Nicolas J Watkins

Practice Areas

Immigration

Real Estate

Professional Memberships

The Florida Bar

- Real Property Law Section, Member, 1987-present

- Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Member, 1999-2002

- Grievance Committee, Member, 1993-1996

American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member, 1984-present

American Immigration Lawyers Association, South Florida Chapter, Member, Board of Directors, 1989-1990

Career

Born and raised in England, Nic has more than 35 years of experience in his practice areas of immigration and nationality law and real estate law. Nic heads up GrayRobinson’s business immigration law practice group.

Nic’s Immigration practice focuses on nonimmigrant (temporary) and immigrant (permanent/residency) visa petitions and applications on behalf of investors, executives, managerial and other skilled foreign workers and their employers. This includes E, H, L, O and P temporary worker visas, among others, as well as applications for temporary and permanent employment certification and residency applications under the Immigrant Investor (EB-5) Visa Program. Nic also represents employers in connection with immigration-related regulatory compliance proceedings in the employment setting (employment eligibility verification, E-verify and I-9 audits) as well as individuals in naturalization proceedings and consular matters.

Nic’s real property law practice is both broad and varied. He represents individual and institutional clients alike and has extensive experience in commercial and residential transactions, from acquisition through financing, development and disposition, including purchases, sales, leases, condominiums, title examination and title insurance matters, and construction and permanent lending. He also has experience with refinancings, loan renegotiations, workouts and foreclosures, as well as construction law matters, including design and construction contract drafting and negotiation.

Publications

“Episode 247: Foreign Travel and the Issuance of Visas to Foreign Nationals Amidst COVID-19,” Employment Law Alliance, Employment Matters Podcast, May 17, 2021

Immigration E-lert: New H-1B Rules: “Salary Increases for H-1B Workers, But Fewer Will Qualify,” October 16, 2020

GrayRobinson COVID-19 Task Force E-lert: “COVID-19: Will Foreign Students Still Be Able to Graduate?” July 13, 2020

GrayRobinson COVID-19 Task Force E-lert: “President Trump’s Proclamation Suspending Entry into the United States for Certain Temporary Foreign Workers,” June 26, 2020

Immigration E-lert: “Employers: The Impact of Changes in Working Conditions on Foreign Temporary Workers in Our COVID-19 World,” April 21, 2020

Immigration E-lert: “Update on H-1B Registration Lottery in the COVID-19 World,” April 1, 2020

Immigration E-lert: “Immigration and the COVID-19 World: The Facts,” March 28, 2020

“Hiring a Foreign Worker? No Problem. You Just Need to Know What to Expect,” Daily Business Review, January 23, 2020

Education

Awards