Este episodio ofrece un breve resumen de las estrategias esenciales para proteger sus activos en los Estados Unidos. Aprenda a utilizar fideicomisos y otras técnicas legales para evitar amenazas a su dinero en efectivo, propiedades de inversión y juguetes favoritos (ej. barcos, automóviles, etc.). Manténgase informado y manténgase a la vanguardia.

See more videos on asset protection here.

Este es un breve repaso sobre la protección de activos extraterritoriales, centrado en la banca extraterritorial y las jurisdicciones con protecciones contra acreedores. Consulte los enlaces a continuación para obtener un análisis más profundo.

See additional materials on asset protection here.

~ Jeff

¿Cómo se puede combinar unas empresas (LLC) con unos fideicomisos (land trust) para conseguir el resultado óptimo?  La respuesta está aquí.

E-signing technology is becoming more and more prevalent, and there is no denying the convenience.  Affixing your signature with a simple tap on your phone screen is a beautiful thing.  After all, the alternative is to print the document, sign it, scan, and then email the scanned copy.  Sometimes you have to go find witnesses, and, if notarization is required . . . well, now you really got yourself a project.

So, naturally, we would all prefer to e-sign documents.  However, the convenience may not be worth it if e-signatures are not enforceable.

Legal Analysis

The legal analysis here is actually the easy part.  The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Action (ESIGN) has been in place at the federal level for over 20 years.  The same is true for the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), which has been adopted at the state level by all but two States.  Simply put, the legislation says:

A record or signature may not be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form.

So, from a legal point of view, an electronic signature has exactly the same validity as a handwritten signature.

Practical Application

Here, the analysis gets a bit more interesting.  After all, the goal is to bind people to the rights and obligations in the agreements they sign.  What we really care about is enforceability.

Is it easier for someone to weasel out of a contract with e-signing than it would be with a handwritten signature?  The answer to that question turns on how easily the person can say: “Hey, that’s not my signature.”

In the end, what a judge wants to know is whether or not the parties intended to be bound by the agreement.  Assume for a moment some people might be willing to lie in order to get out of a contract.  Shocking, I know, but it could happen.  So, now, you have to prove that the person actually meant to sign the contract.  How can you do that?

The traditional method of having witnesses and/or notarization is a pretty iron-clad way of proving that someone voluntarily signed a document.  These methods of «acknowledgement» are still very good evidence nowadays, but they are not as undeniable as they once were.

The reason is that, with software available today, it is not particularly difficult to take a picture of someone’s actual signature and affix it to another document. 

Someone looking to commit fraud could use PDF and/or JPEG manipulation software to fake signatures of both the signer and the witnesses.  The same is true for notarization.  All one would really need is a picture of the notary’s stamp.  With that, and maybe a little old-fashioned forgery, a fraudster could put together a document that appears to have been signed, witnessed and notarized.

So, the traditional methods are still good, but they are no longer airtight.  In fact, they never have been (e.g. Catch Me If You Can).  If someone wants to fake a document, they can.

If signatures can be faked, then the person you are trying to hold to a contract can say: “That does look like my signature, but I didn’t sign the contract.”  So, now what do you do?

Modern Solution

Since there is no way to ever know with 100% certainty that a signature is authentic — even with witnesses and notarization — should we not take advantage of the convenience we get through e-signing?

On top of the convenience, in some important ways, e-signatures can be even more secure than handwritten signatures. 

For one thing, the e-sign apps generate a Certificate of Authenticity showing when and where the electronic signature was affixed.  That is certainly not proof positive, but it might be just about as good as notarization.

Now, I know what you are thinking.

E-sign apps depend solely upon email addresses, so it might be very easy for a person to get out of a contract by just saying “Someone hacked my email” or “Another person who has access to my email account signed, but I didn’t authorize that.”

Best Evidence

That brings us to the crux of this article.  What if, in addition to the other party’s e-signature, you also have an email thread showing discussions leading up to execution of the document?  How is the other party going to wriggle out of that evidence?

Even if you only have a single confirmation email saying something like “I received the document you e-signed earlier today,” any judge would find that to be very compelling evidence.

