Managing Partner Michael Wildes is pleased to announce that Wildes & Weinberg has secured an extension of O-1 visa classification on behalf of Dr. Reece Akhtar, a leading expert in the field of industrial-organizational psychology. November 2019.
With a PhD in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Financial Computing, both from the prestigious University College, University of London, Dr. Akhtar has a unique background in psychology, data science, psychometrics and computer machine learning. Over the last decade, Dr. Akhtar has worked with several distinguished organizations, including in the United Kingdom and in the United States. For each of these prestigious companies, Dr. Akhtar developed core products such as assessments and tools that were then used by these companies’ clients, which include Fortune 500 companies and major organizations such as Red Bull and The World Bank. Additionally, Dr. Akhtar has authored over 20 articles that have been published in prominent peer-reviewed scientific journals. His articles have been cited over 800 times by other authors and scholars. We look forward to watching his robust career continue in the United States!
In order to qualify for an O-1 visa, which allows individuals of extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences, athletics, education or business to live and work in the United States, a foreign national must provide adequate documentation to demonstrate that he/she has sustained national or international acclaim in their field.
In addition, the individual must provide substantial evidence to prove that he/she meets three of the evidence categories defined by statute, as well as a written advisory opinion from a labor union or relevant peer group. The O-1 visa applicant must also show that he/she has an offer of employment in the United States to work in his/her field of expertise (or several offers of employment from multiple sources, along with a third-party Agent to petition on the individual’s behalf and connect him/her to the multiple employers).
Wildes & Weinberg, P.C. was founded in 1960 by Michael’s father, Leon Wildes, whose best-known accomplishment was his successful representation of John Lennon in his widely publicized deportation proceedings, the circumstances of which have inspired several films and documentaries. The firm specializes exclusively in the practice of U.S. immigration and nationality law, has a distinguished domestic and international clientele, and can assist with any type of immigration matter including employment and investment-based immigration, work permits, permanent residence for qualified individuals, family-based immigration, asylum applications, all temporary and permanent type visas, and U.S. citizenship.
In addition to running a highly successful immigration law practice, Michael is a three term Mayor in Englewood, New Jersey, is the author of Safe Haven in America: Battles to Open the Golden Door, which draws on over a quarter of a century of his practice in the immigration field, is an Adjunct Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, and serves as Counsel to Lincoln Center and several international/corporate law firms. Moreover, Michael is internationally renowned for his successful representation of distinguished individuals and corporate clients such as performing artists, directors, writers, models, actors/actresses, athletes, race car drivers, fine artists, art dealers, curators, musicians, photographers, stylists, and literary agents. Some of the firm’s other distinguished clients include scholar Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, as well as soccer icon Pele, Master Chef Jean-Georges and First Lady Melania Trump and her family.
Today, the firm of Wildes & Weinberg, maintains offices in New York City, New York, Englewood, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, and a presence in Los Angeles, California and continues to maintain its stellar reputation in the field of U.S. Immigration & Nationality Law.
For more information on the O-1 visa category, please visit our Immigration 101 page or contact Michael Wildes at michael@wildeslaw.com.