On December 31, 2023, our law firm’s founder, David Kolko, will retire from the practice of immigration law. David and his wife Janet plan to leave their computers behind and spend the next few years traveling the world.
David leaves an incredible professional legacy. He started his work in the field of immigration law in 2000, when he joined established immigration attorney Jim Cooper in an immigration law practice that became Cooper and Kolko. When Jim Cooper retired in 2002, David continued the immigration law practice and in 2006, established Kolko & Associates, P.C. In 2019, Kolko & Associates, P.C. became Kolko & Casey, P.C., when current Managing Partner, Jennifer Casey joined Mr. Kolko as an owner and shareholder in the practice.
Over the past 23 years, David has worked with tens of thousands of clients from around the world. Mr. Kolko may not have worked with someone from every single country around the world – but almost… And that is a point of real pride for David. He always understood that this field is about our inter-connectedness as humans. Whether working on a humanitarian-based case for someone fleeing harm in their home country, or a complex business matter for an individual seeking a visa for their work in the national interest, David has always known that at the core of these cases are people – doing important work for themselves, their families, their communities and the greater good.
David served clients with thoughtful and skilled advocacy in Court and before the immigration agencies. David always brought a keen awareness of how to use the law as a creative tool to serve our clients and achieve positive results, even in the most complex of cases.
David also served as an advocate in our professional bar association – the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) on both the state and national levels. He has served as a mentor, coach, and cheerleader to many new immigration lawyers, in their professional journeys.
In 2015, he was awarded with the Pro Bono award from the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) for his incredible leadership and role in bringing together attorneys from around the country to provide representation to detained families in Artesia, New Mexico and Dilley, Texas.
David deeply cares about the people that work with him. He is generous and committed to helping each of us become more knowledgeable and better at the work that we do.
Finally, as much as David has done for our clients, and for our team at Kolko & Casey, P.C., he has always known and appreciated that the work he has been privileged to do for the past 23 years has been a gift. It has made him a better person and enriched him in a myriad of ways. And it is with this spirit in mind that he begins his retirement and next adventure – seeing and appreciating different places around their world for their complex cultural and physical beauty.
We wish you a wonderful next chapter David and thank you for all that you have given to your team here at Kolko & Casey!
Bon voyage, buena suerte and see you soon!
