2025 AILA Northern Border Conference

The AILA Upstate NY Chapter invites you to its 2025 Northern Border Conference on September 25 and 26, 2025 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Buffalo, New York. This year’s conference brings together immigration law professionals for two days of learning and networking. Held in downtown Buffalo, NY, the conference will feature two tracks covering important immigration topics. Register today!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Check-in, Networking

4:00 p.m.

Welcome and Introduction

Special Sessions Co-chairs:

·        Rosanna Berardi, Partner, Berardi Law Firm (Buffalo, NY)

·        Lindsay A. Curcio, Law Office of Lindsay A. Curcio (Grand Island, NY)

4:05 p.m. – 5:05 p.m.

Practical AI for Immigration Lawyers: From Research to Content Creation

·        Rosanna Berardi, Partner, Berardi Law Firm (Buffalo, NY)

·        Anthony DeSimone, CPA – You’re The Expert Now (Buffalo, NY)

5:10 p.m. – 6:10 p.m.

NYS Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias Eligible Panel

·        Kinsey O'Brien, Partner, Hodgson Russ, LLP (Buffalo, NY)

·        Additional Panelists Pending

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

8:00 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.

Continental Breakfast, Check-in, Networking

8:45 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction

·        Jennifer Behm, Partner, Berardi Immigration Law (Buffalo, NY)

·        Richard Link, Richard Link, Staff Attorney, JustCause (Rochester, NY)

8:50 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Update Panel: Insights from Airports and the Northern Border

·        Zabrina V. Reich, Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP (Buffalo, NY)

·        Alexis Axelrad, Partner, Barst Mukamal & Kleiner LLP, AILA National President Elect (New York)

·        Nell Barker, Partner, Kempster, Corcoran, Quiceno & Lenz-Calvo, Ltd. (Chicago, IL)

·        Frank Russo, Director of Field Operations, CBP, New York Field Office *

·        Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, CBP, Buffalo Field Office *

·        Jill Kulczyk, Program Manager, CBP, Port of Buffalo, NY *

*Pending Final Confirmation

Break (10 Min)

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Hot Topics 2025: Business, Removal, and Family Immigration in a Shifting Landscape

·        Jeff Joseph, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP, AILA National President (Aurora, CO)

·        Alexis Axelrad, Barst Mukamal & Kleiner LLP, AILA National President Elect (New York)

·        David Wilks, Hodgson Russ, LLP, AILA National Secretary (Rochester, NY)

·        Jessica Jensen, MLT Aikins, AILA National Elected Director (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

11:05 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

When Worlds Collide: Business and Humanitarian Strategies for Today’s Immigration Climate

·        Nicole Simon, Managing Partner, Landau, Hess, Simon, Choi & Doebley (Philadelphia, PA)

·        Michael Wilk, Wilk Legal PLLC (Albany, NY)

·        Randall Chamberlin, Law Office of Randall Chamberlin PLLC (New York)

12:15 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.   Lunch

Removal/Family Track

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Federal Litigation Update: Recent Developments and Emerging Trends

·        Aaron Aisen, Senior Staff Attorney, Federal Litigation, Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (Buffalo, NY)

·        Jeff Joseph, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP, AILA National President (Aurora, CO)

·        Charles Kuck, Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC, AILA National Past President (Atlanta, GA)

2:05 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.

Ethical Issues in the New Enforcement Era

·        Cyrus Mehta, Cyrus D. Mehta & Partners PLLC (New York, NY)

·        Allyson DiPofi, Senior Attorney, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (Cleveland, OH)

·        Andrea Saenz, Senior Counsel, Co-Counsel NYC and former Appellate Immigration Judge (New York, NY)

Break (10 Min)

3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Introduction to Immigration Litigation in Federal Court

·        Aaron Aisen, Senior Staff Attorney, Federal Litigation, Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (Buffalo, NY)

·        Charles Kuck, Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC, AILA National Past President (Atlanta, GA)

·        Scott Sroka, Special Counsel, Phillips Lytle LLP (Buffalo, NY)

Break (10 Min)

4:25 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.

