Teri A. Simmons
Georgia
Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
171 17th Street NW
Suite 2100
Atlanta, Georgia 30363
Tel: 404.873.8612
Email:
teri.simmons@agg.com
Web:
www.agg.com
Ms. Simmons focuses her practice on the management of legal services supporting foreign-owned business entities and individuals investing in the United States in the areas of corporate, employment and immigration law. As an immigration lawyer, she manages companies’ global immigration needs through the Employment/ Immigration Law Alliance as well as both U.S. immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing for businesses and families (temporary work visas and green cards), immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions and immigration reform and control act compliance. Under Ms. Simmons’ leadership, AGG’s Immigration Practice Team was hailed by the Legal 500 as having “one of the most prominent reputations for immigration law in the Southeast of the United States.”
Ms. Simmons is very active in the international community. Fluent in written and spoken German, she serves on the Boards of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeastern U.S., the German American Cultural Foundation and the German School of Atlanta. She manages the legal needs of German-owned corporations throughout the U.S. She has been featured in Atlanta Woman magazine in an article titled “Bringing the German Ways to Law” (December 2008). Ms. Simmons also serves on the Board and is past president of the Georgia-Indo American Chamber of Commerce and is quoted in a June 2009 GlobalAtlanta.com article titled “Atlanta, Georgia Reach Out to India.”
Ms. Simmons works frequently on legislative initiatives supporting U.S. economic development and business immigration initiatives, having served as the chair of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and on its national Customs and Border Protection Committee. She is also actively involved in the Employment Law Alliance, AGG’s Global Partner Alliance of firms supporting the global movement of personnel. She is a frequent speaker for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, multiple international chambers of commerce and foreign associations on international business and immigration law.
Our commitment to the industry includes a strong presence with, and participation within, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Bar Association, German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeastern U.S., the German American Cultural Foundation and the German School of Atlanta. Our team members serve or have served in leadership roles and on committees and boards of these organizations.
The Immigration and Nationality practice team is committed to helping our clients compete in the global market and can assist with the migration of employees to and from the United States, as well as helping clients understand employee workforce issues to maintain a legal workforce and a workplace free of immigration-related discrimination.
Our clients are diverse, representing various industries, including automotive, construction, hospitality, information technology, public housing, universities to name a few. We represent Fortune 500 companies, mid-size employers, public employers, small businesses and trade associations.
We assist clients in developing comprehensive employment eligibility verification and visa compliance programs. We provide counsel and strategic advice to clients on immigration policy issues such as comprehensive immigration reform, the J-1 program, E-Verify, international student visa issues.
AGG helps businesses realize their full potential by efficiently advising on transactions and defending employers when disputes arise. The firm has been a partner in business since its founding in 1949 by former Georgia Gov. Ellis Arnall, Sol I. Golden and Cleburne Gregory Jr. AGG succeeds by remaining nimble enough to answer client needs as market conditions change. Increased globalization and tougher regulations are two areas in which AGG has responded by adding practices and experienced attorneys to provide big-firm services for growing companies without big-firm fees and complexity. The result is exceptional client value. Historically, the firm has been strong in Healthcare, Real Estate (commercial), Corporate and Securities (M&A, etc.), Litigation, Bankruptcy, Global Mobility / Business Immigration, Private Wealth, Financial Services, and Food and Drug.
Teamwork by AGG’s strong roster of experts simplifies legal services for clients and assures the highest quality work. The firm earned a spot on The National Law Journal’s prestigious 2013 Midsize Hot List, one of only 20 firms nationwide to receive that honor. AGG also was named a 2013 “Go-To All Star Law Firm of the Top 500 Companies” by American Lawyer Media (ALM), publisher of Corporate Counsel, The American Lawyer and The National Law Journal. ALM polled in-house counsel, and only those firms that achieved “Go-To Law Firm” status at least five times made the all star list. AGG’s lawyers and practices are recognized year after year by the leading rankings services — Chambers and Partners and Best Lawyers.