Angela M. Lopez

Angela M. Lopez is a shareholder and Section Head of the Cowles Thompson Immigration Practice Group. Angela has been practicing exclusively in the field of immigration law since 2002.  She has developed a large national practice representing numerous foreign nationals and their employers in obtaining temporary employment nonimmigrant visas and permanent residence.  She has represented numerous hospitals, healthcare systems, medical providers, university medical centers, physicians, and allied staff (nurses, physical therapists, and medical technologists).

Angela’s extensive experience includes J-1 two-year foreign residency waiver applications for physicians, H-1B professional worker visas, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, E-1/E-2 treaty investor, L-1 transfer visas, TN temporary work visa for citizens of Canada & Mexico, E-3 professional worker visas for Australian nationals, and permanent residence applications based upon labor certification, extraordinary ability aliens, national interest waivers, multinational managers and executives, and EB5 investor immigrant visas.

In addition, Angela has represented hundreds of individuals and their families in obtaining legal permanent residence (“green card”), successfully overcoming the challenges of the US immigration system and keeping families united.

Angela began her career in 1989 as a Deputy District Attorney and Town Solicitor in Colombia, South America. In 1993, she worked with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Hampden County, as a Family Service Officer, gaining experience in Family Law, mediation and investigative services. In 1997, she was a founding partner in “Mediation Works,” a mediation center and dispute resolution service in Springfield, MA. In 1998, Angela relocated to Texas and completed her Masters in International and Comparative Law (LLM) at SMU in Dallas. During and after her Masters studies, she worked with Alcon Laboratories, a Fortune 500 Company, in their International Legal Department, assisting Alcon affiliates worldwide on a broad range of issues related to International Business transactions.

• “Did You Miss the H-1B Lottery?” Cowles Thompson webinar, April 2021
• “Protección para Venezolanos – TPS/DED/Asillo,” Cowles Thompson webinar, March 2021
• “Venezuelan Relief – Deferred Enforced Departure (DED),” Cowles Thompson webinar, March 2021 “H-1B CAP Registration / Application process,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, February 2021
• Citizenship Workshop, steering committee/presenter, Plano Multicultural Outreach Roundtable, February 2021
• “Venezolanos – Salida Obligatoria Diferida (DED),” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, January 2021
• “New Administration – Immigration Expectations,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, January 2021
• Dallas Latino Leadership Program, Steering committee, November 2020
• “Immigration/US policy immigration & global mobility,” presenter, International Business Summit, October 2020
• “Understanding Priority Dates,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, October 2020
• “J-1 Physicians – Immigration Options,” presenter, IMG Recruiters group, September 2020
• “Executive Order Expanding Restrictions on Work Visas,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, July 2020
• “Extension of Status Under COVID,” presenter, Colombian Association, June 2020
• “Green Card for Physicians/Pending Legislation,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, May 2020
• “La Orden Ejecutiva Suspendiendo Inmigratión: Duración, Opciones;” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, April 2020
• “The Latest Immigration Ban:  Duration, Who’s Affection, Options;” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, April 2020
• “Safeguarding Your Green Card and Citizenship,” presenter, Plano Multicultural Outreach Roundtable, Citizenship Workshop, February 2020
• “Immigration Compliance,” presenter, Latin America Forum, October 2020
• “Civics for Business, How Immigration Impacts the Business Community,” presenter, North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, August 2019
• “Immigration for International Students,’” co-presenter, University of Texas at Dallas, August 2019
• “How Immigration Impacts the Business Community,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, August 2019
• “Immigration 101,” presenter, Cowles Thompson CLE presentation, July 2019
• “How Extraordinary Do You Have to Be?  EB1 & O1,” Cowles & Thompson webinar, July 2019
• “Demystifying E-Visas,” Cowles Thompson webinar, May 2019
• “Understanding J-1 Waivers,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, April 2019
• “Green Card Options for Physicians,” Cowles Thompson webinar, March 2019
• “Safeguarding Your Green Card and Citizenship,” presenter, Plano Multicultural Outreach Roundtable, Citizenship Workshop, February 2019
• “H-1B Cap Season,” Cowles Thompson webinar, February 2019
• “Government Update,” Cowles Thompson webinar, January 2019
• “H-1B Visas,” presenter, Immigration Law Section, Dallas Bar Association, January 2019
• “Immigration Consequences of Divorce, Separation and Death,” Cowles Thompson webinar, November 2018
• “Consular Processing and Visa Stamps,” Cowles Thompson webinar, October 2018
• “Immigration Road Map for F1/OPT Students,” Cowles Thompson webinar, August 2018
• “How Not to Lose Your Green Card,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, July 2018

