2929 5th Ave NSaint Petersburg, FL, 337136703United States (727) 321-8151

Arturo R Rios

Avvo Rating10

Saint Petersburg, FL
Licensed for 14 years

See more Saint Petersburg Immigration lawyersSearch

About Arturo

Practice focused on Deportation Defense and Immigration Litigation, which includes: Immigration Court cases, Appeals to Board of Immigration Appeals, representing employers under ICE investigation for I-9 compliance and related issues, immigration cases in Federal district & appellate courts, motions to reopen and/or waivers, and post-conviction relief in criminal courts for immigration related cases. The thrust of Mr. Rios' practice entails defending immigrants in deportation cases (also called removal proceedings) in all Florida Immigration Courts, filing Motions to Reopen and/or Reconsider in all the Immigration Courts in the United States, and appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals or Administrative Appeals Office. For those that may have been already deported, Mr. Rios seeks solutions, usually through waivers, to facilitate their lawful return to the United States. In short, Mr. Rios' practice focuses on providings SOLUTIONS and RESULTS for those faced with a deportation problem, or for employers who are under ICE investigation for hiring practices and/or I-9 compliance matters.

Practice areas

Immigration: 100%
Focusing solely on Deportation Defense, Immigration Appeals, and Immigration Litigation (such as Waivers, Motions to Reopen/Reconsider, and Immigration cases in Federal court).

Languages spoken

Spanish, English, Filipino, Portuguese

Similar lawyers

See more Saint Petersburg Immigration lawyers

Contact

2929 5th Ave N
Saint Petersburg, FL, 337136703

Message

Resume

License

State	Status	Acquired	Updated
FL	Member in Good Standing	2007	03/17/2022

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Avvo Contributions

Legal answers	47
Legal guides	19

Awards

Award name	Grantor	Date Granted
2010 Award for Excellence in Immigration Litigation	American Immigration Lawyers Association-CFC	2010

work experience

Title	Company name	Duration
Attorney at Law	Law Office of Arturo R. Rios, P.A.	2010 - Present
Professor	Stetson University College of Law	2009 - Present
Lawyer	Arturo M. Rios, P.A.	2006 - 2010

associations

Association name	Position name	Duration
American Immigration Lawyers Association (Central Florida chapter)	Regional VP Tampa Bay Area	2013 - Present
American Immigration Council	Ambassador-Central Florida	2010 - Present
American Immigration Lawyers Association	Member-Board of Directors	2007 - Present

publications

Publication name	Title	Date
Voice (monthly AILA National Magazine)	Defending Padilla	2010

education

School name	Degree	Graduated
Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law	LL.M - Master of Laws	2008
Stetson University College of Law	Juris Doctor	2006

speaking engagements

Conference name	Title	Date
Stetson Law School	Various Immigration Law Programs & Workshosps	2013
AILA-CFC Annual Conference	Winning the Impossible Deportation Case	2012
AILA-CFC Annual Conference	Current Trends in Immigration Law AIC	2011
AILA-CFC 2010 Annual Conference	PCR in Removal Proceedings	2010
2010 AILA-CFC Annual Banquet	Post Conviction Relief after Padilla	2010

legal cases

Case name	Outcome
Matter of JIP	No Deportation, Lawful Permanent Residence Granted
Matter of AR	I-601 Waiver Approved, Case Won
Matter of IS	Trial Won, Permaent Residence Granted.
Matter of NP	I-601 Waiver Approved, Case Won
Matter of MC	I-360 Approved

See all Legal Cases

Show full resume

Reviews

5.0 stars5.0 (11)

5 Star		100%
4 Star		0%
3 Star		0%
2 Star		0%
1 Star		0%

Review Arturo R Rios

Knowledge

5.0 stars

Posted by Henry
November 12, 2016

Mr Rios is very knowledgeable in immigration matters ,he repondes to every question I had it and is very confident in his work .