Get Out and Stay Out: Detention and Bond Strategies in the Wake of Q Li

·        Brenda Cisneros, Director of Detained Immigration Program, Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (Batavia, NY)

·        Siana McLean, Partner, Richards & Jurusik LLP (Buffalo, NY)

·        Andrea Saenz, Senior Counsel, Co-Counsel NYC and former Appellate Immigration Judge (New York, NY)

Business Track

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Plan B (and C): Future-Proofing Talent Strategies Amid H-1B and OPT Uncertainty

·        Jonathan Grode, U.S. Practice Director (Managing Partner), Green and Spiegel (Philadelphia, PA)

·        Danielle Goldman, Co-Founder and CEO, The Build Fellowship by Open Avenues (New York, NY)

·        Jerome Grzeca, Managing Partner, Grzeca Law Group (Milwaukee, WI)

2:05 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.

H-1B Under Pressure: Terminations, RFEs, Wage-Based Selection Changes

·        Danielle Rizzo, Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP (Buffalo, NY)

·        Andrew Wilson, Partner, Lippes Mathias LLP (Buffalo, NY)

·        Brendan Venter, Member, Harris Beach Murtha PLLC (Albany, NY)

Break (10 Min)

3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Investor & Executive Mobility in a Changing Immigration Landscape: Strategies for E, L, and Beyond

·        Dan Joyce, Of Counsel, Fiegel, Carr & Joyce Law Firm (Buffalo, NY)

·        Shavit Yarden, Yarden Law Group, LLC (New York, NY)

·        Sylvia Yong, KPMG Law (Toronto, Ontario)

·        Liz Martin, Partner, Apa, Martin & Buscaglia PLLC (Buffalo, NY)

Break (10 Min)

4:25 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.

Employer Compliance Under Heightened Enforcement: I-9, E-Verify, Offsite Contractors & Corporate Risk

·        Jennifer Behm, Partner, Berardi Immigration Law (Buffalo, NY)

·        Elizabeth Buscaglia, Partner, Apa, Martin & Buscaglia PLLC (Buffalo, NY)

·        Andrew Zeltner, Partner, Klasko Immigration Law Partners (Philadelphia, PA)

·        Additional Panelist Pending 

5:30 p.m. – Closing Remarks

·        AILA Upstate NY Chapter Chair: Zabrina Reich, Partner, Phillips Lytle (Buffalo, NY)

·        AILA Upstate NY Chapter Vice-Chair: Elizabeth Buscaglia, Partner, Apa, Martin & Buscaglia PLLC (Buffalo, NY)

Happy Hour Networking Reception to Follow

CLE Credits

CLE credit generously sponsored by Hodgson Russ LLP. Attendees may obtain 9 NY CLE credits. Attendees must sign into the conference, and complete and submit a validation worksheet to obtain proof of credits.

Note: Final schedule subject to change.

 2025 Conference Planning Committee:

 Aaron Aisen

Jen Behm

Rosanna Berardi

Elizabeth Buscaglia

Randall Chamberlain

Brenda Cisneros

Lindsay A. Curcio

Marisol Estrada Cruz

Dan Joyce

Dalya Kefi

Richard Link

Zabrina Reich

Danielle Rizzo

Brittany Triggs

Shavit Yarden

Sylvia Yong

Non-Profit Discount Code

AILA Upstate New York is pleased to offer a $75 per person conference fee to non-profit organizations when three or more attorneys from the same non-profit organization register to attend. Please use the discount code AILA3 at checkout.

Hotel

We have secured a small block of rooms at a special rate at the Embassy Suites Buffalo for $259 USD plus taxes per night for Thursday, September 25, 2025 and Friday, September 26, 2025. Quantities are limited. The last day to book at this rate is Friday, September 5, 2025.

To book a room, please use this booking link: https://group.embassysuites.com/em2hxp

Reservations can also be made by phone direct at 1-800-HILTONS. Reference "AILA Upstate New York Fall Conference Room Block".