Melissa A. Dearing
Partner
Melissa A. Dearing
Partner
Immigration can be a complicated process. Melissa helps U.S. companies hire highly skilled professionals from other countries. She also works with foreign nationals to help them and their families to acquire U.S. citizenship.
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (904) 792-8936
Fax: (904) 467-3461
1301 Riverplace Blvd., 10th Floor
Jacksonville, FL, 32207
Practice Groups
Bar Admission
Florida
Melissa A. Dearing is a partner in the firm’s Immigration Practice Group, where she assists employers in seeking non-immigrant and immigrant status.
Melissa has extensive experience with H-1Bs and the PERM-based green card process, particularly with respect to information technology professionals, engineers and pharmacists, among other professionals. She also represents foreign nationals regarding family immigration matters and assists employers with I-9 and other immigration compliance issues.
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
The Chester Bedell American Inn of Court
Bar Affiliations
American Immigration Lawyers Association
Federal Bar Association
Jacksonville Bar Association – Labor & Employment Law Section, Co-Chair
Education
University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., with honors
University of Florida, B.A., with honors
News & Publications
-
Proclamation Restricting Entry of Certain H-1B Nonimmigrant Workers
September 22 | 2025 -
Krinick and Dearing Named 2026 Best Lawyers ‘Lawyer of the Year’
August 21 | 2025 -
Over 25 Percent of Rivkin Radler Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America®
August 21 | 2025
View All Publications
Webinars
- Welcome to the ICE Age—A New Era of Immigration Enforcement
February 27 | 2025 - Health Law Executive Briefings: The Evolving Opportunities to Strategically Partner or Sell Your Practice
March 27 | 2025
A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Melissa is a past member of the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court. She is also a member of the Federal Bar Association and the Florida Bar Association. In addition, Melissa is also co-chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section.
Melissa was named to Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law-Management and Litigation-Labor and Employment, Jacksonville from 2020 to 2026 and Immigration Law, Jacksonville from 2025 to 2026. In 2022, Best Lawyers named her Lawyer of the Year: for Employment Law-Management. She was selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars from 2009 to 2013.