As long as the other side does not respond to your email with something like: “What are talking about?  I didn’t sign anything,» then those written communications are likely to be very hard to overcome.  In most cases, you will have a fairly extensive thread of communications, both before and after electronic execution, so you should be in very good shape if you later have to enforce the contract.

Conclusion

So, when you get down to the actual purpose of a signature, which is to demonstrate a person willingly entered into an agreement, today’s e-signing apps are not only amazingly convenient and environment-friendly, but they also tend to authenticate signatures more effectively than the traditional methods.

Of course, there are many agencies that have not caught up with the times.  For example, we still have to submit immigration documents, loan documents, and others with wet ink originals.  But, it is clear e-signing technology is the future, and we are all be better off for it.

     ~ Jeff Harrington, Esq.

• sciences
• arts
• education
• business
• athletics
• motion picture or television industry

There are some great advantages to an O-1 Visa, but be aware these are not easy visas to get.

You’ll need to show you have «extraordinary achievement,» in your field.  The purpose of this article is to help you understand what that means, so you can decide whether the O-1 Visa is right for you.

O-1 Overview

The term «extraordinary achievements» seems vague and broad, but the USCIS has given us some rather specific examples of items that meet this requirement.  First, be aware there are two subcategories of the O-1 visa that are equal but different: the O-1A and the O-1B. The O-1A is meant for those with extraordinary achievements in the fields of science, athletics, business, or education (left-brainers, if you will). Here is a list of the evidence that you can use to reap the O-1A benefits:

• A well-recognized international award such as a Nobel Prize or Olympic medal
• A less well-known award that is nationally or internationally recognized
• A membership in an exclusive organization related to your field
• Mentions of your published material in trade publications
• Scholarly articles that you’ve written for your field
• Other significant contributions to your field
• Commanding a large salary
• Sitting as a judge or on a panel of judges for your peers
• Holding critical positions for esteemed organizations in your field

The O-1B is, as you’ve probably guessed, more for right-brained individuals and is geared toward extraordinary actors and artists. The criteria for this one is slightly different from those of the O-1A. You’ll need to show proof of:

• A top-tier award like an Oscar or a Grammy
• A position as the lead role in a well-known production
• Having received national or international recognition for your achievements
• A lead and/or starring role in a well-known organization
• Reviews, publications, or other news that indicates your commercial success
• Commanding a large salary
• Recognition for your achievements from reputable organizations of your achievement

Remember that, if you have a top-level award like a Nobel Prize or Oscar, you satisfy the requirement. If you do not have a top-level award, then you will need to present evidence of at least three of the other items on the above list.

Also, these lists are not exhaustive and supplementary evidence can be used. Your immigration attorney can help you determine what can be used in this case.

O-1 Visa Benefits

So now that we know the standards that this visa demands, we can examine the O-1 visa benefits that come along with the prestige. Overall, well cover the following topics:

• Cost
• Sponsors
• Validity Period
• Assistants and Family Members
• Green Card Process

How Much Does it Cost?

When viewed in the light of other nonimmigrant visas, the O-1 is relatively inexpensive. As the petitioner, you are responsible for the $460 basic filing fee for the I-129 petition and the $190 charge for the DS-160 online application (only if you are outside of the U.S. and are going through consular processing). Additionally, you can opt to pay $1,225 for premium processing to have your I-129 processing time expedited from the usual six months to just 15 calendar days.

So, all in all, the O-1 visa cost is between $460 and $650 without premium processing. Compared to the hefty H-1B fees that add up to over $6,000 at times and the loose E-2 visa investment of $150,000, the O-1 is relatively light on the wallet.

Who Can Sponsor Me?

One question we often get is: can I self-petition? And while self-petition ing or self-sponsoring is possible through visas such as those in the E class, it is not possible through an O-1.

So why have we added it to the list of O-1 visa benefits? This visa is advantageous because of the versatility of who your sponsor can be. Most visas that require a sponsor maintain that the sponsor should be an employer. However, because O-1 visa applicants are often contracted rather than hired at will, the sponsor can either be an employer or a U.S. agent.

