He has been practicing law in Houston, Texas since 1978. He is board certified in Immigration & Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of Texas.

He received his law degree in 1978 from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Throughout his career, he has litigated major federal cases that have extended protection to undocumented immigrants.

He was involved in the landmark class-action case in which the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982 extended public education to undocumented children. The case is known as Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982), affirming sub.nom. In Re: Alien Children Litigation, 501 F.Supp. 544 (S.D.Tex. 1987).

He was also the lead trial lawyer in a class action lawsuit which successfully protected employment rights of undocumented workers in a cases known as L.U.L.A.C. v. Pasadena I.S.D., 662 F.Supp. 443 (S.D.Tex. 1987).

He has taught immigration law at various law schools and has published in professional journals. He has received numerous professional, civic and community awards.

He is a frequent lecturer and is often interviewed by the news media. In 1991 he was appointed to the Clinton-Gore presidential transition team in Washington, D.C.

He is currently a legal advisor to the Mexican Consulate in Houston, Texas. He is also a legal advisor to the national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

--Author, "Misconduct By Immigration Officers: Excluding Evidence in Deportation Hearing", HOUSTON JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, Volume 5, Number 4, Spring1983.

--Co-Author, "The Undocumented Mexican Alien: A Legal, Social, and Economic Analysis", HOUSTON LAW REVIEW, Volume 13, Number 5, July 1976.