Your employer picks an immigration attorney. You probably have no input. And yet the quality of that attorney's work will directly determine whether your green card process takes 1.5 years or 3+ years — or whether it gets denied.
Here's how to evaluate any immigration law firm using data from 279,666 PERM cases — and what to do if your employer's choice doesn't hold up.
Why the Law Firm Matters More Than You Think
The PERM process has dozens of steps where errors can lead to delays or denial:
- Prevailing wage determination requests must cite the correct occupation and location
- Recruitment must follow specific DOL requirements (job postings, timing, documentation)
- The I-9/audit file must be audit-ready for at least 5 years
- The ETA-9089 application must be filled out with precise consistency
An experienced firm has templates, checklists, and dedicated PERM staff who do this every day. An inexperienced firm treats PERM as one of many immigration matters and may not catch the nuances that trigger audits or denials.
The DOL's own statistics show that ~20% of PERM cases are selected for audit. Among those, cases handled by firms with strong processes get through audits intact. Cases handled by less experienced attorneys often fail.
What the Data Shows About Law Firm Quality
PermTrack aggregates data from 279,666 PERM cases across every law firm in the country. Here's what the data reveals:
Volume Is a Reasonable Proxy for Experience — But Not the Only One
The top 10 immigration law firms by PERM volume handle roughly 30% of all PERM cases in the US. These are firms like Fragomen, Berry Appleman & Leiden, Klasko Immigration Law Partners, and others. Their volume means they've seen nearly every scenario the DOL can throw at a case.
But volume alone doesn't guarantee quality. The data shows several mid-size firms with 500–2,000 annual PERM filings and approval rates above 95% — better than some of the largest firms. Specialization and focus matter.
Approval Rates Vary More Than You'd Expect
Across the firms in PermTrack's database, PERM approval rates range from around 80% to 99%+. The national average is approximately 91%.
A 10-point difference in approval rate might not sound significant, but it means that for every 100 PERM cases filed, a 91% firm has 9 denials while a 99% firm has 1. Each of those denials represents 18+ months of additional delay for a real person.
When comparing firms, look for:
- Approval rate above 93% (better than average)
- Rate consistency across fiscal years (not just one good year)
- Volume sufficient to trust the rate (50+ annual cases minimum)
Specialization in Your Industry
Some law firms specialize in tech/IT companies. Some focus on healthcare. Some handle a broad mix. A firm that handles mostly nurses and physical therapists may not be the best fit for a software engineering PERM at a startup.
PermTrack shows which employers each law firm serves — you can see whether a firm has experience with companies similar to yours. Look for firms that serve employers in your industry and of similar size.
How to Look Up Any Law Firm
Go to permtrack.app/attorneys. Search for any firm by name. You'll see:
- Total PERM filings across all fiscal years
- Approval, denial, and withdrawal rates
- Year-by-year trend (FY2024, FY2025, FY2026)
- Top employers served (and links to those employer profiles)
- Top occupations handled
- Average processing time
If you find a firm your employer is using (or considering), this data takes 2 minutes to review.
If You Have Input on the Choice
Some employers let employees request a specific attorney, especially if they've worked with someone they trust. If that's your situation:
- Check the firm's overall approval rate and volume at PermTrack
- Ask the firm directly: "How many PERM cases did you handle last fiscal year, and what was your approval rate?"
- Ask if they have a dedicated PERM team (vs. PERM being handled by a generalist)
- Ask how they handle audits — what's their process, and what's their audit survival rate
A good firm will answer all of these questions confidently. A firm that hedges or can't give you data should prompt more scrutiny.
If You Don't Have Input on the Choice
This is the more common situation. Your employer uses whoever they use. But you can still:
Understand who is handling your case. Ask your employer's HR team which law firm has been engaged. Then look them up. If the numbers concern you, you can flag it to HR — most HR teams don't scrutinize their immigration vendor's approval rates and will appreciate the input.
Know what to watch for. If the law firm's track record shows a pattern of audits or denials, stay engaged with your case. Ask for copies of every document filed. Don't let your case sit unmonitored.
Consider getting a second opinion. Nothing stops you from consulting a different immigration attorney privately about your case, even if your employer's firm is handling the actual filing. A consultation costs $200–500 and can catch issues before they become denials.
The Top Firms by Volume (As of FY2025)
Based on PermTrack data, the top PERM filers by volume include:
- Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy — largest immigration firm by volume globally
- Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) — corporate immigration specialist
- Jackson Lewis — employment law firm with large immigration practice
- Klasko Immigration Law Partners — boutique immigration firm, high approval rates
- Ogletree Deakins — employment law + immigration
All of these are searchable with full stats at permtrack.app/attorneys.
Bottom Line
The law firm handling your PERM is one of the most consequential choices in your green card journey — and it's usually made by your employer without your input.
The data to evaluate that choice is free and publicly available. Use it.
→ Compare immigration law firms by approval rate at permtrack.app/attorneys
PermTrack uses public domain data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC). Law firm rankings and approval rates reflect data through FY2026 Q1. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.