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Consulted attorney

Never Gave Up

5.0 stars

Posted by Christi
December 15, 2014

We had a tricky immigration case from the get go, which only got trickier as time went on. Art was with us every step of the way and stayed positive, yet realistic, when we began to lose hope. During our almost 9 year immigration journey, we dealt with criminal charges (old and new), an awful first attorney, a deportation letter, and an unfortunate civil case. Art came in during the thick of it and walked us through it every step of the way. When my husband was wrongly arrested for insurance fraud, immigration put a hold on him and Art was the first person I called. He was immediately on the phone working to get the hold dropped and did so within hours. He was dedicated, trust worthy, and easily one of the most brilliant law-minds I know. At every hearing, he was both respectful and respected by everyone we crossed paths with. We recently went before the immigration judge in our final deportation trial and Art was masterful in the courtroom. The judge ruled in our favor, granting residency to my husband, something we'd almost given up on. Art was genuinely thrilled for us because he sincerely cared about our family. I can't recommend Art enough. He worked hard and gave us everything he had.

5.0 stars

Posted by anonymous
December 5, 2014

Mr. Rios is the best immigration lawyer I have ever met, and I met with a few. I had a very hard case, and met with a lot of lawyers before seeing Mr. Rios. A lot of the lawyers either did not know how to handle my case, because they said there was nothing to do, or were trying to take money from me right away without telling me what they were even going to do. From the moment I met Mr. Rios, I knew I was at the right place. When you walk into his office, you know that it is a place were they care about their clients, not fancy office in expensive buildings, but a very warm and caring simple office where you feel at home as soon as you walk in. I met with Mr. Rios for almost two hours, just for my initial consultation. He told me he needed to think about my case, and about a week later called me back with a full strategy. I will say this, Mr. Rios is not cheap, but boy do you get your money's worth. The first thing he told me was that I needed to be patient. I will say that Mr. Rios takes his time, but that is because he is the one that works the case, not a secretary or paralegal, and he has a strategy. Long story short, I now have my Green Card, I was not deported, my husband is now a citizen, and I will be able to become one soon also. We owe EVERYTHING to Mr. Rios. Don't waste your time going anyplace else. Mr. Rios is the master and the expert, that is why he is a law school professor! Thank you for everything Mr. Rios, you are our blessing and our angel. We will never forget you.

5.0 stars

Posted by anonymous
August 26, 2014

One of my friend recommended him to me. Mr. Rio has been handling my case of U visa. I did not had any prior knowledge of how it works, that being a victim of a crime can actually help me get the immigration status but after i consulted him on this he explained to me what is the process and also showed me how helping law enforcement on the case will benefit me. I must say from filing the application to the approval of the case, he has been very supportive. Even when i had and RFE (Request for evidence) in my case which is common in U visa, he handled it very carefully and replied right back to USCIS with the required documents in two days. He is very fast and accurate on his judgement to the case. At first i was very worried and impatient when an RFE came in my case but i would recommend to the folks who are reading this that leave your worries to him when you leave his office. It will also be sometimes hard to get hold of him but don't be impatient, he knows what is going on in your case and what is the best thing to do at that particular time. I would say Emailing him would be the best way to stay in touch with him. My brother in law gave a similar type of case to Mr. Rio and he also was able to successfully get his approval on the case. Thank you!

5.0 stars

Posted by Nick P
July 8, 2014

I was in Mr. Rios office yesterday because we received the approval notice for my wife's case, a very hard case that other lawyers told me had no chance, and Mr. Rios won the case for us. I have known Mr. Rios for several years because he has done a lot of work for my family, and he has always been very honest, and has always told us the truth. I recommend Mr. Rios to all my friends. When I was in his office yesterday he seemed upset, and he told me that someone had written a bad review of him on this website. I read it and let me trell you what that person wrote is a lie. Mr. Rios is the most honorable man I know, and he is the best and most professional lawyer I have ever met. He is famous for always telling people the truth, and I recommend him as the best lawyer around anywhere.

5.0 stars

Posted by Ben
August 20, 2013

Mr. Rios was recommended by a fellow attorney, and he truly is the best immigration lawyer I've ever worked with. I was in a hopeless situation when my wife and I hired him, and he really began to shed light on my case, even during the first phone call. Unlike other attorneys that I have worked with in the past, Mr. Rios really cares about his client's well-being. He was always quick to respond to emails and phone calls when we had important questions. He is very knowledgeable about immigration law and in the end, provided an outcome better than expected. We were out-of-state clients, which worried me about hiring him for such an important case, but he kept my wife and I informed every step of the way, and his office staff was polite and efficient. I have no doubt in my mind that Mr. Rios is perhaps one of the best, if not the best, immigration attorney in the country.

5.0 stars

Posted by COLLEEN
July 25, 2013

WHEN YOU WANT RELIABLE,CONFIDENT,KNOWLEDGEABLE, TRUSTWORTHY PERSON WHO BELIEVES IN DOING HIS VERY BEST TO HELP YOU MR ARTURO R RIOS IS THE PERFECT MAN FOR THE JOB. WHEN MR RIOS TELL YOU SOMETHING DONT THINK ABOUT DOUBTING HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. HE GIVES YOU PEACE OF MIND THAT HE WILL. BELIEVE ME PEOPLE HE IS THE VERY BEST. I WILL FOREVER BE IN DEBT, FOREVER REMEMBER MR RIOS WHO HELP TO A PROMISING FUTURE , MR RIOS GOD BLESS YOU SIR. WHEN ALL MY HOPE, MY FAITH, CONFIDENCE WAS GONE. I HAVE GIVEN UP MR RIOS GAVE ME ALL THAT BACK.TODAY I CAN SAY THANK YOU THANK YOU THEEEEEE BESTTTTT IMMIGRATION LAWYER EVER

5.0 stars

Posted by Jorge
June 11, 2013

Mr. Rios is in a class by himself. He was VERY highly recommended to me by people of influence and high status that I had come to know...when my citizenship application incurred a problem and was suddenly halted. I still interviewed 3 attorneys, and when I spoke with Mr. Rios, I instantly realized why he is so highly rated. Not only in the Tampa Bay Area, but in the entire country. Questions that no attorney could answer me, even when consulting their books... Mr. Rios answered without hesitation. Although not necessary at the end for my defense, Mr. Rios found and old and obscure law that when he presented it to the Judge as one of the possible defenses we were contemplating, even the Judge reacted with a surprised look, almost in disbelief, for apparently... not many attorneys know of this law. Mr. Rios is not only highly accredited, but respected and admired by his peers. His courtroom manners are impeccable and that has led to his success and respect he rightly has won. Aside from being extremely knowledgeable, Mr. Rios is amicable and empathetic. Qualities that make working with him a pleasant experience. In conclusion, while all other attorneys expressed dimmed hopes and/or undesirable outcomes for me, Mr. Rios was able to have my removal/deportation not only canceled, but with a return to the citizenship process that I had started years ago. Do not hesitate to retain Mr. Rios. If you don't retain him, you most likely will regret it later!

5.0 stars

Posted by Nicole
February 11, 2012

This is the best law office in the Tampa Bay and St. Pete's area for Immigration. We went to see other lawyers and they were not able to help us. These two lawyers (father and son) are extremely knowledgeable, respectful and diligent. They have helped my family so much! I will be forever thankful that we found these lawyers and I will never forget how hard they worked for us.

5.0 stars

Posted by Toulsa
April 17, 2011

Mr. Rios gave me confidence that my case would have a favorable outcome. I had to promise him not to worry; just leave everything to him. He did everything that he said he would do.This helped me with this very stressful situation. I cannot thank him enough for the peace of mind I enjoy now that the outcome of my case was successful. Mr. Rios is the very best!

See all reviews

Advertising

The Avvo Rating explained

Attorney endorsements

(15)

Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

Osvaldo Valladares, Immigration Attorney on Dec 16, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Christian Zeller, Immigration Attorney on May 31, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse Arturo. He is an impressive attorney who knows how to get results. He and his family are dedicated to justice and rights for immigrants. He is an outstanding lawyer.

Osvaldo Valladares, Immigration Attorney on Dec 16, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Christian Zeller, Immigration Attorney on May 31, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse Arturo. He is an impressive attorney who knows how to get results. He and his family are dedicated to justice and rights for immigrants. He is an outstanding lawyer.

David Ristoff, Immigration Attorney on Oct 16, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. As a fellow lawyer I am asked to recommend friends and clients to an immigration lawyer. I always recommend Arturo. He is very bright, compassionate and extremely hard working.

Christopher Leroi, Immigration Attorney on Aug 26, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Mr. Rios is an exceptional attorney. I have been an attorney for 24 years and served as a judge, magistrate, prosecutor, law professor, and private attorney. However, even with all of that experience, I learn from his answers on Avvo each and every day. If you have the chance, hire him in an instant.

Juan Escobar, Immigration Attorney on Aug 22, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Arturo Rios is extremely knowledgeable in the field of Immigration law. I highly recommend his services.

Vilma Martinez, Immigration Attorney on Feb 19, 2013
Relationship: Other

Art is an exceptional lawyer who specializes in Immigration practice. I have had the privilege of referring several individuals to Art who have been pleased with the quality of his work. Importantly, Art understands that Immigration law is a practice area that is fraught with anxiety and uncertainty and clients who have met with him have reported to me that he handles their cases with senstivity and careful attention. A consummate professional.

Jeremy Donnelly, Immigration Attorney on Jul 20, 2011
Relationship: Worked together on matter

Attorney Rios contacted me to assist him in appearing pro hac vice in an immigration matter in Connecticut. Art was everything you could ever want in a lawyer: professional, intelligent, knowledgeable, passionate. I can't imagine recommending anyone else in an immigration matter.

Steven Jackson, Immigration Attorney on Mar 23, 2011
Relationship: Other

I highly recommend this attorney. They are extremely well qualified technically and constantly striving to become better educated to provide better professional services for their clients.

Robert Kelly, Immigration Attorney on Mar 9, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Rios provides good legal information and practical legal knowledge. His clients are fortunate to have retained him.

Linda Rahal, Immigration Attorney on Mar 9, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Arturo Rios is a preeminent immigration and deportation defense attorney in Florida. He excels at trial advocacy. As his colleague in the immigration bar doing primarily business immigration, I have Mr. Rios on my referral short list for any immigration cases needing deportation defense or trial work.

George Fernandez, Immigration Attorney on Mar 4, 2011
Relationship: Other

I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Rios is a very experienced and talented immigration attorney.

Gary Williams, Immigration Attorney on Mar 4, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Mr. Rios is one of the very few attorneys who is actually worthy of a "10" rating. He is an excellant attorney who is not only understands the law but who also goes to the trouble to understand his clients and their needs for legal assistance. I send any client I encounter with an immigration issues directly to Arturo. I refer my immigration clients to Mr. Rios knowing that they are in good hands.

J Morse, Immigration Attorney on Mar 4, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

James Frazier, General practice Attorney on Mar 3, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I've had the opportunity to know Mr. Rios and I believe he is a knowledgeable, trustworthy member of the legal community who provides excellent representation to his clients.

Darren Finebloom, Immigration Attorney on Feb 15, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. I can't say enough about what a great lawyer Arturo is. I had a case where my client was faced with the hard reality of being deported. With the help of Mr. Rios we were able to prevent that from hapepning. I highly recommend him whenever I have a client faced with immigration problems.

Show recent endorsements

Vilma Martinez
Stephen Higgins
Linda Rahal
Scott Topolski
Gary Williams
Christopher Hixson
Aubrey Dicus
Summer Goldman
J Morse

Show who Arturo has endorsed

Cost

RATES

Contact for details

Arturo R Rios

About Arturo

Similar lawyers

Sponsored Listings

See more Saint Petersburg Immigration lawyers

Contact

Resume

Reviews

Knowledge

5.0 stars

Never Gave Up

5.0 stars

Miracle Worker!

5.0 stars

Very knowledgeable

5.0 stars

This is the most honorable lawyer I have ever met.

5.0 stars

Highly Recommended

5.0 stars

THE BEST IMMIGRATION LAWYER EVER

5.0 stars

BEST of the Best...

5.0 stars

Look no further

5.0 stars

Thanks!!!

5.0 stars

Advertising

Attorney endorsements

Cost