Jan Pederson, partner at Wright, Constable & Skeen, is known to her fellow immigration lawyers as a “legendary star of the Bar.” With over four decades of experience across eight U.S. presidential administrations, Jan brings a masterful touch to resolve complex immigration cases, applying her razor-sharp intellect, emotional intelligence and a keen familiarity with administrative decision-making processes. She employs a unique combination of groundbreaking legal acumen and a proven record of professional experience to obtain the results her clients want and need.
Her accolades began early: In 1983, The Washington Post listed Jan as one of the top seven lawyers in all specialties in Washington, D.C., in recognition of her tireless dedication to helping her clients achieve the American dream. Her plaudits continue to this day: in 2022,The Daily Record and The Maryland State Bar Association honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2017, the International Medical Graduates Task Force awarded her The Lifetime Achievement Award.
Among this constellation of awards, Jan holds closest to her heart the National American Immigration Lawyers Association's Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award (AILA) for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law, which she received in 1997. In celebrating her contributions to immigration law, AILA declared: “Every now and then, along comes a lawyer who truly raises the standards of the profession. Edith Lowenstein was one, and so is Jan Pederson.” In particular, AILA singled out Jan’s persistence, tenacity and thorough preparation: “If a rule blocks relief, Jan does not hesitate to petition for a rule change. And when that fails, she works through political channels, enlisting lobbyists and Congressional contacts…chances are she will get the relief no matter what the odds.”
Today, Jan continues to advocate for her clients with the same unflagging zeal, passion and tenacity, and with the additional experience of decades of professional success. Her professional expertise continues to help immigrants, their employers and families start new careers and lives in America. Colleagues and clients alike respect Jan’s miraculous results brought by her innovative and unexpected strategies. Likewise, government officials familiar with her decades of work bear deep respect for her knowledge, honesty and tenacity. She describes her approach, with typical self-effacement, as “groveling with grace”—persuading the government to grant the requested benefits without alienating the government official granting it.
Jan hails from the school of thought that views being a lawyer as a calling. For her, it means a life of dedication and commitment, inspiring passion and fulfillment—it is anything but a workday.
She has mentored hundreds of lawyers and shares her time generously to help fellow attorneys help their clients.
Her client roster includes J-1 physicians and their employers, Fortune 500 companies, renowned entertainers, global television networks, primary through graduate school systems and international journalists. From the late 1980s to the present, her core practice has evolved to serve foreign physicians and their employers, along with advocacy to expand opportunities for foreign-born U.S.-trained physicians. She was instrumental in passing legislation that expanded J-1 waiver opportunities, bringing physicians to medically underserved areas, and increasing the availability of physician care nationwide.
As a mentor to hundreds, Jan hopes to pass on a legacy of tireless, honorable and dedicated representation for clients. She bears a legendary dislike of “Out of Office” messages to clients, as she knows that clients in desperate situations are not comforted by the internet equivalent of hanging a “Gone Fishing” sign on your shop. All her clients know that they have her cell phone number and can reach her at any time—a practice that she wishes her fellow lawyers would adopt. She has trained many attorneys over the years and inspired many paralegals to become lawyers.
With such intensity and focus in her professional conduct, Jan is caring and generous in person, possessed of both a sharp mind and sharp tongue, with quips that often as not target herself. Her personal approach builds lasting connections among clients and coworkers: she remains a “blue-eyed angel” to her Iranian clientele, many of whom date from the conflicts of the 1980s, she continues to act as “J-1 waiver godmother” for qualified foreign physicians and her current law office features staff of 30 years’ loyalty.
Service to her clients is her raison d’être, and she has no plans to retire. She exhorts the next generation to strive to serve their clients and believes such will lead to happiness and well-being for both attorneys and clients.
Jan Pederson has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 1995 for her work in Immigration Law. You can find Jan regularly hosting webinars with the J-1 physician community, as well as presenting her own podcast, J-1 Physician Immigration Law Talk with Jan Pederson. Please contact Jan at Jan@wcslaw.com if you would like to set up an appointment to discuss a specific immigration situation.
