Managing Partner Michael Wildes and Senior Attorney Caroline Gabela-Monteiro are proud to announce the approval of the O-1 petition filed on behalf of Colin Lester.
Colin Lester is an esteemed music manager and music executive who is considered among the ranks of such figures as Allen Klein (ABCKO Records), Peter Grant (manager of Led Zeppelin and the Yardbirds), Lucian Grainge (Universal Music Group), and René Angélil (manager of Celine Dion), the world’s foremost music executives and managers. He has managed the careers of some of the biggest musicians in British history, including superstar Craig David and the alt-rock sensations Travis and Arctic Monkeys, whose most recent tour in New York City sold out Madison Square Garden (nearly 20,000-person capacity) both nights and whose albums have gone quintuple platinum in the U.K. We are pleased to enclose documentary evidence demonstrating Colin Lester’s distinguished career and achievements in the music industry. His influence on the music world cannot be overstated, as he has led musicians of all genres to highly successful careers and universal fame.
Born to Holocaust survivors on May 26th, 1960 in London, Colin Lester was launched into the music world at an early age. At only nineteen he became the guitarist for the glam-rock outfit, The Eyes, signing with the legendary manager Don Arden at Jet Records and ultimately making an album with the iconic musician, Roy Wood. Growing disenchanted with the state of popular music at the time and having learned the secrets of the business from one of the greatest managers in music history, Colin Lester decided to devote his life to revolutionizing the music industry by discovering and nurturing new, innovative talent.
That Mr. Lester has been a recognized figure in the music industry since the 1990s, combined with the facts that he has led bands to performances reaching 1.3 billion viewers and that he released the all-time best-selling debut album by a British band, is undeniable evidence of his sustained acclaim and stature as an individual of extraordinary ability in the music industry.
Wildes & Weinberg was founded in 1960 by Senior Partner, Leon Wildes. He was best known for his successful representation of former Beatle John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono as they fought the Nixon Administration during a five year bitterly contested Deportation Proceeding.
Nearly three quarters of a century later, the firm continues to concentrate its practice in all aspects of U.S. immigration and nationality law, servicing the immigration requirements of prominent American and International firms, banks, industrial, financial, and manufacturing concerns, as well as law firms in connection with the personnel needs of their foreign national employees.
In addition, the firm has a distinguished clientele and has done substantial immigration work for performing artists, directors, writers, models, actors/actresses, athletes, fine artists, art dealers, curators, and literary agents. Most notable was Leon Wildes’ successful representation of former Beatle John Lennon and his artist wife, Yoko Ono in their deportation proceedings, the basis of which has inspired legislation, and has been portrayed in films, plays, and literary works worldwide. Some of the firm’s other distinguished clients include scholar Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z”l), as well as soccer icon Pele and Karim Benzema, Master Chef Jean-Georges, musicians Sinead O’ Connor and Boy George, as well as First Lady Melania Trump and her family.
Michael Wildes, the firm’s Managing Partner, is also currently serving his fifth term as Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, is the author of Safe Haven in America: Battles to Open the Golden Door (which draws on over a quarter of a century of his practice in the immigration field), is an Adjunct Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, and serves as Counsel to Lincoln Center and several international/corporate law firms.
Despite difficulties currently being encountered in dealing with U.S. immigration authorities, the firm has maintained an extraordinary track record for success in its cases. The firm’s litigation group has expanded its efforts in filing Mandamus Actions and other Actions in Federal Courts throughout the nation.
In addition, Wildes & Weinberg’s multilingual staff is spread throughout its offices in New York City, Englewood, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, and by appointment only in Los Angeles, California and Tel Aviv, Israel, and are known for their experience and special expertise in processing each foreign national’s case with nothing less than the highest level of professionalism.
For more information on our firm please visit www.wildeslaw.com or contact Michael Wildes at michael@wildeslaw.com.