Career
Sarah Lea Tobocman is a shareholder who co-leads Gunster’s Immigration practice. She is a member of the firm’s Women’s Leadership Forum and co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee. Sarah has been practicing business immigration law since 1983, and has led Gunster’s Immigration practice since 1999.
Sarah has over 30 years of experience working with corporate immigration clients. She is a former chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association South Florida Chapter, and a former co-chair of the Immigration Committee of the International Law Section of the Florida Bar.
Sarah maintains longstanding international, national and Florida based client relationships and represents public and private companies across a wide range of business sectors, including financial management and banking, health care, technology, hospitality, construction, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. Sarah advises businesses in employment based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petition planning, strategy, preparation and filing for executives, managers, investors, professionals, aliens of extraordinary ability and skilled workers.
With a consistent focus on compliance issues, she is actively involved in helping business clients maintain a legal workforce, including employment eligibility verification and H-1B Labor Condition Application compliance document preparation, file reviews, trainings, customized policies and counsel regarding best practice compliance programs. Immigration related merger and acquisition due diligence is also provided. In addition, Sarah facilitates global personnel transfers through active participation in highly regarded international networks of immigration counsel.
Sarah partners with clients to develop and implement unique, comprehensive immigration strategies for complex multi-faceted business situations. Her commitment to excellence spans industry, operations, corporate culture and specific client business objectives. She carefully analyzes and, in partnership with her clients, devises internal solutions that are successfully executed. Sarah is dedicated to client engagement, quality and responsiveness.
Having lived and studied in Latin America, she is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of Portuguese.