Erickson Immigration Group (“EIG”), a leading business immigration law firm, announces that former US Department of State Consular Chief, Aaron Karnell, will join EIG as Senior Attorney, Consular Affairs. Karnell has years of extensive experience with various consular processes and brings a wealth of historical knowledge to EIG’s consular practice. Karnell will be based in EIG’s Arlington, VA office, positioning him to keep his finger on the pulse of State Department developments and updates.
Karnell joins EIG with 11 years of experience implementing US immigration law and 20 years of experience with the US Government. His experience includes posts as the Department of State Visa Office Liaison to US Customs and Border Protection (Sterling, VA); Consular Chief (Belfast, N. Ireland); Non-Immigrant Visa Chief (Matamoros, Mexico); Visa Line Chief (Guadalajara, Mexico); Economic Officer/Vice Consul (Gaborone, Botswana); Supervisory Program Officer (Washington, DC and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania); and Asylum Officer for USCIS (Arlington, VA). Karnell is a member of the Maryland Bar.
He joins a highly successful and experienced EIG Government Affairs Program that features former government employees, including a former USCIS Policy Chief (Obama Administration), and partners with connections to the White House and Capitol Hill.
“Having worked around the world, it’s clear that the future of business and innovation requires immigration. I am looking forward to working with EIG’s stellar team of dedicated and diverse immigration professionals — their commitment to their clients is second to none,” said Aaron Karnell, EIG Senior Attorney, Consular Affairs.
EIG’s Government Affairs Program offers clients the benefit of decades of government experience and real-time guidance on current affairs, advocacy, and opportunities to gain the insight of policy professionals. Strategically placed offices in Arlington, VA, San Francisco, Ireland, London, Melbourne, and Singapore, equip EIG’s Government Affairs Program to connect EIG and its clients to policy in Washington, DC, and other nations’ capitals worldwide. EIG’s Government Affairs Program anticipates changes in the immigration landscape and provides proactive solutions to the firm’s clients.
“EIG has developed our Government Affairs Program much like the other facets of our firm — legal services; technology, through the Aurora platform; and media — to see through on our vision: to help our clients achieve their goals by eliminating borders and enabling them to hire the best and brightest around the world,” said Justin Parsons, EIG Partner. “Aaron’s experience in DC and globally will carry that commitment forward and provide our clients with invaluable insights.”