Overview
Board certification in a legal specialty is a credential earned by fewer than 10% of Texas attorneys. Roy Petty holds Board Certification in Immigration and Nationality Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation that requires demonstrated experience, peer review, and passage of a written examination specific to immigration law. This is not a self-reported credential or a directory listing. It is a formal recognition from the Texas legal establishment that Petty meets specific standards in his area of practice.
Roy Petty & Associates, PLLC operates from its Dallas office at 8700 North Stemmons Freeway, Suite 101, and maintains an additional office in Medellin, Colombia. The Medellin location reflects the firm’s commitment to serving Latin American clients and the significant number of clients whose immigration matters originate in or connect to South America. The firm’s website is www.roypetty.com/.
The practice spans immigration law and bankruptcy law, two areas where clients often have urgent, time-sensitive needs. The firm is open Monday through Saturday, a scheduling approach that acknowledges that the clients it serves do not always have the ability to take time off from work during standard business hours.
Practice Areas
Immigration Law: This is the firm’s primary and defining practice area. The scope covers family-based immigration, employment visas, residency applications, naturalization, and deportation proceedings. Roy Petty has been practicing immigration law since 1991, the year he graduated from the University of Arizona College of Law. At the time of his graduation, he served as a managing editor of the Journal of International and Comparative Law, an academic role that reflects early engagement with the international dimensions of legal practice.
Family-based immigration includes spousal petitions, immediate relative petitions, and family preference categories. Employment-based work includes both nonimmigrant work visas and the employment-based green card process. Deportation defense involves representation in removal proceedings before immigration courts, which are administrative tribunals within the Department of Justice. Naturalization represents the final step in the immigration process for lawful permanent residents who choose to seek citizenship.
Bankruptcy: The firm offers full bankruptcy services alongside its immigration practice. Specific breakdown of bankruptcy chapter coverage is not publicly detailed.
Pro Bono Immigration Representation: The firm provides representation to indigent and low-income clients who cannot afford legal fees. Roy Petty’s commitment to this work extends to public advocacy: the firm has assisted the State of Texas in actions against immigration consultants and notarios who practiced law without a license. Petty has testified as an expert witness for the Texas Attorney General in a case that resulted in the shutdown of an immigration consultant who defrauded immigrants of more than $1 million.
Immigration Fraud Prevention: The firm’s involvement in fraud prevention work extends beyond individual client representation. By testifying as an expert witness against fraudulent immigration consultants and assisting the state in enforcement actions, the firm has contributed to protecting the immigrant community from predatory actors who exploit individuals who may not know their legal rights.
Attorney Profile
Roy Petty (Founding Attorney)
Roy Petty graduated from the University of Arizona College of Law in 1991, where he served as a managing editor of the Journal of International and Comparative Law. He is licensed to practice in Arizona, Florida, and Texas, reflecting a multi-state practice that extends beyond Dallas.
He is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation that distinguishes certified attorneys from those who simply list immigration law as a practice area. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
His leadership roles in the State Bar of Texas immigration community include serving as Treasurer of the State Bar of Texas Immigration Council and as editor of the Immigration Bulletin, the quarterly publication of the State Bar of Texas Immigration Section. In 2019, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dallas Bar Association’s Immigration Section, a recognition that reflects both tenure and contribution to the local immigration law community.
The firm’s staff and attorneys are fluent in Spanish, which is not an incidental detail given the demographic profile of the client base the firm primarily serves.
Location and Service Area
The firm’s Dallas office is at 8700 North Stemmons Freeway, Suite 101, Dallas, TX 75247. An additional office operates in Medellin, Colombia, serving clients whose immigration matters connect to South America. The firm operates Monday through Saturday and accepts MasterCard and Visa. Initial consultations are available.
Client Focus
The firm primarily serves immigrants applying for residency, naturalization, or facing deportation proceedings, with particular emphasis on Spanish-speaking client communities. The Colombia office reflects meaningful engagement with Latin American clients rather than a nominal international presence. The firm also serves low-income and indigent clients through pro bono representation, extending access to legal services for individuals who face the highest stakes immigration matters with the fewest resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Board Certification in Immigration and Nationality Law mean?
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization awards Board Certification to attorneys who meet specific experience requirements, undergo peer review evaluation, and pass a written examination in their specialty area. Fewer than 10% of Texas attorneys hold any form of Board Certification. In immigration law, Board Certification signals that an attorney has demonstrated a measurable level of competence in this specific legal field beyond what is required simply to practice law.
Does the firm offer services to Spanish-speaking clients?
Yes. The firm’s attorneys and staff are fluent in Spanish. Spanish-speaking clients can conduct their consultations and case discussions in their primary language without relying on interpreters.
What is a notario and why is the firm involved in fraud prevention?
In many Latin American countries, a “notario” is a highly qualified legal professional with authority to handle a range of legal matters. In the United States, the title “notario” or “notary public” does not confer the authority to provide legal advice or to prepare immigration applications. Individuals who hold themselves out as immigration consultants, notarios, or document preparers and who charge fees for immigration legal services they are not licensed to provide are engaged in unauthorized practice of law. These individuals frequently prepare incorrect or incomplete applications that harm the clients they purport to serve. Roy Petty has testified as an expert witness for the Texas Attorney General in a case that shut down one such operation, which defrauded immigrants of more than $1 million.
Is the firm open on Saturdays?
Yes. The firm is open Monday through Saturday to accommodate clients who cannot take time away from work during standard business hours.
Can the firm help someone who is already in deportation proceedings?
Yes. Deportation defense is a practice area the firm actively handles. Removal proceedings involve specific deadlines and procedural requirements, and representation by an attorney familiar with immigration court practice is important at every stage.
Closing
Roy Petty & Associates, PLLC brings a distinctive combination to its Dallas immigration practice: Board Certification from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, nearly 35 years of immigration law experience, a physically present Colombia office for Latin American clients, bilingual English-Spanish staff, and a demonstrated record of engagement with immigration fraud prevention. The firm operates from 8700 North Stemmons Freeway, Suite 101, Dallas, TX 75247, is open Monday through Saturday, and can be reached through its website at www.roypetty.com/.