An agent is someone that is hired as representation for the employment and interests of the O-1 applicant. This designation means that you do not have to be committed to any one employer or seek a job offer to qualify for the O-1. You simply need someone to represent you who will sponsor you for your visa. However, that person must represent you throughout your O-1 visa duration of stay.

Also, you can also go the route of getting a direct employer. If this is your case, then you will need to make sure that this employer is your only employer. You can’t switch from one to the other to maintain your status and you will need to obtain a new O-1 visa in order to continue once your contract with your employer is over.

How Long is the O-1 Visa Validity Period?

Here is where the O-1 visa benefits really pay off. Most other visas have a limited duration of stay. The H-1B allows you to stay for six years, the L-1 for five to seven, and the J-1 for an average of five. In contrast, the O-1 offers an initial period of stay of three years, but allows for unlimited extensions. Essentially, you can stay and work in the U.S. as long as you are under O-1 status and meet the requirements for an O-1 extension. These extensions are granted in one-year increments and are not guaranteed, however.

To petition for an O-1 visa extension, you need to file:

• Another I-129 form along with the filing fee
• A copy of your I-94 arrival/departure card that has a non-expired departure date, and;
• A written statement from your agent or employer which states the reason for the extension and why your continued presence in the U.S. is required.

Assistants and Family Members

Another O-1 visa benefit is the fact that you can bring your family along under your O-3 status, which is granted to your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21. Their visa validity time will be the same as yours, and if you receive an O-1 extension, that extension will be passed to your O-3 family.

Additionally, you can bring along assistants that can be considered essential to your work in the U.S. under O-2 status. Like O-3 family members, their status is dependent on yours. If your status is extended, theirs will be too. If your status is revoked, that reflects on their status as well. Also, O-2 holders can bring their own family members under O-3 status.

Lastly, O-2 and O-3 holders are capable of adjusting their statuses to lawful permanent resident, which we’ll talk about next.

O-1 Visa to Green Card

In the field of immigration law, there’s a term known as “dual intent” which refers to a nonimmigrant visa that allows the holder to pursue lawful permanent resident (green card) status while still a nonimmigrant. Not every visa is a dual intent visa. Some notable exceptions are the J-1, TN, and B-1 visas.

However, the O-1 is among the visas that are considered dual intent, so your status will not be jeopardized or otherwise negatively affected by filing a petition for a green card. For many, this is the most valuable of the O-1 visa benefits.If you are interested in making your stay in the U.S. a permanent one, here is how to go from O-1 status to green card.

You first need to determine which green card you would like to pursue. Because the qualifications are so similar, most O-1 holders choose the EB-1A for aliens with extraordinary achievement or EB-1B for outstanding researchers and professors. Neither of these green cards requires a PERM Labor Certification and the EB-1A does not require a job offer or sponsoring employer, which is a huge advantage and lets you carry over your O-1 visa benefits.You can also look to qualify for the EB-2 green card, but that does require a PERM, job offer, and sponsor.

Once you determine which green card you would like to pursue, you will need to file an I-140 petition. Either you or your employer depending on your green card as your O-1 agent cannot petition for you. Once your petition is received by the USCIS, that date will become your priority date. It will be up to you to stay up-to-date with the latest final action dates on the monthly visa bulletin. Once you see that the final action date for your green card category and country has matched or passed your priority date, a visa number will be made available and you will be able to move onto the next step.

When your priority date is current, you can file an I-485 and appropriate fees to the USCIS to have your status transferred from O-1 to green card status. Depending on which green card you choose and the final action dates in the visa bulletin, this process can take several years or only a few months. Speak with your immigration attorney to find out more about your unique case.

How Our Immigration Attorneys Can Help

With a visa as prestigious as the O-1, the stakes can be high and the potential to make an innocent error can make filing your petition a nerve-wracking experience. Protecting your investment is likely a high priority for you and your case and the best way to do this is to hire an expert to help you take advantage of the O-1 visa benefits.

~ Jeff Harrington, Esq.

