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Contact | Careers
“Kelly Cobb is recognized for her ability to advise blue-chip companies on their global mobility issues. She is notably adept at advising clients on issues arising from M&A and joint ventures.”

— Chambers USA

Jackson Walker
Kelly D. Cobb

Kelly D. Cobb

Partner, Houston
713.752.4286
kcobb@jw.com
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Practice Experience Recognition & Accolades Publications & Speeches Community Involvement Attorney News

Practice Areas

  • Business Immigration & Compliance
  • International
  • Corporate & Securities
  • Labor & Employment

Biography

Kelly D. Cobb is a partner in the Business Immigration & Compliance section of Jackson Walker’s Houston office. Kelly primarily focuses on U.S. corporate immigration law, including applications/petitions for all visa categories and paths to U.S. permanent residence and naturalization. She offers experienced counsel related to navigating the intricacies of ever-changing laws, regulations, and government processes in Immigration law.

She has more than 20 years of experience counseling clients in the development and implementation of strategic immigration policies and advising U.S. and international clients on immigration issues related to corporate restructuring, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and start-ups.

Kelly has in-depth experience working within Houston’s international energy sector, primarily focusing on large-volume corporate immigration, including management of both U.S. immigration and global migration. She has more than 20 years of experience counseling clients in U.S. Outer Continental Shelf compliance, particularly focusing on assisting international corporations in vessel exemptions, specialist work authorizations, crew member exemptions, and crew and specialist mobilization.

Education

B.A., Texas State University
J.D., South Texas College of Law Houston

Bar Admissions

Texas

Court Admissions

Supreme Court of Texas

Practice Experience Recognition & Accolades Publications & Speeches Community Involvement Attorney News
  • Representing U.S. and global corporations in obtaining work authorizations for entire vessel crew and specialists assigned to the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf
  • Managing PERM labor certification programs for large engineering and information technology companies sponsoring their employees for permanent residence
  • Advising U.S. and international clients on immigration implications for complex corporate restructuring
  • Partnering with clients to proactively address the issues related to maintaining and deploying an international workforce
  • The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2010-2021
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
    • Ranked for Immigration – Texas, 2006-2008, 2017-2022
  • Recommended Attorney, The Legal 500: United States (Legalese Ltd.), 2013
  • “Texas Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2009-2013
  • Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers – Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters, 2005-2007
  • Author, “Hiring Foreign Professionals Could Help Alleviate U.S. Labor Shortage,” Texas Lawyer (September 2022)
  • Panelist, “U.S. Business Immigration Virtual Roundtable,” Jackson Walker Webinar (September 2022)
  • Speaker, “US Immigration & Global Migration: Managing a Global Workforce in a Post-Pandemic World,” Austin SHRM Annual Conference (August 2022)
  • Speaker, “Redefining Success: Knowing What You Want, Why You Deserve It, and How to Get It”, The Women in Legal & Corporate Leadership Summit: Houston (March 2020)
  • American Bar Association
  • Houston Bar Association
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • Texas Women Lawyers
  • United Way Women’s Initiative
  • United Way Young Leaders
  • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • Tahirih Justice Center
  • Women’s Business Alliance (WBA), Greater Houston Partnership
  • Greater Houston Partnership, Business Resource Group–Business Beyond Borders
  • The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston, Advisory Council
Kelly Cobb

March 29, 2023

Attorney News

Kelly Cobb Joins The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston Advisory Council

Jackson Walker partner Kelly D. Cobb joined the 2023 advisory council of The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston.

JW Fast Takes cover art graphic

February 9, 2023

Podcasts

Immigration Issues When Contemplating Layoffs or Reductions in Force

JW Fast Takes Podcast | ~7.5 minutes

The potential for layoffs or reductions in force could trigger immigration-related issues. Business Immigration & Compliance partners Kelly Cobb and Sang Shin join the Fast Takes podcast to cover key considerations as not all visas are created equal.

