Robert Neale

Garvey Schubert Barer Adds Seasoned Immigration Attorney Robert Neale as Owner

Veteran practitioner with more than two decades of experience, including at international law firms and global corporations, adds depth to Garvey Schubert Barer’s already strong immigration practice

SEATTLE (September 6, 2017) Garvey Schubert Barer today announced that Robert Neale has joined the firm as an Owner in its Seattle office. Neale has been practicing immigration law for 25 years in a variety of roles, including as former in-house counsel at Microsoft as well as a managing attorney in the Northern California offices of one of the largest immigration-focused law firms.

Neale joins GSB’s Immigration Practice, which represents a range of clients – from major multinational entities to smaller, closely held businesses – in industries such as shipping, hospitality and travel, manufacturing, accounting, technology and forestry.  The group’s attorneys regularly represent clients in matters before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of State, U.S. diplomatic posts, the U.S. Department of Labor and state agencies.”

Neale has extensive experience advising companies and individuals on the complexities of business immigration law, including securing temporary work permits, submission of permanent residence applications, Form I-9 compliance, U.S.-Canada cross-border matters and consular processing. He has successfully implemented comprehensive proactive compliance programs in a variety of industries. Neale works closely with internal and external stakeholders in industry-leading companies and emerging enterprises to successfully align their global workforces with their business objectives.

Prior to joining Garvey Schubert Barer, Neale served as a partner at Fisher Phillips, where he opened the Seattle office of that firm and provided global immigration services to multinational companies who needed help managing their worldwide workforce. Prior to Fisher Phillips, Neale was Of Counsel at Jackson Lewis, P.C. For eight years, Neale was in-house counsel at Microsoft where he provided legal advice and guidance to senior management, executives, business partners, employees and other internal stakeholders.  Before joining Microsoft, he was in a managing attorney role in the Northern California offices of Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, one of the largest international immigration firms, where he worked with a wide range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups. 

“Rob is an excellent addition to our team,” said Gregg Rodgers, Chair of GSB’s Immigration practice. “Not only is he a talented and successful attorney, but he also has a passion to use his skills for pro-bono work, which has always been a hallmark of GSB. We’re thrilled to have him on board.”

Neale received his J.D. from the University of Oregon Law School in 1992 and is licensed in both Washington and Oregon. Neale also serves as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has received awards for his pro-bono work while at Microsoft and by the Volunteer Advocates for Immigrant Justice (VAIJ).

About Garvey Schubert Barer

Since its founding in 1966, GSB has provided results-oriented legal counsel to help clients – from established market leaders, to newly launched enterprises and governmental bodies – solve problems, create new opportunities and mitigate risk. The firm takes a holistic approach to managing clients’ needs, with attorneys that are deep in industry experience as well as broad in current and emerging issues. GSB has offices in Seattle, Portland, Washington, D.C., New York, and Beijing. More information is available on the web at www.gsblaw.com.