One of the primary advantages of the so-called “EB-1A” is that you do not have to be sponsored by an employer.  You can “self-petition.”  You also do not have to go through the labor certification process.  And, of course, the other great thing is that this visa gives you permanent residence.

With this visa, the US is saying “We want you talented people, whether or not you have a sponsor, and you are welcome to stay here as long as you want.”

There are actually three classes of people who can get an EB-1 visa:

• Those with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.

• Outstanding professors and researchers who are recognized internationally for their outstanding academic achievements in a particular field.

• Certain executives and managers of foreign companies who are transferred to the U.S.

This article focuses on the first class, which is for aliens who have distinguished themselves in their field of work.

Eligibility

The way the law reads, you have to meet two criteria:

1. Demonstrate “extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics through sustained national or international acclaim” and

2. Provide “extensive documentation” in support of the extraordinary ability.

If you are thinking this description is far too vague, you are right.  The question is “What does the USCIS consider to be extraordinary ability?”

Let’s look at more specific criteria:

A.  Have you won a Nobel prize? If so, you’re in.  Let’s get you signed up.  If not, keep reading.

B.  Can you meet any three (3) of the following?

• nationally or internationally recognized awards for excellence
• membership in a group that only permits professionals of outstanding achievement
• publications in professional journal
• media coverage of alien’s accomplishments (i.e. magazines, journals, TV, radio, etc.)
• judge of work performed by other professionals in the field
• important contributions to field
• work displayed at exhibitions or showcases
• commercial success in performing arts
• leading or critical role in distinguished organizations
• high salary compared to others in the same field

Having a checklist like this is helpful, but it does still leave grey area.  In reality, it is a bit dicey to get too specific with the characteristics of a successful petition since (i) the USCIS trends change over time, and (ii) we do not want to discourage clients who might not perfectly fit the description but who would still make good candidates.

With this caveat in mind, consider the following examples of successful EB-1A petitions.

Example #1

Field: Behavioral Neuroscience

Degree:  Ph.D.

Title: Scholar-Employee

Nationality: Chinese

Key Characteristics:  Three articles in scholarly journals, which have been cited in other publications a combined 140 times.  Seven letters of recommendation from peers.  Conducted peer-reviews for 14 scholarly journals.

Example #2

Field: Salsa Dance

Title: Competitor & Instructor

Nationality: Slovenia

Key Characteristics:  Various prizes in home country and internationally.  Leading role in organization by creating dance curricula and online instructional materials.  Number of articles about her in major media publications.

Example #3

Field: Molecular Biology

Degree:  Ph.D.

Title: Senior Research Associate

Nationality: Chinese

Key Characteristics:  Fifteen peer-reviewed publications, which have been cited in other publications a combined 150 times.  Six letters of recommendation from experts in the field.  Conducted peer-reviews for 25 scientific journals.

Example #4

Field: Computer Engineering

Degree:  Ph.D.

Title: Senior Research Associate

Nationality: India

Key Characteristics:  39 peer-reviewed publications, and one book, which had been cited over 300 times.  Conducted peer-reviews for 30 scientific periodicals.

Example #5

Field: Soccer

Title: Referee

Nationality: Northern Ireland

Key Characteristics:  Experience refereeing professional, international competitions.  Recommendations from colleagues for his mentorship of younger referees.  Recognition in the media.

As you can see, there is a wide variety of experience and accolades that can lead to successful petition.  If there is an over-arching key to focus on, it is demonstrating you are a leader in your field.

UPDATE

The immigration laws have not changed, but the enforcement of those laws does vary from administration to administration. Under Tromp, there were higher denial rates for this kind of visa. We have largely seen that reversed under the Biden administration. However, in 2023, we have seen a significant retrogression with regard to applicants from India. In fact, as of the date of this article, there is a temporary halt on the issuance of green cards to Indians due to annual limits been reached.

~ J. Harrington

Check out more articles on immigration visas here.

Hay algunas excepciones, como una sucesión testamentaria no impugnada, pero generalmente la duración y la cantidad de trabajo involucrado en un caso depende en gran medida de lo que haga la otra parte. Si el oponente presenta una moción, generalmente usted debe responder. Eso ralentiza las cosas y crea más trabajo para el abogado.

