LEON VERSFELD

Versfeld & Hugo, LLC provides expert assistance and guidance throughout your immigration process.

Mr. Versfeld represents a variety of small and Fortune Companies both nationally and internationally. He provides counsel to their Human Resource Departments on the hiring of Foreign National Workers, Executives and Specialized Workers; and advises them on Labor Certifications, and all issues relating to Immigration Employment Compliance.

Mr. Versfeld has worked together with other attorneys advising them on Immigration matters as it relates to collateral consequences in criminal matters, in the areas of Mergers and Acquisitions of companies with foreign workers; qualifying Formation of Companies and Foreign Subsidiaries for immigration benefit; U.S. Immigration Employment Compliance as it relates to I-9’s, E-Verify, Social Security “No Match Letters”, sub-contractors and undocumented workers.

He further provides counsel to Religious Organizations, Individuals and Families on all areas of U.S. Immigration and has successfully represented various Athletes and Researchers with Extra-Ordinary Ability in their efforts to immigrate to the United States.

Mr. Versfeld has testified before the Missouri Legislator on proposed Immigration Legislation on Employment Compliance, and is frequently ask to present on the topic of U.S. Immigration both nationally and internationally.

Prior to establishing Versfeld & Hugo, LLC, Mr. Versfeld practiced law in South Africa as an Advocate (Barrister) of the High Court of South Africa before coming to the United States.

He successfully petitioned the Supreme Court of Missouri to waive Supreme Court Rule 8.03(a)(1) and Rule 8.03(a)(2) requiring a Juris Doctorate from a law school approved by the American Bar Association, and was admitted to practice law in the State of Missouri after passing the Missouri Bar Exam.

Awards & Recoistgnition

  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubble (AV Preeminent is a significant rating accomplishment a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him/her at the highest level of professional excellence. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ are the gold standard in attorney ratings, and have been for more than a century.)

  • Top Rated Lawyers as featured in Corporate Counsel (2013) and the American Lawyer (2013)

  • Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers as featured in the Super Lawyer Magazine (Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations)

  • “Best of the Bar” as featured by the Kansas City Business Journal (Lawyers from the Kansas City Metro vote for their metro-area peers whom they consider the top attorneys in Kansas City vote for their peers

  • AVVO: AVVO Superb Rating; AVVO Client’s Choice (2015) and AVVO Top Contributor (2013)

  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly: “Up and Coming Lawyer” (2008)

  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association: Outstanding CLE Contributor Award (2007)

Publications

  • Author: “Immigration and Naturalization Practice,” Missouri Administrative Law, Chapter 23, Fourth Edition, Vol. II, published by The Missouri Bar (2009)

  • Other options to consider when H1B Visas are harder to come by than tickets to a Springbok vs. All Blacks Rugby Test” – South Africans in Austin TX

  • Employment Based visas and Green cards” – Jaluka Magazine

  • Strategic considerations when hiring foreign nationals” – Center of International Legal

  • Fundamentals on US Immigration” – Jaluka Magazine

International Presentations

  • International Business Immigration, Sydney AUSTRALIA

  • U.S. Immigration: Business Visas and Green Card Options, Beijing, CHINA

  • EB5 Foreign Investment Green Cards, Shanghai, CHINA

  • EB5 Regional Centers and the sunset of the law in 2016, Johannesburg SOUTH AFRICA

  • EB5 Regional Centers and the sunset of the law in 2016, Durban SOUTH AFRICA

  • U.S. Immigration: Business Visas and Green Card Options, Pilanesberg, SOUTH AFRICA

  • Moving Foreign Workers and Executives to the United States, Rome ITALY

  • Hiring of Foreign Nationals in the U.S., Salzburg AUSTRIA

National Presentations

  • What you need to know when representing foreign nationals in criminal proceedings, Kansas City USA

  • The I-9 Makeover Compliance without Discrimination in an Elevated Enforcement Environment, Kansas City USA

  • US Immigration Compliance, 21st Annual Corporate Counsel CLE in Kansas City USA

  • EB5 Regional Center Investments, St. Louis USA

  • How to prepare your Company for an ICE Raid, 22nd Annual Corporate Counsel CLE in Kansas City USA

Membership

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA)

  • Chair of the International Law Committee

  • Board of Directors – Chair of Continuing Legal Education

  • Graduate of The Kansas City-Ross T. Roberts American Inn of Court

  • Graduate of the 3rd Annual Greater Kansas City Bar Leadership Academy

  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation (KCMBF)

  • Board of Directors

  • Member of the Missouri Bar

Expert Witness Testimony

  • Marvin Davis vs. Gene Fritzel Construction Co., Inc., et al., 2008 (Immigration Compliance);

  • International Adoption Matter (South Africa), 2008.

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Advocate of the High Court of South Africa

  • Solicitor of England & Wales

  • Attorney & Counselor at Law – Missouri (United States)

  • Admitted to Federal Court for the Western District of Missouri

  • Admitted to the United District Court of Kansas

  • Admitted in the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals

  • Admitted in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals

  • Admitted in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals

Education

  • Baccalaureus Legum Civilium (BLC) -University of Pretoria, South Africa

  • Baccalaureus Legum (LLB) -University of Pretoria, South Africa