Vonda K. Vandaveer is an immigration lawyer with a practice based in the Washington, DC area. She will teach a mini-course called “How To Build An International Law Practice” at Solo Practice University®.

Vonda K. Vandaveer is admitted to practice law in California and Washington, DC. Her practice is based in the Washington, DC area, where she represents clients in their international business transactions, U.S. government contracting efforts, and immigration matters.

While living in Tunisia and Brussels for the last six years, she has worked virtually with her law office in the United States.

Prior to opening her own practice, Ms. Vandaveer worked at law offices in Atlanta, GA and Kuwait, City, Kuwait. In addition to private practice, she has worked at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on rule of law and capacity building in the justice sector and at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina in the consular section.

She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and American Bar Association, has served as Vice-Chair of the ABA’s Humanitarian Law Committee of the Section of International Law, and is published in the ABA’s publications Middle East Commercial Law Developments and International Lawyer.

She also has received professional training in consular processing at the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service Institute and has performed consular services at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Prior to earning her law degree and license, Ms. Vandaveer worked for 10 years as a journalist on the east and west coasts of the United States, winning awards for her news coverage.

Ms. Vandaveer earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine and her law degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA.

Syllabus – How To Build An International Law Practice

• Globalization and the need for almost every US law practice to be an international practice
• What is an international law practice?
• Case example of a solo attorney international law practice
• What practice areas are suitable for international law practice or require an understanding of international/foreign law issues?
• How to compete with big US law firms; Who needs your services?
• How to find your clients: Marketing in the US and outside of the US
• Cultural Issues – Working with foreign clients
• Unique issues related to running an international law practice.
  • Client communication logistics
  • Administrative/business logistics
  • Travelling Logistics
• A note on practicing overseas