Overview
Russell Ford helps employers across the country navigate the complex world of business immigration with clarity, creativity, and compassion. With more than two decades of experience, he teams with public and private employers – including universities, K-12 schools, nonprofit organizations, and multinational corporations – to develop and implement effective immigration policies that help them recruit, retain, and support top global talent.
Russell built his practice on a simple but powerful idea: great client service starts with great communication. He works closely with in-house counsel, human resources teams, and leadership to design practical strategies for global personnel movement, compliance, and sponsorship under all major nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories, including H-1B, J-1, O-1, NIW, and EB-1. His work often extends to advising on SEVIS programs, I-9 and E-Verify compliance, and Labor Condition Application (LCA) processes.
Clients value Russell’s approachable style, responsiveness, and ability to translate complex regulations into actionable guidance. Whether helping a university secure SEVIS designation, resolving an I-9 compliance challenge for a multi-campus system, or developing long-term workforce strategies for a global company, Russell brings practical solutions that protect organizations and empower their people.
A frequent advisor to higher education institutions, Russell is a core member of the firm’s Higher Education Practice Group and a trusted advisor to schools and universities nationwide.
Before joining Fisher Phillips, Russell practiced at major firms in Atlanta and New England and co-founded a boutique immigration firm in Portland, Maine, where he built a national practice serving clients in education and business.
*Russell is admitted in Massachusetts and is supervised by a licensed bar member in the state of Maine.