Overview

Sarah Kilibarda has focused on solving immigration and global mobility (IGM) challenges throughout her 20-year career — first as an AmeriCorps volunteer, working with low-income immigrants in Texas, then as an immigration paralegal and attorney, focusing specifically on employment-based immigration.

Sarah counsels business clients on employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and labor certifications filed before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Sarah manages immigration matters for clients ranging from small public and private companies to Fortune 500 multinational corporations in the health care, insurance, information technology, engineering, high tech, education and manufacturing industries. She assists in advancing Faegre Drinkers' technology initiatives and ongoing process improvements to better serve the firm's immigration and global mobility clients, including the implementation of Six Sigma practices.

U.S. Immigration

Sarah handles inbound U.S. employment-based immigration matters, including:

  • Preparing all types of petitions for temporary work visas, including H-1Bs, TNs, H-3s, L-1s and E-3s
  • Assisting with filing and renewal of L-1 blanket petitions and advising on the L-1 blanket process at U.S. consulates
  • Preparing multinational manager immigrant visa petitions
  • Preparing applications for permanent residence, including PERM applications, immigrant visa petitions, adjustment of status applications, and applications for advance parole and employment authorization
  • Advising on visa-related issues with U.S. consular officials and admissibility matters with USCBP officers at border ports of entry

Corporate Counseling

Sarah counsels management, HR and employees on issues including:

  • Developing immigration-related policies and procedures that outline company commitments and expectations for foreign national employees
  • Guiding employers through the PERM process and developing best practices for compliance
  • Advising employers on compliance with state and federal laws related to I-9s
  • Advising employers and foreign national employees on travel-related issues, including consular processing and admissibility

Credentials

Bar Admissions

Minnesota

Education

University of St. Thomas School of Law
J.D. (2004)

College of Saint Benedict
B.A. (1997)

Insights & Events

Other Perspectives
  • PERM: Building an Administrative Record for a Sophisticated Employment-Based Permanent Residence Case
    AILA Upper Midwest Immigration Law Conference, May 2014
  • Best Practices at India Consular Posts
    AILA Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter, January 2014
  • What's "Trending Now" in Business Immigration
    Immigration & Global Mobility Seminar, "Passport to Success: Anticipating
    Immigration Reform & Addressing Today's Expanding Global Workforce," Faegre
    Baker Daniels, May 2013
  • Current Trends and Strategies With Audits, RFEs and Denials
    Immigration & Global Mobility Seminar, "Passport to Success: Anticipating
    Immigration Reform & Addressing Today's Expanding Global Workforce," Faegre
    Baker Daniels, May 2013

Firm Blog Contributions

  • LaborSphere – a resource providing coverage and insights on breaking cases, recently enacted legislation and a broad range of labor issues

Leadership & Community

Pro Bono

  • Special Immigrant Juvenile — Representing minors who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents; assist in securing U.S. permanent residence
  • Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota's Pro Bono Naturalization Project — Assisting low income permanent residents apply for U.S. citizenship
  • Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota's DREAMer Pro Bono Project — Representing immigrants in their Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) cases

Professional Associations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

Civic Activities

  • Mixed Blood Theatre — Board of Directors, Governance Committee (Co-Chair)

Honors

  • JD Supra — Readers' Choice Awards, 2017