| erios@bal.com |
| Direct |
| +1 469 290 9145 |
| Office |
| +1 857 309 5100 |
| Location |
| 1 Federal Street Floor 36, Suite 3603 Boston, MA, 02110 |
Edward Rios is a Partner with BAL and leads the Boston office and the firm’s Innovation & Strategy Group. Based in the northeast, Edward oversees client engagement and development initiatives for the firm’s Boston and New York offices. His practice focuses on global immigration strategies and technology implementation for companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies in technology, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and life sciences.
As head of Innovation & Strategy, Edward leads the firm’s exploration of and investment in emerging technologies, oversees change-management structures, and helps prepare the legal teams in adapting to new tools. As a tech-forward legal thinker, he blends extensive tech and legal knowledge to find the best suited, cutting-edge tools for BAL’s legal teams, and inspires innovation from every corner of the firm. Edward also leads implementation of tech tools for clients, including coordinating the implementation and expansion of Cobalt®, BAL’s proprietary innovative case management system, for all global immigration casework handled by the BAL-Deloitte alliance, covering over 135 countries.
Edward is a frequent speaker at legal and tech industry events, including Legalweek and IAweek, and is often invited to comment about intelligent automation, artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and other innovative uses of technology in the practice of law.
Edward has been ranked by the prestigious Chambers and Partners USA Guide 2021, and honored as one of the Best Lawyers® in America every year since 2010.
Education & Admissions
Boston University School of Law, Juris Doctorate
Harvard University, Bachelor of Arts
Admitted to: State Bar of Connecticut and State Bar of Texas
Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law
Memberships
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
Member of Executive Committee, AILA TX, OK, NM Chapter:
-Immediate Past Chair, 2012-2013
-Chair, 2011-2012
-Vice Chair, 2010-2011
-Treasurer, 2009-2010
National Fall Conference Committee, 2013
National Board of Governors, 2011-2012
National Media Advocacy Committee, 2012-2013
National Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Issues Committee, 2011-2012
National Health Care Professionals Committee, 2008-2009
Military Assistance Program – Pro Bono Immigration Services for U.S. military personnel, 2008-Present
National Admissions and Border Enforcement Committee, 2007-2008
National Customs and Border Protection Liaison Committee, 2004-2007
AILA TX, OK, NM Chapter, Department of Homeland
Security Liaison, El Paso, TX and Border Region; 2005-2010
Program Planning Committee for AILA National Fundamentals Conference in Seattle, WA, 2006
Program Planning Committee for AILA National Fundamentals Conference in Chicago, IL, 2005
Leadership/Media Institute Training Conference, 2004
Texas Chapter Annual Spring Conference, Co-Program Chair, 2004
State Bar of Texas, Program Director, Advanced Immigration Law Course, 2014
State Bar of Connecticut
Connecticut Bar Association
Hispanic National Bar Association – Member, Immigration Task Force, 2013
Boys & Girls Club, El Paso – Hero Award, 2009
State Bar of Texas, Appointed Member, Committee on Issues Related to Immigration and Nationality Law
Recognition
Martindale-Hubbell® AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating
Chambers Massachusetts, 2013-2014; Band 2, 2021-2023
Best Lawyers since 2010
Who's Who International, Corporate Immigration Law
Professional Accomplishments
Speaker, “Change Management & Law Firm Transformation: Successfully Adopting AI, RPA and Emerging Technologies in Your Law Firm,” Legalweek(year) (July 2021).
Speaker, “Scaling Up: Exploring the Challenges Of Scaling Your Intelligent Technology Programs,” Intelligent Automation Exchange (March 2021).
Speaker, “The Future of Business Travel: Ownership of Your Business Travel, Mobility and HR Programs,” BAL-Deloitte presentation (June 2020).
Speaker, “U.S. Immigration Climate: Changes in Immigration Adjudications and Enforcement,” Worldwide ERC® Master Series, Downtown Harvard Club, Boston, Mass. (June 2019).
Speaker, “Mitigating Requests for Evidence and Visa Denials,” Worldwide ERC®, New York, NY (November 2018).
Speaker, “Navigating Immigration Today and Tomorrow: Veer Right or Stay Center?” Worldwide ERC Master Series, Boston, Mass. (July 2018).
Speaker, “Current Enforcement Trends and Global Immigration Program Management,” Boston, Mass. (July 2017).
Speaker, “Immigration and Compliance Best Practices in Managing US and Global Employee Populations”, Worldwide ERC® Masters Series alliance with BAL (June 2015).
Speaker, “Understanding US Immigration Program Management: Updates on Key Non-Immigrant Categories” BAL Breakfast Briefing (March 2015).
Speaker, “Focus on Business Immigration – The Latest Compliance Challenges,” Worldwide ERC® Master Series, Boston, Mass. (November 2014).
Speaker, “Tricky TN Issues – Make it Work,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA") National Web Seminar (October 2013).
Speaker, “U.S. Consular Options,” AILA National Fall Conference, Mexico (September 2013).
Speaker, “L-1 for the Experienced Practitioner: Part II (Blanket Ls),” AILA 2013 Annual Conference, San Francisco, California (June 2013).
Speaker, “Advanced Issues in Employment Based Immigrant Visas,” State Bar of Texas, Advance Immigration Law Course, Houston, Texas (February 2013).
