David Swaim

PRO

David Swaim

also known as J. David Swaim Jr.

4.8
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 39 years

Immigration Lawyer at Dallas, TX
Practice Areas: Immigration

12770 Coit Road, Suite 700, Dallas, TX

Virtual Consultation Available

About David

Biography

The most experienced and successful immigration law firm in North Texas. Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law. Recipient of AVVO Client Choice Award 2014-2020. We are in the office and accepting virtual consultations - call to set up a consultation.

Trust in Over 40 Years of Success in Immigration Law. There is not a case I haven’t seen or won!

Practice Areas

1

Practice Area

Immigration 100%

David Swaim & Associates, formerly Tidwell, Swaim & Associates, has specialized in immigration law since 1978. We have helped employers, investors and families with comprehensive solutions for all their immigration needs.

46 years | 45,000 cases

100%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Licenses

Licensed in Texas for 39 years

State: Texas

Acquired: 1986

Eligible to Practice in Texas

No misconduct found

Location

Tidwell, Swaim & Farquhar P.C.

12770 Coit Road, Suite 700, Dallas, TX, 75251

immigration-pros.com/

Online Presence

Other places you can find David online.

David Swaim's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.8 /5.0

141 Client Reviews

Showing 56 - 60 of 60 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by anonymous | March 29, 2013 | Immigration

Very Satisfied Client

Our company retained TSA and David Swaim to process an H-1 petition and change of status for a recent SMU graduate. TSA handled the process with expertise, outstanding client service and made us feel as if they were their only client (although they process hundreds every year). We hired the firm be...cause they have been exclusively practicing immigration law since 1978 and we wanted that level of experience. We were also pleasantly surprised by how efficient and supportive the firm was throughout the process. I highly recommend any employer take advantage of the experience and care you receive with at TSA. I note that on their website they state they have successfully represented over 40,000 clients over the last 35 years, but we felt like we were the only client they had.

Posted by Guilherme | August 10, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

J. Tidwell Jr. and Associates

J. Tidwell Jr. and the Tidwell Associates successfully counsel my wife and I in our Green Card acquisition. Their experience with immigration and timely response to emails and phone calls made the process quite transparent. His respect and awareness of my employer's needs made me very comfortable dis...cussing legal matters with him, and his confidentiality protected our transition from temporary worker to residents.

Posted by anonymous | March 20, 2025 | Immigration

Eh

Needed assistance in an immigration case and Paid $80 for a consultation just to be told there was nothing that I could do. It was Kind of a waste of time after I had been looking everywhere and went off of the reviews. I’m sure he’s a great attorney for non-complex immigration matters

Posted by Dr. N | April 30, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

Avoided

I will keep writing until last day on my life, my experience with them they advertise on Avvo that they are the bes immigration law team so we hired them fro outside the USA fo green card and waiver after married, they reniued our lives after they got money they tried us to give u, they didn't respo...nd, they kept asked fees for every form they required to send for the immigration center, although we paid 6500 on 2017 but still wanted fees for every application they wanted to fill and asked us to fill any application and send back to them, when we sent them they told us sorry we asked you to fill this application, this application or paper no need to fill there is another one the immigration renewed and need, imagine every single paper outside USA need 75 dollars to send, and they kept doing the same way every time instead of they should fill papers and send, they ripped off us, they answered our emails after one or more month, they wasted almost 3 years of our lives with stress and nothing and M. r swaim not deal with you ever only the team who are unprofessional and not helpful only asking for money, we hired another attender after we lost 3 year and my husband got the green card after 5 months of hiring thankfully. Keep away from this place, the most stressful time in my life dealing with them, I wrote here after he keep deleting my feedback on google , this is the only thing that they are professional For

Posted by Douglas | August 03, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Immigration

To be avoided!

I hired Mr. Swaim to help with my permanent residency application. Before signing the contract, he seemed polite and knowledgeable. However, AFTER HAVING SIGNED HIS CONTRACT when I needed to communicate with him, he was no longer available to talk to me directly, or the few times I could reach him he... was rude in his communication, and not much helpful. For my case, I needed someone who knows how to move in the immigration system, and truly gets involved to support my case. After realizing in what situation I got myself in, I decided to fire Mr. Swaim and get help from another lawyer who cared about my case, and designed a more complete strategy in case my application would not work out the first time.There are lawyers that are serious professionals, who care about what they are doing and the implications their actions or inactions may have, and know more pathways to achieve certain goals in immigration matters than Mr. Swaim does.Stay away from Mr. Swaim. There are many well prepared and professional lawyers, who are also more knowledgeable.

