bar Association, 2014-present
- New York State Bar Association, 2014-23
- National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), 2023-present
Honors
- American Bar Association Commission on Immigration — Pro Bono Champion, 2023-24
- Faegre Drinker — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2024