Carrie Ziegler Thomas

Carrie Ziegler Thomas is an experienced employment-based immigration attorney. She assists clients from a range of industries in meeting their U.S. immigration needs and provides sound, actionable counsel to help companies navigate challenges.

Carrie drafts nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions, including H-1B, L-1A, L-1B, Blanket L Certification, TN, O-1, E-1, E-2, E-3, and J-1 waiver documents, PERM applications, and U.S. permanent residence petitions such as EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and EB-5. She works with companies on worksite compliance issues including immigration site visits, internal I-9 audits and best practices, E-Verify use, and responding to Social Security no-match letters.

Before joining the firm, Carrie was a partner in the business immigration practice of another Milwaukee-area firm. Earlier in her legal career, Carrie was an associate with two local law firms.

Member, American Bar Association

Member, Wisconsin Bar Association

Wisconsin Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA): Chair, 2022 – 2023; Vice Chair, 2021 – 2022; Treasurer, 2020 – 2021; Secretary, 2019 – 2020

Business Section Steering Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

Worked with foreign investors to file EB-5 green card petitions for direct investments in new businesses, helping to solve complex source of funds issues.

Successfully filed O-1 extraordinary ability petitions for innovative engineers and talented artists, such as coach-builders.

Partnered with companies to find creative hiring solutions, including temporary need and long-term planning, to fill staffing needs.

Worked with companies during a merger or acquisition to analyze the immigration effect of the change and prepare the necessary documents to minimize the impact on employees.

Counseled companies in an increasingly strict immigration adjudication climate to strengthen petitions and strategize ways to reduce Requests for Evidence.

Marquette University Law School

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

2006

Ferris State University

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

2001