• “E-B5 and Physician Investors,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, June 2018
• “Physician Recruiting,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, May 2018
• “Immigration Update for Employers,” speaker, Richardson Chamber of Commerce, April 2018
• “2018 Government Update,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, April 2018
• “Citizenship Process:  Dos and Don’ts for Applications,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, March 2018
• “H-1B Season:  H-1B CAP, Wage Level and Specialty Occupation Issues,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, February 2018
• “Immigration and Worksite Enforcement – What Employers Must Know, Whether They Employ Foreign Nationals or Not,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, January 2018
• “Immigration:  State of the Union,”  presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, December 2017
• “The Perm Process: 5 Tips and Pitfalls to Avoid,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, November 2017
• “Immigration Under President Trump,” author, Cowles Thompson newsletter article, November 2017
• “Immigration for Investors and Entrepreneurs,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, October 2017
• “Immigration 101,” speaker, Dallas Bar Association North Clinic, September 2017
• “Family-Based Immigration,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, September 2017
• “Permanent Residence Options (Green Card) for Physicians,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, August 2017
• “Immigration:  State of the Union,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, July 2017
• “Immigration Enforcement at the State level – S-B4,” author, Cowles Thompson newsletter, July 2017
• “J-1 Physicians:  Are You Waiver Ready?,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, June 2017
• “H-1B Compliance and the Hire American Executive Order,” presenter,  Cowles Thompson webinar, May 2017
• “Physicians’ Immigration,” webinar presenter, National Association of Physicians Recruiters (NAPR), April 2017
• “Immigration 101,” presenter, United Dallas, April 2017
• “Alternatives to the H-1B Visa,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, April 2017
• “Immigration Under a Trump Administration,” presenter, Cowles Thompson seminar, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX, March 2017
• “The State of US Immigration Under a Trump Administration,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, Dallas, TX, March 2017
• “J-1 Waiver Options & Executive Order Impact,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, Dallas, TX, February 2017
• Plano Citizenship Day, volunteer attorney, Plano, TX, February 2017
• “The New Form I-9 and Compliance,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, Dallas, TX, January 2017
• “Inmigración Bajo la Administración Trump,” presenter, Cowles Thompson seminar, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX, December 2016
• “The Upcoming USCIS Deadline and How to Prepare,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, Dallas, TX, December 2016
• “Practical Tools for Global Development,” panelist, International Business Summit, New Crossroads for Latin America-Asia Trade, Dallas, TX, October 2016
• Dallas Latina Leadership (NHBA), participant/organizer, SMU, Dallas, TX, October 2016
• Women in Education Forum, presenter, AMEP/UTD, September 2016
• “Alternatives to H-1B Visa,” presenter, Cowles Thompson webinar, Dallas, TX, May 2016
• “H-1B Visas – Proving Your Case,” speaker, Dallas Bar Association, Immigration Law Section, Dallas, TX, January 2016
• “5 Major Mistakes Business Owners Make that Expose Their Businesses to Huge Legal Risk, Severe Financial Loss, and Bad Publicity,” speaker, Frisco Chamber of Commerce, November 2015
• Immigration and Citizenship Workshop, speaker, Richland College, August 2015
• “EB-5 Investor Visas:  Permanent Residence in the U.S.,” speaker, Brazil, June 2015
• “Top 6 Alternatives To H-1B Visas for Foreign National Professionals,” speaker, June 2015
• “Proving and Winning Your H-1B Case in 2015,” speaker, January 2015
• Executive Action Immigration Workshop, presenter, December 2014
• Immigration Workshop, presenter, El Centro College, August 2014
• “Avoiding Workplace Pitfalls:  Domestic and Foreign Employee Compliance,” speaker, Frisco Chamber of Commerce, July 2014
• “Secrets to Winning a  Green Card for Top International Professionals,” presenter, July 2014
• “Secrets to Winning A Green Card Through PERM Labor Certification,” presenter, June 2014
• “Immigration Pitfalls To Avoid In Family Law And Employment Law,” speaker, February 2014
• “H-1B Compliance: H-1B Compliance. 9 Costly H-1B Mistakes Employers Can Make and How to Avoid Them,” speaker, February 2014
• “H-1B Visas: Proving Your Case in 2014,” speaker, January 2014
• Immigration and Citizenship Workshop, speaker, Richland College, August 10, 2013
• “What Every International Graduate Student Should Know,” speaker, Texas Christian University, July 26, 2013
• Updates from the AILA National Annual Conference, speaker, AILA Dallas Chapter,  July 23, 2013
• Immigration Update, speaker, Tri-County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Addison, July 11, 2013
• “H-1B Compliance: 9 Costly Mistakes Employers Make,” presenter, webinar, June 12, 2013
