Leon Fresco, Head of DOJ’s Office of Immigration Litigation and Former Immigration Staff Director for Sen. Schumer, Joins Holland & Knight

WASHINGTON (January 9, 2017) – Leon Fresco, deputy assistant attorney general for the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and head of the Office of Immigration Litigation, has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C., office.

At the DOJ, Mr. Fresco oversaw all civil immigration litigation on behalf of the U.S. government in the federal courts, leading a team of more than 300 attorneys. This litigation included representation of the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor and Department of State, as well as the DOJ, in more than 7,500 cases.

Before joining the DOJ, Mr. Fresco served as the staff director for the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security. He was the principal advisor to Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the subcommittee, on all aspects of immigration law and policy and was the principal drafter of S.744, the Senate comprehensive immigration reform bill of 2013.

"Reforming America's immigration laws was a central topic of the 2016 presidential race and will likely be a subject of heated congressional debate, regulatory action and litigation for years to come. With that likelihood, businesses and individuals will need skilled counsel to protect their rights and interests," said Mr. Fresco. "I look forward to building coalitions within the industry sectors that Holland & Knight represents which will be facing these challenges, leveraging both my litigation skills and vast bipartisan contacts in Congress and the relevant executive branch agencies."

"With a new administration in Washington, significant changes to the country's immigration laws are anticipated that will impact Holland & Knight clients across a range of industries," said Lynn Calkins, leader of Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., Litigation Group. "Leon will be a powerful advocate for our clients in court and on the Hill, and an important part of our firmwide ability to support clients affected by all manner of government action."

Mr. Fresco received a J.D. degree from Yale Law School and a B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to his government service, he was an associate in Holland & Knight's Miami office.