Lo mismo se aplica a las acciones que toma el juez en el caso. Los jueces imponen plazos y, en ocasiones, toman medidas espontáneamente (es decir. sin moción). El abogado debe responder en consecuencia.
También, ¿Qué pasa si resuelves el caso en el camino? ¿Qué pasa con las apelaciones? ¿Qué pasa si el caso se traslada a un tribunal federal?

Es esencialmente imposible decirle a un cliente cuánto terminará costando una demanda. Sin embargo, eso no significa que no puedas tener al menos alguna idea de qué esperar. Ese es el propósito de este artículo.

Regla general 1: Es menos costoso defender un caso que procesarlo. Depende del demandante hacer avanzar la acción, por lo que la presión recae sobre el demandante para que haga las cosas. Con algunas excepciones, generalmente es menos trabajo para un demandado porque el demandado tiene el lujo de no hacer nada hasta que el demandante tome medidas.

Regla general 2: El tribunal estatal es menos costoso que el tribunal federal. Además, los jueces federales imponen plazos más estrictos, por lo que los costos se incurren en un período de tiempo más corto. Su capacidad para presupuestar durante el curso de un litigio es más limitada en un tribunal federal.

Las diferentes etapas de un juicio son predecibles. Entonces, podemos desglosar lo que sucede en cada etapa y tener una idea aproximada de los costos y tarifas de cada una.siempre con la salvedad de que las cosas pueden ser más o menos caras dependiendo de lo que haga la otra parte.

Etapa 1 – Iniciación

Si usted es el demandante, su abogado deberá redactar la demanda y la citación para iniciar la demanda. Dependiendo de la complejidad del caso, eso podría tomar hasta cinco (5) horas de trabajo. Entonces, serán alrededor de un par de miles de dólares para la investigación y la redacción, dependiendo de la tarifa por hora del abogado.

El tribunal cobra una tarifa de presentación. El monto puede variar un poco, pero probablemente esté en el rango de $600.

Después de eso, la demanda y la citación deben ser notificadas por un notificador de proceso. Puedes pedirle al departamento del Sheriff que lo haga, que es más barato, pero tardan más. . . y realmente no puedes darles prisa. La mayoría de las personas recurren a un notificador privado, que costará alrededor de $100 por acusado.

Entonces, si lo sumas todo, estás viendo algo como $2,500-3,500 para que el caso despegue.

Si usted es el demandado, solo necesita presentar una respuesta a la demanda. Hay algunos tipos diferentes de respuestas que puede presentar, como una moción para anular, una moción para desestimar o una respuesta con defensas. Su abogado decidirá qué enfoque es mejor, pero cualquiera de estas respuestas requiere entre 1 y 3 horas de redacción. Entonces, tal vez estés mirando aproximadamente$800-1000 para cada una de estas respuestas. Tenga en cuenta que su abogado puede utilizar sólo una de estas respuestas o, quizás, las tres, según la situación.

Etapa 2 – Descubrimiento

Esta es la etapa en la que las partes obtienen información de la otra parte o de terceros. Hay casos que requieren sólo un descubrimiento mínimo o, incluso, ningún descubrimiento. Además, el tipo de descubrimiento utilizado marca una gran diferencia en los costos. Por lo tanto, los resultados pueden variar enormemente en esta etapa.

Hay tres tipos de solicitudes de descubrimiento por escrito: interrogatorios, solicitud de presentación y solicitud de admisión. Estos «productos de descubrimiento» son un tanto predecibles ya que simplemente es cuestión de redactarlos y enviarlos. Espere alrededor de 2-3 horas de trabajo ($800-1,600) por producto de descubrimiento. Su abogado decidirá si utiliza algunas o todas estas opciones de descubrimiento.
Otra herramienta de descubrimiento común son las declaraciones. Esas son una bestia completamente diferente.

