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Kerry Bretz is a former INS trial attorney and partner at Bretz & Coven. His private practice is defined by his dedication to progressive, fair immigration laws that reflect the true value immigrants bring to the United States and the original promises of the United States as a place where people can pursue life, liberty, and happiness.
Kerry Bretz has played a major role in challenging the retroactive application of new immigration laws and mandatory detention. He was instrumental in winning major deportation cases, such as Henderson v INS and Calcano-Martinez v INS, which cases have changed the national scene on the availability of relief to aliens with criminal convictions.
Additionally, in St John v McElroy, Kerry Bretz helped acheive the release of a mentally disabled women from INS custody and was awarded approximately $88,000 in attorney's fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act by a federal court judge. Further, he obtained an additional monetary settlement to Ms. St John under the Federal Tort Claims Act for alleged abuses she suffered while detained by the INS.
Prior to private practice, Kerry Bretz was a Trial Attorney for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service. As a result, he brings a unique perspective to every client's case and can effectively strategize each individual case. He is regularly consulted by the criminal defense bar, is frequently quoted in newspapers, has appeared on reputable television programs and radio shows.
Kerry Bretz is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyer's Association and is often asked to speak at its annual conference. He is also Commissioner for the Archdiocese's Commission for the Dignity of Immigrants.
Kerry Bretz has been selected to be listed in The Best Lawyers in America© for his work in the practice area of Immigration Law. Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 5.5 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys. Best Lawyersis regarded – by both the profession and the public – as the most credible and definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States
Kerry Bretz is Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Rated®, the highest peer-review rating an attorney can receive.
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Practice Area
34 years | 1,000 cases
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Chat withState: New York
Acquired: 1992
No misconduct found
State: Connecticut
Acquired: 1991
No misconduct found
State: Florida
Acquired: 1994
No misconduct found
305 Broadway, Suite 100, New York, NY, 10007
16 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 16 reviews
Posted by Chingiz | July 24, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Immigration
Unprofessional and offensive
This lawyer is bad, his firm Bretz & Coven LLP took $5000 from me to prepare documents to submit for USCIS, but they did a very poor job, in some parts of the official documents they even copied and pasted my emails. They took the money and then when I started complaining about the poor job and they ...
Posted by anonymous | June 06, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Immigration
MR
I went to bretz& coven law firm after getting my n400 denied for traffic tickets , i have met with Mr.kerry he was the most professional immigrant lawyer i have met and I dealt with 3 other immigration lawyers before then Mr.hector took over my case he came with me to an appeal n400 interview and i...
Posted by anonymous | November 08, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Immigration
Naturalized !!
The only reason for the 4 stars is I had to originally reach out to them initially, but afterwards everything was perfect. In other words, if it's important to you, then it becomes of an importance to them. After 5 years of back and forth with my complex N-400 case, I finally decided to hire a sp...
Posted by JEAN-MICHEL | July 05, 2019 | Hired Attorney
Mr & Mrs
Bretz & Coven was not our initial pick, but the almighty God in his awesome love and infinity wisdom sent a messenger to steer us towards this unique form. The firm is unique in the sense that God used the vessels out of this firm to make a very powerful statement once again on this beautiful hearth...
Posted by anonymous | December 20, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
By far the best in the US!
I am forever grateful to my amazing lawyer Disha Chandiramani for helping to terminate my case. The experience from the initial consultation with Mr. Bretz to the final hearing with Ms. Chandiramani was amazing. I always felt that we were thoroughly prepared for each hearing, my questions were always...
"Mr. Bretz is a top-notch immigration attorney. A zealous advocate for his clients and highly respected in the legal community."
"I endorse this lawyer. I have been a lawyer in Kerry's suite for 12 years. Kerry knows more about immigration law than anyone I know. He is aggressive and creative. His work product is excellent and comprehensive. I have worked with him on many cases as a post-conviction attorney and he has always led me in the right direction with my analysis and when we have reversed convictions he has been able to reopen immigration proceedings and won relief for his clients. He also comes up with very creative and original theories for helping people attain their immigration goals. He has loads of experience and his years as an attorney for INS has really put him in a great position to help people."
Criminal defense lawyer
2016
Best Law Firms in New York First -Tier Rating, U.S. News & World Report
2015
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2012
Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers
2012
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2011
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2011
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2010
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2010
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2009
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2008
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2007
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2006
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2005
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2004
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2003
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2002
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2001
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2000
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
1999 - Present
Partner, Bretz &Coven, LLP
1994 - 1999
Owner, Bretz & Associates
1991 - 1994
Trial Attorney, Legacy INS of the Department of Justice
1994 - Present
American Immigration Lawyers Association
1992 - Present
New York County Lawyers' Association
Ms. St. John was found statutorily eligible for parole because INA § 236(e) was unconstitutional as applied to returning permanent residents who retained due process rights despite their absence from the country. I was awarded $88,000 fin EAJA fees.
The provision of the AEDPA that limits the availability of INA § 212(c) waivers does not apply retroactively to noncitizens whose deportation or exclusion proceedings were pending on the date of its enactment.
The Supreme Court held that IIRIRA expressly precluded the court of appeals from exercising jurisdiction to review a final removal order, but that petitioners may pursue their claims in a habeas corpus action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241.
1991
JD - Juris Doctor
1988
Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude
2014
Practice of Criminal Defense after Padilla v. U.S. & Chaidez v. U.S.
2013
Visas A to U, Comprehensive Immigration Reform
2013
Protecting the Victims of Violence: Relief Under the Immigration Laws
2013
Evolution of Padilla: A New Era for Criminal Defense Litigation
2013
"Time is Now"
2013
Visa A to U, Comprehensive Immigration Reform
2012
DREAMers, U Visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas
2012
Deferred Action for DREAMers
2012
DREAMers, Criminal Convictions, Green Cards, U.S. Citizenship
2012
Insights from Key Criminal and Immigration Attorneys
2012
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions
2012
Overview of Representation of Non-U.S. Citizens
2012
DREAMers, U Visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas
2012
Deferred Action for DREAMers
2012
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Problems for Noncitizens
2012
Deferred Action for DREAMers
2011
Redefining Borders: Comprehensive Immigration Reform
2011
Crimmigration: Working with the Criminal Defense Bar
2011
Immigration Law Training for Non-Immigration Lawyers
2010
Advanced Criminal Law Series Part II
2007
Impact of Immigration Fraud on You and Your Family and How to Avoid It
2005
Breakfast with the Experts Roundtable Discussion: Litigation
2004
Criminal Convictions and Immigration
2004
Criminal Convictions and Green Cards
2004
Criminal Convictions and Immigration
2004
Federal Court Litigation Panel
2003
Immigration Law and Crimes
2003
Deportation
2003
Deportation Defense and Federal Court Update
2002
Updates on Deportation
2002
Criminal Law Issues and Federal Practice
2002
Filing Writs of Habeas Corpus
2001
Basic Immigration Law
2001
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions
2001
Non-citizens and Federal Prisions
2001
Federal Litigation
2001
Criminal Convictions
2000
Can Your Client Be Deported?
2000
Can Your Client Be Deported?
2000
Deportation
1999
1999
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