Linda Armstrong, Butzel Long Photo

Linda J. Armstrong dedicates her practice to Business and Family Immigration Law, including all aspects of the international movement of personnel. For more than two decades, individuals and businesses of all sizes, engaged in a multitude of industries, have sought Linda’s counsel and representation. Ms. Armstrong proudly serves as Chair of Butzel’s Immigration Practice Department.

Overview

When working with Linda Armstrong on any variety of business and immigration issues, whether routine or complex, clients can expect diligence and an unparalleled level of personal attention. Ms. Armstrong represents professionals including engineers, scientists, corporate executives, professional athletes, entertainers, coaches, trainers, and others.

Examples of issues Linda helps to navigate include immigration consequences resulting from corporate restructuring and mergers and acquisitions; employer and workplace compliance issues, including I-9 and H-1B public access file investigations; inbound and outbound work-authorized immigrant and nonimmigrant matters; and labor certification. She is a long-time member of the firm’s Global Automotive Coordinating Committee and as such, has helped businesses large and small, and individuals in this industry, navigate countless immigration issues.

Ms. Armstrong represents clients at investigations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Labor regarding employment verification issues, at various US embassies and consulates abroad, at ports of entry to process admissions to the US under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and assists with obtaining appropriate nonimmigrant and immigrant classifications.

Additionally, Ms. Armstrong provides on-site training to business clients on numerous topics, including US nonimmigrant visas; US permanent resident processing; employer compliance issues, including I-9 completion and compliance and H-1B public access file compliance; and outbound general strategic planning.

Linda Armstrong is a frequent speaker on business immigration to professional and business organizations, including the International Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA), Walsh College, and MEMA, The Vehicle Suppliers Association (MEMA). For more than 20 years, Ms. Armstrong helped organize and presented at Butzel's full-day Immigration Seminar and the firm’s Annual Labor, Employment, and Immigration Law Forum.

Ms. Armstrong is a Shareholder practicing in Butzel’s Troy office. She has been recognized consistently during her career for her work in Immigration Law by several regional and national legal publications.

Primary Practice Areas

Credentials

Education

Detroit College of Law n/k/a Michigan State University College of Law, J.D.

Madonna College, B.S.

Admissions

  • Michigan

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association - past Immigration Committee Co-Chair
  • State Bar of Michigan - International Law Section, past Council Member; past Immigration Committee Co-Chair
  • Detroit Bar Association
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • AILA Michigan Chapter - Committee Member; past Membership Committee Chair and Department of Labor Liaison

Awards & Recognitions

Awards & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America® - Immigration Law, 2011-2025

DBusiness - Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Immigration Law, 2011-2025

Leading Lawyers - Immigration Law: Employment; Immigration Law: Individual, 2021

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, “Women in the Law,” 2019

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Immigration – 2025

Experience

  • Prepared J-1 waivers of 2 year foreign residency requirement based on no-objection letters, interested government agencies, hardship and other grounds
  • Preparation of J-1 Exchange Visitor and H-3 Trainee applications and petitions for employees of foreign companies with U.S. facilities
  • Represented clients at Port of Entry to process admission to US under NAFTA
  • Assisted employers in obtaining appropriate nonimmigrant classification (TN, H-1B, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, O-1, E-1/E-2, P) and immigrant classification (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and EB-5).
  • Assisted with preservation of residency for naturalization purposes for individuals transferred overseas
  • Represented employers during investigations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Department of Labor regarding employment verification issues.
  • Analyzed effect of corporate changes, including mergers and acquisitions, on foreign national’s immigration status.
  • Provided preventative counseling on Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor investigations and employer sanctions.
  • Represented clients with applications of waiver of inadmissibility due to past legal history or immigration history.
  • Obtained approval of Immigration Petition for Alien of Extraordinary Ability for various professionals including engineers, scientists, corporate executives, professional athletes, entertainers, coaches, and trainers.
  • Represented employers in USCIS administrative site visit
  • Represented clients in obtaining visas at various US Embassies and Consulates abroad
  • Conducted in-house training on I-9 form compliance and retention, including electronic completion and storage of I-9 forms
  • Advised employers regarding maintenance of employer/employee relationship when foreign national is placed offsite
  • Obtained re-entry permits to maintain permanent residence status in the United States for individuals transferred abroad
  • Obtained re-entry permit to maintain permanent residency for individuals transferred overseas
  • Represented employers in investigations conducted by the USDOL concerning H-1B Labor Condition Application public access file including benching and wage and hour issues.
  • Evaluated retention of dual citizenship for U.S. and other countries such as Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, etc.
  • Assisted family members in obtaining appropriate fianc
  • Conducted internal audits of I-9 forms for clients
  • Represented clients in complex naturalization matters including restoration of U.S. citizenship, appeals for denied naturalization applications, and evaluate strategies for overcoming grounds of ineligibility.
  • Consulted with clients regarding special permanent resident card interviews
  • Represented employers during investigations conducted by USICE and USDOL regarding employment verification issues
  • Conducted in-house training regarding preparing and maintaining H-1B public access files and Labor Certification Applications
  • Obtained removal of conditions on permanent residency
  • Obtained permanent resident status pursuant to registry provisions based on residence in U.S. since January 1972
  • Managed multi-country projects and obtained work authorizations in multiple jurisdictions for individuals of various nationalities.

News & Events

News

Speaking Engagements

Alerts & Publications

Client Alerts

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