Case Studies

Joanna L. Silver has been practicing in the firm’s Education practice group since 1997.  She regularly advises colleges, universities and other academic entities on a broad range of matters including academic and college affairs, student and residential life, formation of entities and foundations, provision of services to students and staff with disabilities, immigration, intellectual property, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), records and transcript issues, internal grievance and disciplinary procedures, discrimination and Title IX issues, school policy development and implementation, regulatory matters, construction, financial aid and accreditation and recertification.  Ms. Silver regularly represents her clients before the New York State Division of Human Rights and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).  In addition, she regularly trains academic administration, faculty and staff on such issues as FERPA, business immigration, sexual harassment and board governance.

In her capacity as counselto colleges and universities and in her representation of the firm's other clients, Ms. Silver is engaged in many aspects of immigration law including nonimmigrant visa petitions (H-1B, O-1, etc.), immigrant visa petitions and lawful permanent residence (PERM, outstanding professor or researcher, alien of extraordinary ability, special handling), student issues (F-1, J-1, OPT, SEVIS, etc.) and employment issues including Form I-9 compliance and taxation.  In this area of the law, Ms. Silver has been quoted in Crain's New York Business, Forbes and Employment Law 360.

Past Experience

Ms. Silver’s interest and involvement with the practice of education law began following her first year of law school when she interned for The State University of New York’s Office of University Counsel in Albany, New York.  Following her second year of law school, Ms. Silver worked for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the General Counsel in Washington, D.C., where she interned in the Educational Opportunity Division and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.   

Professional & Community Activities

• Member, National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)
• Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
• Served as a Trustee for the Old Westbury College Foundation, Inc., 2006-2009
• Serves as a Trustee for the Kingsborough Community College Foundation, 2010-present