Immigration

Hector J. Lopez, J.D., LL.M.

**** ***** ******  Houston, Texas 77003

Mobile: 832-***-****  *******@*****.***

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

CONFIDENTIAL, Inc., (Technology Consulting Company) Houston, Texas 2005 – Present

Immigration Legal Specialist – Foreign Legal Consultant

 Handle the company’s in-house business immigration (650+ filings per year) including the preparation and filing of both, non-immigrant and immigrant visa petitions.

 Experiences with the preparation and filing of H-1B, L-1, TN, E-3, employment and family-based adjustment of status applications, employment authorization documents, advanced parole documents/travel documents, and affidavits of support (I-864 and I-134).

 Draft and prepare immigrant and non-immigrant consular applications, including DS-156, DS-157 and DS-230.

 Prepare and coordinate recruitment procedures for foreign labor certification cases under Program Electronic Review Management system (PERM) (150+ approved cases).

 Develop, implement and advise on I-9 compliance and E-Verify procedures.

 Counsel company management with regard to employment, immigration, contract and corporate legal issues involving corporate affiliates’ business operations and activities in the United States and India.

 Work with other attorneys and direct paralegals and legal assistants.

 Advice on issues related to company personnel, employment agreements, corporate structures, various business transactions involving the sale of information technology services, governmental filings and reports.

Harrison & Associates, Houston, Texas 2003 – 2005

Case/Office Manager

 Drafted and prepared employment-based immigration petitions, including EB-1 petitions and those for persons of extraordinary ability and multinational executives. Also drafted family-based immigration petitions, national interest waivers, and consular processing applications.

 Drafted and prepared non-immigrant visa petitions and applications including, H-1B, L-1, TN, K, F-1, J, and change of status documents.

 Prepared RFE responses, employment and travel authorization applications, affidavits of support (I-864), and naturalization filings.

 Handled negotiations and served as liaison between clients and governmental agencies, including the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), the Department of Labor (DOL), the State Workforce Agencies (SWA), and various state police departments.

 Advised clients on labor certification procedures under Regular Permanent, Reduction in Recruitment (RIR) and PERM regulations.

 Actively participated in professional organizations including American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), was responsible for training junior associates and supervised a team of paralegals on the immigration docket.

Glast, Phillips & Murray, PC, Houston, Texas 2002 – 2003

Immigration Case Manager

 Drafted and prepared employment and family-based immigration petitions, and non-immigrant visa applications, including H-1B, and L-1, in addition to extensions of stay, naturalization documents, work permits, travel documents and affidavits of support (I-864), including supplemental form I-864A.

 Acted as liaison between clients and various governmental agencies including the USCIS, DOL, SWA and numerous state police departments.

Distribuidora Finpapel, C.A., Caracas, Venezuela 1999 – 2000

In-House Counsel

 Represented and advised the company in its international and local business transactions, including drafting the required documentation for buy-sell agreements, rental contracts, and the implementation of new affiliate corporations.

 Analyzed needs and products requirements to create and design a tax structure strategy for the fiscal year according to the company’s assets, costs and estimated profits.

 Drafted and prepared all import documents to be submitted to the local customs office regarding merchandise entering from the United States and Europe.

 Determined customer tariff codes according to the Harmoized Tariff System and Venezuelan local applicable taxes.

 Managed collections, including the coordination of repayment on delinquent accounts.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Caracas, Venezuela 1997 – 1999

Assistant Legal and Compliance Manager

 Represented clients on tax issues before the Internal Revenue Service regarding non-resident tax exemptions.

 Drafted and revised new account and foreign holding company documents for compliance with firm policies.

EDUCATION

University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas

LL.M. – Immigration & International Business, May 2002

Universidad Santa Maria, Caracas, Venezuela

Master of Laws, March 2000

Universidad Santa Maria, Caracas, Venezuela

Lawyer (J.D. Equivalent), November 1996

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

State Bar of Texas – Licensed under Rule XIV

American Bar Association

Houston Bar Association

International Bar Association

Venezuelan Bar Association

Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Notary Public for the State of Texas

American Immigration Lawyers Association

SEMINARS & COURSES

Global Business Immigration Conference (IBA) London, England 15-16 Nov 2007

Global Business Immigration Conference (IBA) London, England 20-21 Nov 2003

Latin American & Caribbean Regional Conference (IBA) Panama City, Panama 25-26 Mar 2004

LANGUAGES

Fluent in Spanish and English

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

St. Charles Square Homeowners Association – Elected Board Member Aug 2008 – Present

Vice-President: Currently serving a 2 years term with two other board members making relevant decisions for the community involving a total of 110 homes.

OTHER

U.S. Permanent Resident & E.U. Citizen

Contact this candidate