Does this sound extremely shaky? The H-3 is clearly for training purposes only and it seems kinda dangerous for attorneys to be suggesting that it can be used as aan alternate to H-1 - except in those cases where people *were* planning to come to the US on an H1 just to get trained on systems or processes

Runa,
While I agree that the suggestion by above immigration attorney toes the line, I think one needs to look at the underlying reasons for him to arrive to that particular line of thought. The current restrictions on the H1B visa-green card route remind me of what I read about the Prohibition of the 20s and 30s in the US - government denied it, people needed it, so they got it through hook or crook.