As a practicioner with 31 years of experience, attorney Paul Parsons is often sought out as an expert on immigration law by organizations and media outlets. The fall of 2008 was no different, as Mr. Parsons kept a busy lecture schedule that took him from Belton and San Antonio in Texas to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

On October 9, 2008, Mr. Parsons spoke to members of the Bell County Bar Association at their 2008 Fall Bench Bar Conference in Belton, TX. Mr. Parsons offered a review of United States immigration laws as part of the one-day continuing legal education seminar.

He gave a similar review at the opening remarks of the 32nd Annual Confierence in Immigration and Nationality Law in San Antonio on October 22, 2008. The "how-to" conference is hosted by the University of Texas School of Law and provides effective practice strategies, as well as advice for finding helpful forms, information, and assistance with government agencies. Mr. Parsons also moderated a panel discussion on law office management for immigration practicioners at this event.

On November 7-8, 2008, Mr. Parsons spoke at the AILA Texas Chapter Fall Conference in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. His lecture there focused on confronting unauthorized and unethical practices of immigration law.

Mr. Parsons also made several local television appearances on KAKW Channel 62, the Austin affiliate of Univision, to discuss or comment on current immigration events.

Aproximately 2,000 immigrants from at least 85 countries took the Oath of Allegiance and became United States Citizens at the two naturalization ceremonies held in Austin in 2008. This figure is in line with the national trend as the USCIS completed more than 1.17 million naturalization applications in Fiscal Year 2008, up more than 50 percent from the previous period.

The ceremonies are an effort by the Austin Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the U.S. Court for the Western District of Texas and the USCIS to facilitate naturalization swearing-ins for applicants in Cental Texas. For over 20 years, Paul Parsons has worked with the Austin Chapter of the FBA to help organize these events. Mr. Parsons had the honor to deliver the welcoming remarks at both of the ceremonies in Austin in 2008.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, delivered the keynote address at the ceremony on May 23, 2008, the largest naturalization ceremony in the City of Austin’s history to date.

“It was an honor to welcome and congratulate 1,100 new U.S. citizens today," said Sen. Cornyn during his keynote address in May. "I commend these men and women for their patience and diligence, and for following the prescribed course to gaining U.S. citizenship. I am proud to call each of them fellow Americans. Texas was built by hard-working and ambitious immigrants who brought vitality and energy to our society. Today’s ceremony is confirmation that we remain a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.”

The Law Offices of Paul Parsons welcomes these new citizens of the United States and we look forward to helping immigrants who choose to become United States citizens.

From Left to Right: Attorney Paul Parsons; Marc Knisely, Past President, Austin Chapter of the Federal Bar Association; Mrs. Sally Wieland; Richard Wieland, Past President, (national) Federal Bar Association, at Naturalization Ceremony in Austin, Texas on September 22, 2008.