Editorial: Corporate Immigration in Texas

01 May 2007

The Austin suburb of Round Rock is home to the headquarters of Dell and the surrounding area, known as ‘Silicon Hills’, boasts a rich array of high-tech companies. The Texas Medical Centre in Houston is the largest medical district in the world with 45 medical institutions, 13 of which are hospitals and two of which are specialised patient facilities. This assortment of institutions, companies and universities ensures that there is a continual need for highly skilled workers. The individuals listed on the following pages are well placed to advise clients on the movement and international transfer of employees.

We found a number of highly respected immigration firms in the state. Based on numbers, Quan Burdette & Perez PC stands out with a total of five nominees in the chapter, more than any other firm. Gordon Quan served as mayor pro tem of Houston from 2002 to 2003 and emerged as one of the practice area’s leading lights. Sources noted his ability to resolve matters that have become bogged down and he was described to us as a “great attorney”. Formerly chair of the Texas chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Quan has testified before Congress and the White House on immigration legislation. Judy Lee is rated as “superb in all areas of corporate immigration law, as well as naturalisation” and currently serves as vice chair of the Texas chapter of AILA. Brian Bates continues the firm’s strong showing in the research and was praised as an “extremely competent litigator”. Rebecca Burdette is of counsel at the firm and continues to command a great deal of respect for the quality of her work. Jose Perez was also consistently recommended. His inclusion ensures the firm’s reputation as a “major player out of Houston”, providing “comprehensive, efficient representation for their corporate clients”. 

People also rate Tindall & Foster PC as “one of the major immigration boutiques in Houston”. It also has offices in Austin. Founding partner Charles Foster emerges from our research with more nominations than any other immigration practitioner in the state. A vastly experienced lawyer, Foster has held every position there is to hold in the Immigration Bar, including national president of AILA. He also served as immigration policy adviser to President George W Bush in both the 2000 and 2004 campaigns and was appointed by the then governor of Texas to be chairman of the state task force on immigration. Robert Loughran is another of the practice area’s high-flyers, with one source commenting, “he really knows all aspects of corporate immigration law and has other attorneys and staff to deal with crunch projects effectively.” Respondents also noted that “he knows about export control issues and documentation,” something they went on to add was not common to all immigration lawyers in the state. Magali Candler heads the firm’s litigation department and currently chairs the Texas chapter of AILA. Candler was consistently recommended to researchers and completes a strong contingent from the Tindall Foster firm. 

The recent hire of Shawn Orme and Steven Ladik from Jenkens & Gilchrist has afforded Berry Appleman and Leiden LLP a significant presence in the Texan market to go alongside established practices in San Francisco and Northern Virginia. Both Orme and Ladik are said to display an “in-depth knowledge of all aspects of corporate immigration law” and were praised for being “very sharp [and] creative at seeing options others have missed”. Ladik was singled out for praise and specialises in managing complex matters for large multinational clients. Areas of expertise include PERM recruitment programmes, the development of strategies to deal with lay-offs, and due diligence and management of the immigration process for corporations engaged in M&A activity. Ladik also specialises in the representation of professional athletes and is currently outside immigration counsel to the PGA tour and the Texas Rangers baseball team. Orme serves as chair of AILA’s United States citizenship and immigration services committee and he was endorsed to researchers by some of the practice area’s most respected practitioners. Miley & Brown PC is an immigration boutique with an excellent reputation among fellow practitioners who commented that they “would not hesitate to refer work to them”. The “excellent” Craig Miley and Sarah Brown concentrate on both employment and family-based immigration matters. 

Kathleen Campbell Walker at Kemp Smith in El Paso is another of the practice area’s stand-out practitioners. Walker is national president elect of AILA and has testified a number of times before the House and Senate on immigration and border security. In March last year she also testified before the Texas House of Representatives state affairs committee and the committee on border and international affairs, regarding similar issues. Walker’s cross-border expertise was noted, especially relating to Mexico. Peter Williamson of Williamson and Chaves was “very competent” and a “highly dedicated professional”. Multiple sources noted his litigation credentials and he is reportedly “one of the best brief writers in America”. Richard Gump practises at his own firm and is “very well known and respected in the Bar” according to sources. Nancy Shivers of Shivers & Shivers also comes highly regarded thanks to her showing in the research. She has served on the AILA national committee for liaison with the US Department of Labour. Aside from her “excellent” practice, Shivers is known for her speaking work. The Law Office of Harry Gee Jr and Associates boasts a national and international reputation for the representation of clients on the immigration aspects of corporate, litigation, administrative and transactional matters. According to our findings, principal attorney Harry Gee is one of the leaders in the state. The similarly named, similarly expert Harry Joe moved from Jenkens & Gilchrist to Winstead PC and is “very well known” within the Immigration Bar. A “wonderful attorney who knows the corporate end of the spectrum,” his broad practice incorporates matters such as non-immigrant and immigrant visas, alien employment certifications and naturalisation. 

Paul Parsons is another of Texas’s most respected immigration practitioners. His Rio Grande-based firm, Paul Parsons PC, has an excellent reputation and the past 12 months have seen Parsons heavily involved in the immigration aspects of various clients’ M&A activities. Parsons has also contributed to the profession through various committees, including a tenure as chairman of the Texas,Oklahoma and New Mexico chapter of AILA. Following Hurricane Katrina, Murov & Ward LLC relocated to Austin and continues to provide clients with a high level of service. Mark Murov has been active in the field for over 30 years and drew praise from a number of quarters. The “excellent” Judith Cooper has a “significant corporate business practice” according to sources, and her firm, Judith G Cooper PC, focuses solely on immigration and nationality law. Leigh Ganchan was recommended to researchers as a “promising young lawyer”. She practises in the Houston offices of Epstein Becker Green Wickliff & Hall PC, a firm with a good reputation for labour and employment advice. Ganchan represents clients from diverse industries such as energy, biotech, health care, finance and construction on matters including policy, transactions, restructurings and compliance. Mona Gupta of Gupta & Wiora PC has worked on immigration matters for the past 15 years, during which time she has built up a good reputation within the legal community. Gupta works on both employment-based matters as well as family and naturalisation cases. Alice Gruber recently set up her own firm, having left Tindall & Foster. Gruber boasts a good reputation within the industry. Sources noted that “clients are very happy with her work”. Turin Turin and Olinger PC offers full-service immigration and nationality advice and partner Joshua Turin was praised as a “brilliant litigator” with a “significant corporate business practice”. According to our findings, William Fong of Fong & Associates is another of Texas’s leading individuals. Formerly with the Quan Burdette firm, Fong set up on his own in 2000, offering corporate immigration advice to clients from industries such as oil and gas, engineering and health care.

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