Kelly Cobb with Jackson Walker logo

September 19, 2022

Insights

Hiring Foreign Professionals Could Help Alleviate U.S. Labor Shortage | Texas Lawyer

By Kelly Cobb

There are visa categories that can help alleviate the worker shortages for many industries by enabling the hiring of legal nonimmigrant workers.

Jackson Walker Labor Employment social image

August 18, 2022

Newsletters

Labor & Employment Dispatch: August 2022

View the August 2022 edition of the Labor & Employment Dispatch.

JW Perspectives Newsletter 2022

August 1, 2022

Newsletters

JW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – August 2022

View Jackson Walker’s August 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.

Kelly Cobb and Sang Shin with Jackson Walker logo

July 29, 2022

Speaking Engagements

Kelly Cobb and Sang Shin to Discuss the Post-Pandemic Global Workforce at Austin SHRM Conference

Kelly Cobb and Sang Shin are scheduled to present at the 2022 Austin SHRM Annual Conference on August 5, 2022. Entitled “US Immigration & Global Migration: Managing a Global Workforce in a Post-Pandemic World,” the presentation will cover the tremendous variations per country on travel and how employers who engage in prior planning and research can better prepare and educate their foreign national population.

Chambers USA 2022 guide attorneys

June 1, 2022

Spotlight

Chambers and Partners Recognizes Jackson Walker Attorneys and Practices in 2022 USA and Global Guides

Jackson Walker is pleased to announce that Chambers and Partners has selected 48 attorneys and 16 departments for inclusion in the 2022 edition of the Global and USA guides.

JW Perspectives Newsletter 2022

April 21, 2022

Newsletters

JW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – April 2022

View Jackson Walker’s April 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.

Immigration US visa with Jackson Walker logo

April 20, 2022

Insights

Update to L-2 Spousal Work Authorization: All I-94s in Government Database Receive S Annotation

By Kelly Cobb | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, backlogs for immigration benefits have been at an all-time high, with some benefits—such as the L-2 Spousal EAD—taking up to 12 months or longer.

Jackson Walker Labor Employment social image

February 1, 2022

Newsletters

Labor & Employment Dispatch: February 2022

View the February 2022 edition of the Labor & Employment Dispatch.

More Attorney News

Practice Experience

  • Representing U.S. and global corporations in obtaining work authorizations for entire vessel crew and specialists assigned to the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf
  • Managing PERM labor certification programs for large engineering and information technology companies sponsoring their employees for permanent residence
  • Advising U.S. and international clients on immigration implications for complex corporate restructuring
  • Partnering with clients to proactively address the issues related to maintaining and deploying an international workforce

Recognition & Accolades

  • The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2010-2021
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
    • Ranked for Immigration – Texas, 2006-2008, 2017-2022
  • Recommended Attorney, The Legal 500: United States (Legalese Ltd.), 2013
  • “Texas Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2009-2013
  • Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers – Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters, 2005-2007

Publications & Speeches

  • Author, “Hiring Foreign Professionals Could Help Alleviate U.S. Labor Shortage,” Texas Lawyer (September 2022)
  • Panelist, “U.S. Business Immigration Virtual Roundtable,” Jackson Walker Webinar (September 2022)
  • Speaker, “US Immigration & Global Migration: Managing a Global Workforce in a Post-Pandemic World,” Austin SHRM Annual Conference (August 2022)
  • Speaker, “Redefining Success: Knowing What You Want, Why You Deserve It, and How to Get It”, The Women in Legal & Corporate Leadership Summit: Houston (March 2020)

Community Involvement

  • American Bar Association
  • Houston Bar Association
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • Texas Women Lawyers
  • United Way Women’s Initiative
  • United Way Young Leaders
  • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • Tahirih Justice Center
  • Women’s Business Alliance (WBA), Greater Houston Partnership
  • Greater Houston Partnership, Business Resource Group–Business Beyond Borders
  • The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston, Advisory Council

Practice Areas

  • Business Immigration & Compliance
  • Corporate & Securities
  • International
  • Labor & Employment
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