September 2015

September 2015
Mitchell Wexler '82

Q & A:

• What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
  As a marketing major, I was fascinated by the theory and nuances of various forms of advertising. My favorite class was an advertising class taught by Professor Kaufman. The discussion on “subliminal seduction” has stayed with me all these years. 
• What was your first job after graduating Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there?
  After graduating from Hofstra, I moved to Los Angeles to attend law school; I also worked part time at a small LA office of a NY-based immigration law firm. Since the office was small, I learned how to multitask and wear a variety of hats: performing legal research, working with clients, preparing appropriate paperwork and doing all of the administrative processing of the cases I worked on. This “total immersion” experience served me well when I opened my own law practice after less than three years of being an associate there.
• What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
  I have practiced exclusively in the field of immigration law for 30 years, plus a few years during law school.  Since the firm I worked for during law school practiced immigration law, I discovered that I had an aptitude for it and enjoyed it, so I stuck with it. We represent not only foreign national individuals but also startup companies through large multinational companies regarding all of their immigration/visa needs
• What advice would you give Hofstra students?
  My motto is “work hard, play hard.” Hofstra provided me with an environment to excel and the opportunity to be well-rounded and have fun. As an employer who interviews candidates on a regular basis, my office looks for well-rounded prospective team members. Our practice directly affects the lives of our clients, and the ability to relate to them in a sincere, competent and honest way is critical. 
• In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
  “Opportunity.”  Although I did not meet Hofstra’s general admission requirements, I was accepted into the School for University Studies.  I seized the opportunity, and the rest is history. 
• What is the hardest/toughest part about your job?
  Although the immigration laws in the United States are relatively generous, compared to other countries, the system itself is broken and has not kept up with the modern economy.  For this reason, I find myself having to tell many good, hard-working foreign nationals that, under current law, there is nothing I can do to assist you with your desire to realize the American Dream.
• How has having your own solo practice influenced your career as a partner?
  It equipped me with a well-rounded skill set that includes the ability to effectively practice law and perform functions such as HR, accounting, billing, training, motivating, business development and budgeting. These skills also serve me well in my role as a member of the firm’s executive committee. 
• Who has most influenced you, and how?
  The senior partner of the firm I worked for during law school and for the few years after law school, Max Blecher, most influenced me. He began his immigration practice in Times Square in the 1940s. He was one of the first members of our professional association, which now has over 15,000 members. He taught me how to listen to clients and how to craft a unique, effective strategy to achieve their immigration goals and dreams. Many of my clients are small and large businesses with a few to thousands of foreign national employees on visas in the United States. I attribute much of my success today to the skills I learned from Mr. B.