Margaret Holland-Sparages, Esq.

Principal, Chair – Immigration Group

Practice Areas

Immigration Law

Margaret Holland-Sparages brings to her immigration law practice a wealth of technical knowledge, practical perspective, and strategic insights honed through leadership roles in immigration law organizations. She has an uncanny ability to present her clients’ professional and personal circumstances in ways that are best calculated to obtain the relief they need. In her precious spare time, Margaret is an active and competitive master swimmer.

Work With Clients

Ms. Holland-Sparages has extensive experience representing clients before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, the Department of Labor, U.S. Consulates abroad, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at land, sea and airports. She represents entrepreneurs, corporations, key managers, and investors in their visa and U.S. work authorization matters. Ms. Holland-Sparages has particular expertise in advocating U.S. national interest waivers for persons making substantial contributions to the United States. She also focuses on visa petitions for outstanding scientists, researchers, artists, businesspersons. She has extensive experience in the area of permanent labor certificates for companies and their foreign-born US workers. She advises investors and traders who work under bi-lateral and multi-lateral treaties of navigation and commerce. She also works with individuals and companies on visa matters impacted by corporate restructuring and reductions in workforce. Ms. Holland-Sparages trains management and human resources professionals in U.S. work authorization verification matters, Forms I-9, and the federal E-Verify program.

Professional Activities

Ms. Holland-Sparages is admitted to the practice of law in Illinois and Massachusetts. She served as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (“AILA”). She also is the Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association, New England Chapter (2018-2019). She serves on the Distance Learning Committee, and on the Congressional Committee for AILA. She is the past co-chairperson for AILA’s Department of Labor Liaison Committee, National Fall Conference Committee, and New England Immigration Conference Committee, which gained renown for its excellence in the visa concerns of the bio-tech and health care communities.

Personal and Community Activities

Ms. Holland-Sparages is a past member of the Board of Directors of Bayridge Residence and Cultural Center. She enjoys swimming and singing.

Publications / Presentations

Ms. Holland-Sparages has written several articles on marriage-based immigrants published by the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (2016 to 2018). She is a contributor to AILA national’s white paper on International Students and Scholars (F-1, M-1 and J-1 visas). She also contributed an article on H-1B professional visas to the joint AILA/Suffolk Law School proceedings on U.S. immigration law. Ms. Holland-Sparages authored the article entitled “B-1 Business Visitors and TN Nonimmigrants” in the Immigration & Nationalization Handbook, 2001-2002 edition, Volume II. She has lectured on U.S. work-related visas for the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association, Lorman Educational Services, the Massachusetts Bar Association, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, and the Midwest Immigration Law Conference.

Education

Ms. Holland-Sparages holds a Bachelor Degree, cum laude, from Wellesley College and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University.

Awards