The Chander Law Firm’s Managing Attorney, Vishal Chander, spoke at the 2026 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Conference and Webcast on June 17, 2026, on the growing importance of global immigration and international mobility for businesses and immigration practitioners.
Chander served as a panelist for “The Business Case for Global Immigration: Building a Practice Beyond Borders.” The program explored how immigration practice is changing as businesses, employees, and families increasingly operate across national borders—and how immigration lawyers can help clients navigate needs that extend beyond the U.S. immigration system.
Chander was joined on the panel by AILA Past President Farshad Owji, Zara Najam, and Paul L. Samartin.
Immigration in an Increasingly Global Economy
A central theme of the program was that immigration issues increasingly arise as part of broader business and workforce decisions. A company may need to determine not simply whether an employee can work in the United States, but where talent can be located, how employees can move among countries, and how immigration planning fits into a company’s longer-term international operations.
The panel discussed the distinction between U.S. immigration, outbound immigration, and broader global mobility, as well as different approaches law firms can use to help clients address immigration needs in multiple countries.
Chander discussed how U.S. immigration attorneys can develop international capabilities through relationships with qualified lawyers abroad. Depending on the client’s needs, a U.S. attorney may make a direct referral to foreign counsel or remain involved in coordinating a matter involving lawyers in multiple jurisdictions.
Building Relationships Across Borders
Chander also addressed the importance of building trusted professional relationships around the world.
Drawing on his experience as a small-firm immigration practitioner, he discussed how organizations such as AILA’s Global Migration Section can enable U.S. lawyers to develop relationships with experienced immigration counsel in other countries. Those relationships can allow a firm to assist a client with an international immigration issue while working with local counsel who understands the law and procedures of the particular country.
The discussion also emphasized that an international network is more than a directory of lawyers. Selecting foreign counsel requires attention to professional qualifications as well as practical considerations such as responsiveness, communication, reliability, and the ability to meet client expectations.
For smaller firms in particular, Chander emphasized that developing a global immigration practice does not require offices around the world. Firms can begin with the international needs of clients they already represent, develop trusted relationships with foreign counsel, and expand their capabilities organically.
The 2026 AILA Annual Conference
AILA’s Annual Conference brings together immigration attorneys and other professionals for national programming addressing developments and emerging issues throughout immigration law.
Chander’s participation in the 2026 Annual Conference reflects his continued involvement in national immigration-law programming and The Chander Law Firm’s work with businesses and individuals whose immigration needs increasingly cross national borders.