• “Immigration Reform, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Family Unity Waivers,” (Spanish), speaker, Iglesia Misión Cristiana Nuevo Pacto, Garland, April 26, 2013
• “Immigration Reform, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Family Unity Waivers,” speaker, March 27, 2013
• “Immigration Reform, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Family Unity Waivers,” speaker, Collin County Community College (Frisco Campus), March 23 and March 27, 2013
• “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Advance Parole, and Legalization,” speaker, DREAMers Immigration Workshop, El Centro Community College, February 20, 2013
• “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA),” speaker, North Lake Community College, DREAMers Immigration Workshop, October 20, 2012
• Immigration and Citizenship Workshop, speaker, Richland College, August 17, 2012
• Citizenship Workshop, volunteer attorney, Plano Multi-Cultural Outreach Roundtable (MCOR), March 10, 2012
• “H-1B Visas: Proving Your Case in 2012,” presenter, webinar, January 25, 2012
• “7 Secrets You Must Know to Win a Green Card Through PERM Labor Certification,” presenter, webinar, November 10, 2011
• 2011 Citizenship and Immigration Workshop, speaker, Richland College, August 13, 2011
• “9 Critical Immigration Rules IMG Residents/Fellows Must Know to Practice Medicine in the U.S.,” presenter, July 23, 2011
• “How to Get a Green Card Through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program”, speaker, Plano Latin American Rotary Club, July 7, 2011
• “EB-5 Immigrant Investor Webinar,” presenter, May 19, 2011
• Committee Immigration,  CLE, Tarrant County Bar Association, April 2011
• “Immigration Prescription,” presenter, Physician Tele-seminar series, 2006-2010
• EB5 Investor Seminar in Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador, speaker, City of Dallas Regional Center, October 2010
• “What You Really Need to Know About Immigration & Citizenship in 2010!,” speaker, August 28, 2010
• “9 Critical Immigration Rules IMG Residents/Fellows Must Know to Practice Medicine in the U.S.,” presenter, Physician Tele-Seminar, June 2010
• “Hablemos el Mismo Idioma,” presenter, tele-seminar for Spanish-speaking physicians, March, June, September, & December 2010
• “How to Emigrate Your Workforce from Mexico,” presenter, Hispanic Marketing and Sales Mega-trends 2010, 2nd Annual Summit, October 2009
• “The I-9 Audit and How to Prepare for It,” Collin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, September 2009
• “I-9 Audits and Avoiding the High Cost of Noncompliance,” CLE, speaker, September 2009
• “10 Immigration Rules Every Physician Recruiter Should Know,” presenter, February 2009
• “Sponsoring Foreign Workers,” speaker, US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, New Business Forum, Dallas, TX, January 2009
• Lawful Immigration Symposium, speaker, US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Dallas, TX, October 2008
• Educational Series Panelist, Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas, Richland College, Dallas, TX, September 2008
• International Business Summit Conference, speaker, Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Dallas, TX, August 2008
• “I-9 Compliance and E-verify Seminar,” CLE, speaker, July 2008
• Immigration Workshop, presenter, Hispanic Contractors Association of DFW, Dallas, TX, January 2008
• “Hot Topics in I-9 Compliance,” speaker, November 2007
• Day Coordinator, American Immigration Lawyers Association, National Conference, July 2007
• “Critical Immigration Issues for Employers, Retaining Foreign Workers and I-9 Compliance,” speaker, Collin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Plano, TX, 2007
• “Protecting Your Practice: Immigration Pitfalls to Avoid,” speaker, Dallas Bar Association, Minority Development Program (CLE), Dallas, TX, 2006
• “Strategies for Success:  How to Win the Race to Secure H-1B Visas,” presenter, tele-seminar, February 2006
• “Immigration Issues and Pending Legislation Before Congress,” speaker, The International Group Of Dallas (GID), Dallas, TX, 2006
• “Visa Options for Foreign Students,” speaker, The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), 2005

• L.L.M. (Masters in International and Comparative Law), Southern Methodist University (SMU), School of Law, 2000
• J.D., Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB), Colombia, 1988

• Admitted to the State Bar of New York, 2001
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, 2007

• Texans for Economic Growth, 2019
• Richardson Chamber of Commerce, International Concierge Section, Advisory Committee, 2019
• Dallas Bar Association Immigration Section, Chair, 2018
• Dallas Bar Association Immigration Section, Vice-Chair, 2017
• State Bar of New York
• American Bar Association
• Dallas Bar Association
• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
• International Medical Graduate Taskforce (IMG Taskforce)
• Uplift Williams Preparatory, Advisory Council

• Best Lawyers in America© – Immigration Law, Best Lawyers®, selected for inclusion, 2022-2023
• Best Lawyers in Dallas, Immigration Law, D Magazine®, selected for inclusion, 2020-2022
• Top 50 Women Lawyers in Dallas, Texas Diversity Council Award, 2017
• Outstanding Participation, Foro Mujer Educate, Amep, 2016
• Excellence Award, The Rotary Club of Plano Latin-American, 2011