En primer lugar, es posible que tenga que emitir una citación, que es una redacción adicional. Pero lo principal es que interrogar personalmente a un declarante suele durar todo un día. Una vez que se tome la molestia de conseguir que la persona ocupe el asiento y esté bajo juramento, querrá aprovecharlo al máximo. Y, por lo general, el declarante opondrá cierta resistencia, lo que ralentiza las cosas. Además, hay que pagar por el taquígrafo judicial y, a veces, por la sala.

Por lo tanto, puede esperar que una única declaración cueste entre $1,000-5,000. Los depósitos son mucho más caros pero, dependiendo del declarante, pueden resultar muy eficaces.
Además, para casos complejos, puede haberrondas de descubrimiento. Entonces, puedes estar enviando («proponiendo») un primer conjunto, un segundo conjunto, un tercer conjunto, etc.
Otra cosa es la práctica de movimiento que se puede realizar en esta etapa. Por ejemplo, si la parte que recibe la solicitud de prueba no responde, o no brinda buenas respuestas, entonces su abogado tendrá que presentar una Moción para obligar y, probablemente, acudir a una audiencia. Eso significa un gasto adicional.

Etapa 3 – Sentencia sumaria

Algunos casos pueden resolverse total o parcialmente sin llegar a juicio, como los casos basados ​​en unacontrato. Esto suele ocurrir mediante la presentación de una Moción de fallo sumario. Si usted es el demandante, espera terminar el caso con esta moción, por lo que su abogado dedicará algo de tiempo a investigar y redactar esta moción. Luego, habrá una audiencia sobre la moción. Calculo que este proceso tomará entre 3 y 6 horas de trabajo ($1,200-3,000), dependiendo de la complejidad de los problemas.

Etapa 4 – Juicio

El juicio sumario es para casos que no involucran cuestiones probatorias. En otras palabras, el juez no está obligado a escuchar testimonios ni a tratar hechos controvertidos. Cuando eso no sea posible –lo que ocurre muy a menudo– el caso tendrá que decidirse mediante un juicio.

H&S se ocupa principalmente de disputas comerciales y de bienes raíces, que normalmente no requieren la participación de un jurado. Entonces, el análisis aquí se centra en los juicios sin jurado. Solo tenga en cuenta que existen pasos adicionales para los juicios con jurado.

El juicio es «la hora del espectáculo». Todas las pruebas y testigos deben estar preparados. Hay que finalizar la investigación. Es necesario discutir la estrategia y todos los involucrados deben estar listos para comenzar. Tiene mucha importancia. Luego está el juicio en sí, que puede durar un día o una semana, según el caso. Entonces, nuevamente, los resultados pueden variar enormemente.

Pero, sólo para darle una idea, es probable que esta etapa cueste algo dentro del rango de$3,000, para un caso relativamente simple,$10,000 para un caso bastante complejo. Esto, por supuesto, en el contexto de un típico litigio empresarial (es decir, no de grandes corporaciones) en un tribunal estatal.

Otros costos

Una cosa con la que probablemente pueda contar es la mediación. En algún momento, una de las partes solicitará una mediación, o el juez simplemente lo enviará a mediación con la esperanza de obtener el caso del expediente. Será un día completo de trabajo, más los honorarios del mediador, así que cuente con$2,000-$3,500 para eso.
Luego están las apelaciones. Incluso existe algo llamado «apelación interlocutoria», que puede ocurrir incluso antes de que se decida el caso. Por lo tanto, puede haber costos de apelación tanto durante como después del caso. No existe una “práctica de moción” en las apelaciones, por lo que los costos son bastante predecibles. Pero el trabajo de apelación es notoriamente caro porque el nivel de «abogado» aumenta.

Conclusión

Con suerte, el análisis que se incluye en este documento le ayudará a comprender mejor los factores implicados en el litigio de un caso, para que pueda prepararse mejor y tomar decisiones informadas. Nunca olvide que un caso puede resolverse en cualquier punto del camino, lo que pone fin a los gastos.

~ Jeff Harrington, Esq.

¿Estás pensando en demandar a alguien? ¿O tuvo una mala experiencia en un pleito? No se pierda esta discusión inusualmente franca sobre los lados buenos, malos y feos del litigio.