Before you hire an immigration attorney, you can look up their bar record, disciplinary history, and professional credentials in a few minutes using free public tools. In Texas, attorney discipline is public record. Here is how to check it and what to look for.
The Texas State Bar Attorney Search
The Texas State Bar maintains a public directory of all licensed attorneys in the state. Go to texasbar.com and use the “Find a Lawyer” tool. Enter the attorney’s name or bar number. The result shows:
- Current license status (active, inactive, suspended, disbarred)
- Year of admission to the Texas bar
- Whether the attorney holds a Board Certification in any specialty area
- Disciplinary history — any public sanctions are listed here
An active license in good standing is the minimum. An attorney who has been publicly reprimanded, suspended, or disbarred will show that status in the directory. If you see a suspension or public reprimand, ask specifically what it was for before proceeding.
Texas Board Certification
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization certifies attorneys in 24 specialty areas, including Immigration and Nationality Law. Board Certification means the attorney passed a written exam, demonstrated substantial experience in the specialty, received favorable evaluations from other attorneys and judges, and met ongoing continuing education requirements.
Not all immigration attorneys are Board Certified. Board Certification is optional and requires active effort to earn and maintain. Fewer than 5% of Texas attorneys hold any Board Certification. If an attorney claims Board Certification in Immigration and Nationality Law, verify it directly on the Texas State Bar directory — it will appear on their profile if it is current.
The State Bar Client Attorney Assistance Program (CAAP)
If you had a prior experience with an attorney that you believe was improper — overcharging, lack of communication, failure to file documents on time — you can file a complaint with the State Bar’s Client Attorney Assistance Program. CAAP handles fee disputes and grievances. If the State Bar finds that an attorney violated the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, the disciplinary action becomes part of the public record.
You can search whether an attorney has any prior disciplinary action — not just current status — through the State Bar’s grievance information page. Past sanctions, even resolved ones, are listed in the online search results under the attorney’s profile.
Checking Federal Court Admissions
Immigration court cases can involve federal appellate practice before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. If your case has reached or may reach that level, verify that the attorney is admitted to practice in the relevant federal courts. Admission to the Texas State Bar does not automatically confer admission to federal courts — those require separate applications.
You can verify Fifth Circuit admissions on the Fifth Circuit website under attorney admissions.
What Third-Party Ratings Actually Measure
Avvo, Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell all provide attorney ratings. These are useful as starting points but have limits. Avvo ratings are algorithmic — they weight bar disciplinary history, years of experience, and peer endorsements, but they can be gamed by attorneys who actively solicit endorsements. Super Lawyers is a peer-nomination process. Martindale-Hubbell’s AV rating reflects peer evaluation of legal ability and ethical standards and has been around the longest.
None of these services replace checking the actual Texas State Bar disciplinary record. An attorney can have a high Avvo rating and still have a grievance filed or a disciplinary matter in progress that does not yet appear in third-party databases.
Questions to Ask Directly
After checking credentials, ask the attorney directly: Have you ever had a disciplinary complaint filed against you? Have you ever been suspended or publicly sanctioned by the State Bar? A good attorney will answer these questions directly. The public record is accessible anyway — what matters is whether they are forthcoming about it.
Also ask: How long have you practiced immigration law specifically? What percentage of your practice is immigration? Who else in your office will work on my case? These questions tell you more about day-to-day representation quality than any rating system.
About Adan G. Vega
Adan G. Vega has been Board-Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Immigration and Nationality Law for over three decades. His record is publicly verifiable on the Texas State Bar directory. The firm has practiced exclusively immigration law in Houston for over 45 years. Call (713) 527-9606 to schedule a consultation, or view our individual immigration services to see how we can help with your case.
Reviewed by Adan Vega, Board-Certified Immigration Attorney, Founding Partner · Updated
About the author
Board-Certified Immigration Attorney, Founding Partner · Texas Board-Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1985); Admitted, U.S. Supreme Court (2004); Admitted, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1980); J.D., The University of Texas at Austin School of Law (1979); B.A., Rice University (1976); Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (1982); Texas Super Lawyers — Thomson Reuters (2004); Special Service Award — Migration and Refugee Services, United States Catholic Conference
Adan G. Vega is a Board-Certified Immigration Attorney and the founding partner of Vega & Associates, PLLC in Houston, Texas. He has practiced immigration and nationality law exclusively for more than 45 years, making him one of the longest-serving immigration attorneys in Houston. He earned a B.A. from Rice University in 1976 and a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1979. In 1985 the Texas Board of Legal Specialization awarded him a Certificate of Special Competence in Immigration and Nationality Law, authorizing the title Board Certified Specialist. He is admitted to practice before the Texas state courts, the EOIR Immigration Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, and has presented oral argument in the Fifth Circuit on three occasions, including one published opinion.
On August 23, 1988, Vega testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and International Law, on the effects of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. He has served as immigration legal counsel to foreign governments in the United States, including the governments of Mexico and El Salvador, and to multinational companies on employment-based immigration.
A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 1982, he co-chaired the AILA Texas Chapter Conference in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2004, and has lectured on immigration law at AILA conferences and at the University of Texas. He authored the Guide of United States History and Government in 1989. The Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Catholic Conference presented him with a special service award for outstanding commitment and dedicated service to newcomers.
Vega was a founder and initial director of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 1984, served as President of Consejo Hispano from 1987 to 1988, and has served as special immigration legal counsel, board director, vice president and president of the Cámara de Empresarios Latinos de Houston. He has provided pro bono immigration services to Texas's indigent community throughout his career. He has been recognized as a Top Texas Lawyer by Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) since 2004. He represents individuals, families and businesses before USCIS, the Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and is bilingual in English and Spanish.