David Swaim

Replied last August 03, 2016

I am very sorry to read about your experience with Tidwell, Swaim. For over 38 years we have worked extremely hard to make sure every client feels like they are the only client we have. If these facts are true we clearly did not meet this goal in your case. However, I must note that we have no record of a case like this. And we have no record of a client named Douglass, although I realize the reviewer may have chosen to keep his/her name confidential. Finally, I would certainly be willing to discuss these issues if Douglass decides to contact me. Even one client who is not completely satisfied with our services is one too many.

See All Client Reviews

David Swaim's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse David
Stephanie Reyes headshot
Stephanie Reyes

Immigration lawyer | Nov 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Swaim provides a much-needed service on Avvo and donates time to individuals who are in need of immediate legal answers."

Marina N. Alexandrovich headshot
Marina Alexandrovich

Immigration lawyer | Sep 30

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse David Swaim. I know this attorney from avvo forum and he impressed me with his knowledge of law and sound approach to the issues that are discussed in the Immigration and Asylum sections."

David Eli Larson headshot
David Larson

Immigration lawyer | Aug 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Swaim is a long time member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). His clients have enjoyed a high rate of success with their immigration cases."

Edward D Young III headshot
Edward Young

Immigration lawyer | Sep 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. He is an excellent immigration attorney. He gives accurate answers with which I frequently agree. He also gives prompt responses."

Rahul Aggarwal headshot
Rahul Aggarwal

Immigration lawyer | Mar 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this attorney, who provides so generously to the AVVO community and gives sound legal advice."

Channika Shalini Desilva headshot
Channika Desilva

Immigration lawyer | Mar 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Swaim is undoubtedly a top notch attorney who has skillfully mastered his primary area of practice over the course of his professional experience. His sharp critical thinking and flawless work ethic are perhaps the key qualities which ensured the success of a remarkable number of his cases. I endorse this lawyer and encourage anyone who needs superior legal representation to opt for his services."

Robert Werner von Dohlen headshot
Robert von Dohlen

Unknown lawyer | Feb 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Excellent Immigration attorney!"

Hovanes Margarian headshot
Hovanes Margarian

Unknown lawyer | Dec 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Gina M. Famularo headshot
Gina Famularo

Immigration lawyer | Jul 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

John M O'Brien headshot
John O'Brien

Immigration lawyer | Jun 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"An extremely talented and well respected attorney in the legal community, I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone looking for a lawyer who knows the law and truly cares about protecting the rights of his clients and getting them the most favorable result possible."

Alexander M. Ivakhnenko headshot
Alexander Ivakhnenko

Immigration lawyer | Mar 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Counsel David Swaim for his demonstrated legal expertise and internal wisdom selecting the most legally appropriate solutions to the matters he reviews."

Christian K. Lassen II headshot
Christian Lassen

Unknown lawyer | Jan 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."

View All Endorsements
Tim M. Clancy headshot
Tim Clancy

Criminal defense lawyer

J. Craig Jett headshot
J. Jett

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2020

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2020

Legal Leaders, Thomas Reuters

2016

AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2016

Board Certified - Immigration and Nationality Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

2016

"Legal Leaders"/Front page Bio, Dallas Morning News/Martindale Hubbell

2010

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2009

Top Attorney, Texas Monthly Magazine

2009

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2008

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

Work Experience

1991 - Present

Managing Partner, Tidwell Swaim & Associates

Associations

2013 - Present

Society for Human Resource Management

Member

1991 - Present

American Immigration Lawyers Association

Member

1986 - Present

State Bar of Texas

Member

2008 - 2016

Global HR Professional Emphasis Group

Founding Chairman

2006 - 2008

Bent Tree Country Club

Board of Directors

2005 - 2013

DFW International

Board of Directors

Sample of Legal Cases

Denied Asylum

Family received their green cards

Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (1989)

Helped establish the rule in Federal Court that the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution

Denial of Naturalization Applicant

Naturalization was approved

L-1A status

Client was granted permanent residence

Denial of an I-140 petition under the EB-1(1) Extraordinary Ability category. (2017)

Overturned

See More Legal Cases

Education

1985

Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1981

University of Arkansas - Little Rock

BA Political Science

Speaking Engagements

2020

Texas Christian University

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

West Texas A&M University

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

UT Austin School of Engineering

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

University of Texas at El Paso

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

University of Texas at Dallas

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

Texas Christian University

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

Texas Christian University

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

Texas A&M

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

Texas A&M

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2019

Baylor University

Finding Your Way Through Immigration Law

2015

University of Texas at Dallas

University Seminar

2015

Texas Tech University

University Seminar

2015

Texas Christian University

University Seminar

2015

Texas A&M

University Seminar

2014

University of Texas

University of Texas Seminar

2014

University of North Texas

University Seminar

2013

Junvenile Delinquency Boot Camp & Advanced Topics

Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity

N/A

Major Texas Universities and surrounding states for more than 20 years

Immigration Process for F-1 Students After Graduation

Languages

Spanish

Cantonese

Chinese, Hakka

Taiwanese

Mandarin

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution