Kelly McCown – Partner & Co-founder
kelly@mccownevans.com
Skype: kellymccown
Kelly McCown is one of fewer than 200 attorneys certified as a Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and has received the highest possible peer review rating (“AV Preeminent”) for her legal ability.
Ms. McCown has been honored each year since 2004 as a “Northern California Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics Magazine and has been twice named one of the “Top 50 Female Super Lawyers” in Northern California across all legal specialties.
Since 1994, Ms. McCown’s business immigration law practice has focused on employment-based visas, labor certification, and employment-based permanent residence applications. She also advises employers on federal compliance issues in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and government audits. Prior to forming McCown & Evans LLP, Ms. McCown was a partner at a prominent San Francisco business immigration firm.
Ms. McCown was the 2005-06 Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)’s Northern California chapter, a 600-member professional bar association, and previously served as the organization’s Vice Chair/CIS Liaison, Secretary, Treasurer, and Media Liaison. She also has served on AILA’s Business Immigration Committee, USCIS Liaison Committee, and California Service Center Liaison Committee. Ms. McCown is on the board of directors of Bank of San Francisco and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. She is a former Trustee of the American Immigration Council, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that advances fundamental fairness and due process for immigrants. She is also a past Co-Chair and board member of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF) and in 2008 Ms. McCown was honored by BALIF with its Minority Bar Coalition Unity Award. Ms. McCown also serves as a volunteer attorney with the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and as a mentor attorney with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Asylum Program.
Ms. McCown is a frequent speaker and author in the immigration law area. Her speaking engagements over the past few years include the California State Council of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), Bar Association of San Francisco’s Labor & Employment Law Section, national and regional conferences of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the American Immigration Council’s Community Education Center, and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
Education
Kelly McCown received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Stanford University in 1985 and her J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California Berkeley in 1993.
Admissions
Ms. McCown is admitted to practice in California and New York, and is conversant in Italian and Spanish.
Speaking Engagements And Publications
“J-1 Visas – The Underutilized Exchange Visitor Program,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Podcast (discussion leader) (May 2015)
“Same-Sex Adjustment of Status,” AILA Northern California Chapter, San Francisco, CA (April 2015)
“Setting Up and Marketing an Immigration Compliance Program to Prevent Worksite Enforcement Problems,” AILA California Chapters Conference, San Jose, CA (Nov. 2014)
“Life Without DOMA,” AILA California Chapters Conference, Anaheim, CA (Nov. 2013)
“U.S. Immigration for Entrepreneurs,” Anza Technology Network, Global Acceleration Program, San Francisco, CA (Oct. 2013)
“Immigration Reform,” TV guest on Reference Point, KMTV15 Community Media (Aug. 2013)
“Update on Immigration Issues Post-DOMA,” radio guest on Your Legal Rights with Chuck Finney, KALW-91.7 FM (NPR affiliate) (Aug. 2013)
“Advanced I-751 Petitions to Remove Conditions on Residence,” AILA Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA (June 2013)
“The New World of RFEs,” AILA California Chapters Conference, San Diego, CA (Nov. 2012)
“U.S. Immigration for Cleantech Entrepreneurs,” Anza Technology Network, Australian Cleantech Competition, San Francisco, CA (Nov. 2012)
“Using Smart Technology to Make Your Immigration Practice Stand Out,” LawLogix Immigration Practice Management Webinar (Oct. 2012)
“Hot Topics from the AILA National Conference: B-2 Visas for Cohabitating Partners and the Immigration Impact of DOMA,” AILA Northern California Chapter, San Francisco, CA (Aug. 2011)
“Creating Great Client Relationships: Moving from Business Immigration Lawyer to Strategic Partner,” AILA Annual Conference, San Diego, CA (June 2011)
“Making the Most of Your Partnerships and Maximizing Client Relationships,” AILA Annual Conference, National Harbor, MD (July 2010)
“Foreign National Scientists: Obtaining a Job in the U.S.,” American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA (March 2010)
