Guberman // Appleby Immigration Lawyers
3 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 425 handling Immigration Law.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Guberman // Appleby Immigration Lawyers
Guberman // Appleby Immigration Lawyers is a small Toronto firm that practises exclusively in Canadian and U.S. immigration law. Joel S. Guberman and Lainie M. Appleby launched the firm together in the fall of 2022, but their working relationship goes back much further: the two have practised immigration law together in various settings since 1999, when Appleby articled at Guberman's earlier firm, Guberman Garson. The current team, which also includes a U.S.-licensed immigration attorney and a student-at-law, handles matters ranging from work permits and Express Entry to family sponsorship and U.S. business visas.
The firm advises individuals, families, employers, and multinational companies on both sides of the border, from TN, L-1, E-1, E-2, O-1, and H-1B visas to EB-1A, EB-1C, and EB-5 permanent categories in the U.S., alongside Canadian work permits, study permits, permanent residence, and citizenship. Guberman is a founding member and past chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Canada Chapter, and both Guberman and Appleby have chaired the Ontario Bar Association's citizenship and immigration law section. Guberman is also admitted as an Attorney at Law in Massachusetts. The firm works from a Toronto office but serves clients across Canada, the U.S., and abroad, offering both virtual and in-person consultations.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Joel S. Guberman has been recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada for 20 consecutive years, most recently in the 2026 edition.
- Lainie M. Appleby has been included in Best Lawyers in Canada since 2019 for work in Canadian immigration law.
- The firm was ranked in the inaugural Best Law Firms in Canada (2025) listing by Best Lawyers, receiving a Metropolitan Tier 1 ranking in Toronto for immigration law and a National Tier 2 ranking.
- Guberman and Appleby were both named Thought Leaders - Immigration in the Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal).
- Guberman is a founding member and past chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Canada Chapter.
- Guberman and Appleby have each served as chair of the Ontario Bar Association's citizenship and immigration law section.
In the community
- One lawyer on the team has volunteered as an English as a Second Language tutor since high school.
- A member of the team has volunteered with Reach Legal Referral Services, helping people with disabilities in Ottawa, and completed a refugee law practicum at the University of Ottawa.
Good to know
LGBTQ+ friendly
Virtual appointmentsLawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School (2), Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law 3 of 3 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office sits on Macpherson Avenue in Casa Loma, a Toronto neighbourhood named for the Gothic Revival castle a few blocks north that draws visitors from across the city. It's a quieter, mostly residential pocket of midtown, tucked between the Annex and Forest Hill, with the neighbourhood served by the St. Clair West subway station, a change of pace from the high-rise law firm towers downtown.
That location suits a practice built around remote work as much as walk-in visits. Guberman // Appleby's clients are as likely to be calling from Vancouver, Boston, or overseas as from around the corner, and the firm leans on video and phone consultations to serve them, so its Toronto address matters less than its ability to move a case through both the Canadian and U.S. immigration systems.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Guberman // Appleby handle both Canadian and U.S. immigration matters?
- Yes. The firm practises exclusively in immigration law on both sides of the border, covering Canadian work permits, study permits, permanent residence, and citizenship, as well as U.S. visa categories like TN, L-1, E-1, E-2, O-1, and H-1B and permanent categories such as EB-1A, EB-1C, and EB-5.
- I'm an employer who wants to bring staff into Canada or transfer them within my company, can the firm help?
- Yes. The firm advises employers and multinational companies on business immigration, including intracompany transfers and Labour Market Impact Assessment applications, and can walk through the available options for bringing foreign workers to Canada.
- Can the firm help me sponsor my spouse or a family member to come to Canada?
- Yes. The firm handles family class and spousal sponsorship applications for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent child.
- I've been refused entry to Canada or the U.S. because of a past criminal record, is there anything that can be done?
- The firm handles inadmissibility matters on both sides of the border. Depending on the circumstances, options in Canada can include a Temporary Resident Permit, Criminal Rehabilitation, or Deemed Rehabilitation, and the firm also advises on U.S. inadmissibility issues.
- I don't live in Toronto, or I'm outside Canada entirely, can I still work with this firm?
- Yes. Guberman // Appleby is based in Toronto but serves clients across Canada, the United States, and internationally, and offers virtual consultations by phone or video as well as in-person meetings at its Toronto office.
- How long have Joel Guberman and Lainie Appleby been practising immigration law together?
- They've worked together in immigration law since 1999, when Appleby articled at Guberman's earlier firm, and formally launched Guberman // Appleby Immigration Lawyers in the fall of 2022.
Where to find them
287 Macpherson Ave Unit 201, Toronto, ON M4V 1A4
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