Legacy Immigration in Baltimore: Employment-Based Green Cards and Visa Sponsorship

Legacy Immigration is a small employment immigration practice in Baltimore focused entirely on visa sponsorship and green card preparation for employers and foreign-born professionals. The firm handles the full range of employment-based immigration matters: H-1B petitions, national interest waivers, EB-3 and EB-2 sponsorships, and consular processing. It operates without a broader general practice, meaning every attorney works within a single legal area.

What Legacy Immigration Actually Handles

The practice specializes in employer-side petitions and employee representation for work-based immigration. That means they advise Baltimore-area companies—from startups to established employers—on sponsoring foreign national workers, and they represent those workers through the petition and green card process. The firm does not handle family-based immigration, humanitarian relief, or removal defense. If your case centers on marrying a foreign national, obtaining asylum, or fighting deportation, you will need a different firm.

On the employer side, Legacy prepares labor condition applications, H-1B petitions, and employment-based green card sponsorships. On the employee side, they guide workers through visa interview preparation, consular processing, and the adjustment of status pathway. The scope is consistent and deep within employment law; it is not a generalist immigration practice that tries to cover everything.

Services and Fee Structure

Employment immigration is typically billed through retainers and hourly rates. Legacy Immigration's retainer for an H-1B petition—the standard visa for specialty occupations—begins at $2,500 for the legal work, separate from government filing fees, which run $715 in basic filing fees plus an additional $1,500 fraud prevention and detection fee (as of 2024; verify current USCIS fee amounts). The full government cost for a standard H-1B case exceeds $2,200 when all fees are combined.

For employment-based green card cases (EB-2 or EB-3), the legal retainer typically ranges from $3,500 to $6,000 depending on complexity. These cases include PERM labor certification, immigrant petition filing (Form I-140), and adjustment of status or consular processing work. NIW (national interest waiver) cases, which bypass labor certification, generally run $4,000 to $7,500 in legal fees. The government fees for green card petitions add another $640 to $1,140 depending on the category.

Confirm current pricing directly; law firms often adjust retainers based on the complexity of the underlying employment relationship and the worker's background.

How Legacy Immigration Compares to Other Baltimore Immigration Options

Most immigration law in Baltimore either operates as a general practice (handling family, employment, and humanitarian matters under one roof) or as a larger firm with employment immigration as one of several departments. McGuinn Hillsman & Palicz, a significant Baltimore employment law firm, handles immigration matters alongside general corporate counsel; their immigration work encompasses a broader range of business law and visa sponsorship. The Law Office of Rebecca Cary operates as a solo practice covering employment immigration, family immigration, and asylum in the Baltimore area, meaning the same attorney may work across different visa types.

Choose Legacy Immigration if you want specialized expertise in employment-based cases and you do not have family or humanitarian immigration questions. Choose a general immigration practice if you need multiple visa pathways explored for your situation or your business. Choose a larger employment law firm if your case is intertwined with broader corporate restructuring, compliance, or hiring policy questions beyond the visa petition itself.

Who Legacy Immigration Suits and Who It Does Not

The practice is designed for employers in Maryland or surrounding states seeking to sponsor foreign national employees for H-1B, EB-2, or EB-3 sponsorships, and for those workers themselves navigating the petition and adjustment process. It suits companies hiring for specialty occupations (software engineers, accountants, certain healthcare roles) and workers in skilled or professional categories.

It does not suit individuals applying for tourist visas, seeking family reunification, claiming asylum or humanitarian status, or facing immigration enforcement or removal. It is also less suited to businesses that need immigration compliance as part of a broader employment law or corporate strategy engagement; a general employment law firm may be more integrated into your existing legal relationship.

What the First Consultation Involves

Initial consultations with Legacy Immigration typically run 30 to 60 minutes and address your employment relationship, job description, the worker's education and credentials, and the timeline you are working within. Bring documentation of the position (job description, organizational chart showing where this role sits), the foreign national's resume, education credentials, and any prior visa history if applicable. Be ready to discuss salary and whether the position qualifies for the visa category you are pursuing.

The attorney will assess whether labor certification is required or whether an NIW is viable, outline the petition filing timeline (H-1B petitions have annual caps and selection processes; employment-based green cards can take years), and discuss costs. Many firms charge a flat rate for the consultation or roll it into the retainer if you engage them.

Hours, Location, and Logistics

Legacy Immigration is located in downtown Baltimore. Verify current office hours and parking availability; the firm's website or phone line will have the most current information on appointment availability and whether they accommodate evening or remote consultations. Most immigration petitions can be managed remotely once the initial consultation is complete, so geographic proximity matters less than it does for criminal defense or family law matters.

Legacy Immigration earns space in a Baltimore legal services guide because it represents the specialized end of immigration law and demonstrates the distinction between general immigration practices and those built for one clear client type: employers and workers in the employment visa pipeline.