“Using NAFTA as a Vehicle to Leave or Get into the U.S.,” AILA Midyear Conference, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Jan. 2010)
“Navigating the Legal and Taxation Minefields,” Anza Technology Network Gateway to the U.S. Summit, Sunnyvale, CA (Oct. 2009)
“Important Strategy and Legal Considerations for Family-Based Immigration Cases,” ILW.com Audio Seminar (Oct. 2009)
“E-3 and H-1B1 Nonimmigrant Visas – Australians, Chileans, and Singaporeans on the Move,” AILA Web Seminar (May 2009)
“Myths and Realities of U.S. Immigration,” American Society of Women Accountants, San Francisco, CA (Feb. 2009)
“Customs and Border Protection Update,” AILA California Conference, San Francisco, CA (Nov. 2008)
“A Post-Election Update on Immigration Law,” radio guest on Your Legal Rights with Chuck Finney, KALW-91.7 FM (NPR affiliate) (Nov. 2008)
“Myths and Realities of U.S. Immigration,” Bank of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (Oct. 2008)
“F-1 Student Employment: It’s a Whole New Class,” AILA Web Seminar (Oct. 2008)
“Behind the Studies: How to Recruit, Retain and Develop Best Practices for LGBT Lawyers,” Lavender Law Conference, San Francisco, California (Sept. 2008)
“Immigration Law and Employer Compliance,” Lorman Educational Services, Fresno, CA (Dec. 2007)
“Options for GLBT Couples to Remain in the U.S.,” AILA Annual Conference, Orlando, FL (June 2007)
“An Update on Immigration Laws and Issues,” radio guest on Your Legal Rights with Chuck Finney, KALW-91.7 FM (NPR affiliate) (May 2007)
“The Prospect of Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2007,” California State Council of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), 2007 Human Resources Legislative Action Forum, Sacramento, CA (April 2007)
“History of Immigration and Current Policies,” American Immigration Law Foundation’s Teacher’s Symposium to K-12 Educators, San Francisco, CA (March 2007)
“Late Term H-1Bs and How to Deal with Them,” AILA National Teleconference (Feb. 2007)
“Managing L-1A Scrutiny,” AILA Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX (June 2006)
“Strategies for Filing an I-140 in Today’s RFE Climate,” AILA National Web Conference (April 2006)
“Reality Immigration: Strategic Planning for the Advanced Business Practitioner,” AILA Midyear Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico (Jan. 2006)
“Government Interagency Panel with CIS, CBP, and ICE,” AILA California Conference, Palm Springs, CA (Nov. 2005)
“Immigrant Visas Based on Employment,” AILA Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT (June 2005)
“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Roundtable,” AILA California Conference, Burlingame, CA (Nov. 2004)
“Business Related Appellate Strategy & Process,” AILA Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA (June 2004)
“Effective Liaison with the California Service Center,” AILA California Conference, San Diego, CA (Nov. 2003)
“Immigration Consequences of Mergers and Acquisitions,” AILA Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA (June 2003)
“What Goes Up, Must Come Down: Terminations and Downsizing in an Immigration Context,” Immigrant Legal Resource Center, San Jose, CA (April 2002)
“Setting Up and Marketing an Immigration Compliance Program to Prevent Worksite Enforcement Problems,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) California Chapters Conference Guidebook, with C. Miller (Nov. 2014)
“Immigration Issues for Same-Sex Couples Post-DOMA,” AILA California Chapters Conference Handbook, with A. Bolour and P. O’Dwyer (Nov. 2013)
“Immigration Options in a Post-DOMA World,” Guest Opinion, Bay Area Reporter newspaper (Oct. 2013)
“Advanced I-751 Petitions to Remove Conditions on Residence,” AILA Immigration Practice Pointers, Annual Conference Handbook, with S. Bettridge and B. McGuire (June 2013)
“The New World of RFEs: A Practical Guide to Dealing with USCIS Requests for Evidence,” AILA California Chapters Conference Guidebook, with L. Baker, D. Sheppard, and L. Lee (Nov. 2012)
“Creating Great Client Relationships: Moving from Business Immigration Lawyer to Strategic Partner,” AILA Immigration Practice Pointers (2010-11), with D. Bae and J. Grzeca (July 2010)
“Using NAFTA and other Vehicles to Enter or Depart the United States: Emerging TN, 245(k) And H-1B Gap Issues,” The Impact of Global Migration on Business Immigration Practice – AILA Midyear Conference Handbook, with D. Butler and M. Nolan (Jan. 2010)
“Strategies for L-1As,” AILA Immigration & Nationality Law Handbook, with G. Chapman and J. Fleming (June 2006)
“High Technology Workers,” AILA California Chapters Conference Handbook, with W. Bennett, J. Evans, and A. Vazquez-Azpiri (Nov. 2002)
“Multinational Executives & Managers: Comparing L and E Visas,” AILA – New Rules for the New Millenium, with F. Hoffman, P. Larrabee, R. Nadalin, and T. Walsh (Nov. 2001)
Contributing Author, Gordon, Mailman, and Yale-Loehr’s Immigration Law & Procedure (1994-2000)