George R. Ernst
Immigration Law
Immigration Law
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George Ernst is a Partner in our Little Rock office whose practice specializes in immigration, international business, and labor and employment matters. Also proficient in German, he has over a decade of experience representing multi-national corporations across various industries.His practice focuses on advising clients in highly complex matters relating to the employment of foreign nationals under the EB-5 program for international investors, EB-1 and EB-2 visas for employment-based immigration, national interest waivers, E-2 treaty investor visas, and both H-1b and O-1 temporary work visas for STEM professionals, specialty occupations, and individuals of extraordinary ability.Because of the nature of immigration representation, George is able to represent clients on issues pertaining to U.S. immigration laws and procedures throughout the United States and abroad, without geographic limitation.Prior to joining HBS, George served as a director with a local law firm where he gained experience in business immigration matters and supported the firm’s employment defense practice group, specifically related to assisting employers in government-initiated I-9 audits and charges. He also frequently writes and lectures on matters relation to immigration and employment law.George earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh where he served as the Executive Editor for the Journal of Technology Law and Policy. George went on to receive his Master of Laws at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in German and Philosophy at the University of Kansas. George Ernst is a Partner in our Little Rock office whose practice specializes in immigration, international business, and labor and employment matters. Also proficient in German, he has over a decade of experience representing multi-national corporations across various industries. His practice focuses on advising clients in highly complex matters relating to the employment of foreign nationals under the EB-5 program for international investors, EB-1 and EB-2 visas for employment-based immigration, national interest waivers, E-2 treaty investor visas, and both H-1b and O-1 temporary work visas for STEM professionals, specialty occupations, and individuals of extraordinary ability. Because of the nature of immigration representation, George is able to represent clients on issues pertaining to U.S. immigration laws and procedures throughout the United States and abroad, without geographic limitation. Prior to joining HBS, George served as a director with a local law firm where he gained experience in business immigration matters and supported the firm’s employment defense practice group, specifically related to assisting employers in government-initiated I-9 audits and charges. He also frequently writes and lectures on matters relation to immigration and employment law. George earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh where he served as the Executive Editor for the Journal of Technology Law and Policy. George went on to receive his Master of Laws at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in German and Philosophy at the University of Kansas.
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023
Larry Reed
George Ernst handled my company's H-1B visa petition for a key engineer. His knowledge of immigration law and the corporate compliance aspects was evident, and his background in international business was a plus. The case was ultimately successful. However, the experience was mixed. While he was thorough in his legal analysis, there were periods where responses to emails took several days, leaving us uncertain about next steps. For a straightforward case, his expertise from Hall Booth Smith was adequate, but I expected more proactive updates given his recognition in the field. He is clearly a knowledgeable attorney with over a decade of experience, but the client service aspect didn't fully match the legal competence.