Sean G. Hanagan

Sean G. Hanagan is a principal in the White Plains, New York, office of Jackson Lewis P.C.

Working with human resources professionals and in-house counsel, he helps employers develop business solutions and policies for the hire and movement of international staff. Sean advises on I-9 employment eligibility verification, E-Verify and social security issues, and on best practices to avoid hiring-related discrimination. He defends companies subject to government audits and investigations, and guides employers through the process of securing employment visas for critical foreign staff. Sean speaks regularly before employer organizations and writes on workplace law subjects.

He studied Japanese and International law at Temple University Japan, in Tokyo.

Practice Focus Areas

• Assuring immigration benefits compliance by advising on DHS post-approval site visits and public access files for visa petitions, and training employers’ staff on proper records maintenance
• Conducting I-9 internal audits and developing Social Security No-Match notification procedures and policies for employers
• Creating and implementing employee I-9 verification procedures and programs that meet ICE and civil rights requirements
• Representing employers under immigration investigations, civil I-9 audits, or who have been subject to ICE worksite operations
• Negotiating with ICE on behalf of corporate clients to reduce or avoid costly fines and federal contract debarment
• Conducting internal reviews of potential violations of employee verification policies and immigration laws, and formulating action plans to ensure legal compliance
• Reviewing the verification processes of clients’ contractors and temporary worker providers
• Developing employee recruiting and hiring strategies to minimize visa cap implications and maximize potential use of cap exemptions and alternative avenues to the H-1B category
• Counseling employers on international transfers and travel strategies for executives, managers, engineers, scientists, chemists, athletes, and specialized and key employees, including advice regarding security issues that may affect entry to the United States
• Preparing and filing temporary employment visa petitions, including among others E, I, J, H, L, O, P, R and TN visas

Honors and Recognitions

• Business Council of Westchester, “40 under 40 Rising Star” (2008)
• Legal 500 USA, "Recommended Attorney" (2016)

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Japan Society
• Rotary International

Published Works

• Immigration For Employers, bi-annual newsletter Contributor and Editor, and editor of practice group blogs, articles and quarterly immigration e-blast
• “Employing International Workers," Inside the Minds series (2013 Edition) [Chapter Author]
• “Workplace Law Implications of 2012 Presidential Election,” Jackson Lewis Preventive Strategies (October 2012)
• “How The Immigration Policy Stalemate is Hurting Businesses and the Economy,” Inside Counsel (July 2012) [Quoted]

Speeches

• “U.S. Immigration Law Reform: What You Don’t Hear in the Press,” American Bar Association Labor And Employment Mid-Winter Conference (March 2014)
• Pro-Bono Partnership Immigration Presentation, Westchester, New York (November 2013)
• “Legal Quick Hit: Employment-Based Immigration Options for Foreign Workers in the U.S.” Association of Corporate Counsel Webcast Presentation (June 2013)
• “Immigration Reform: The Employment Perspective,” American Bar Association CLE Webinar (April 2013)
• NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference Speaker (June 2011)