Practice Areas
Education
- University of Illinois, B.A., 1966
- University of Texas, J.D., 1969
Honors
- Designated a "Texas Super Lawyer," 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Court Admissions
- District Courts: Southern and Western Districts of Texas
- Courts of Appeals: 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, & DC Circuits
- U.S. Supreme Court
1200 Smith Street
14th Floor
Houston, TX 77002-4310
TEL: 713-658-2508
FAX: 713-658-2553
Peter D. Williamson possesses considerable experience handling the entire spectrum of immigration and nationality matters, from employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant, to investor cases, labor certifications and family-based cases. He has represented families and companies in all parts of the United States and over 100 countries, in all aspects of immigration, and has developed particular experience in appeallate matters and removal cases. He is board certified in immigration law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Mr. Williamson handles employment cases including E, H, L, O nonimmigrant cases; labor certifications; visa petitions, consular work; family-based matters such as visa petitions and adjustment of status; consular work; naturalizations; and defense of removal (deportation) cases.
Mr. Williamson is active in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (www.aila.org), an association whose membership consists of over 11,000 attorneys who practice in this field of law. He has served as chair of the Texas chapter of AILA, on the National Board of Governors (1982-present), and on the national executive committee, including service as the national president of AILA in 1994-95. Mr. Williamson is also a founding member of IMMLAW (www.immlaw.com), a national consortium of immigration law firms whose members practice autonomously, but share their knowledge and expertise and exchange ideas and information in emerging areas so that their clients can benefit from the most innovative, highly sophisticated techniques.
Significant Matters
- Worked with criminal defense counsel in an employer sanctions prosecution, in which counsel helped convince the federal district court to grant an 88% reduction in the amount of the total fine imposed from that recommended by the United States Attorney and by the federal sentencing guidelines. (January, 2008)
- Brought successful court challenges to long-delayed naturalization case.
Seminars & Presentations
- Mr. Williamson frequently speaks on immigration-related topics at university and bar association seminars on topics including ethics, criminal law aspects, employer sanctions, defense of removal, visa petitions and numerous other subjects. He has appeared as a featured speaker or panelist at numerous seminars throughout Texas, and across the United States as well as Mexico, Canada, the Dominican Republic, England, and Republic of the Philippines.
News
- Chamberlain Hrdlicka Nationally Ranked In 2012 Editions of Best Law Firms & Best LawyersFirm, Attorneys Ranked in Tax, Construction, Immigration, Trusts & Estates and Eminent Domain & Condemnation CategoriesNovember 2011
- 2011 Chambers USA Ranks Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Houston-Based Attorneys High in Tax CategoryLaw firm Ranked at Local and National LevelsJune 2011
- Chamberlain Hrdlicka Ranked Nationally in 2011 Chambers USAJune 2011
- Chamberlain Hrdlicka Nationally Ranked in 2011 Edition of Best LawyersSeptember 2010
- Chambers USA Once Again Ranks Chamberlain Hrdlicka Among Top Ten National Firms in Tax LitigationJune 14, 2010
- Shareholder Joins Ranks of 2010 Best Lawyers in AmericaAugust 2009
Professional Affiliations
- Former National President, American Immigration Lawyers Association
- Member, University of Houston Immigration Law Clinic advisory board
- Member, College of the State Bar of Texas