Archives: Our Team
Kathrine ‘Kat’ Russell
A native of San Antonio, TX, Kat has represented children, families, and adults in their immigration cases for over 15 years. She began her immigration career representing unaccompanied immigrant children in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas with the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR). She later moved to New York City where she was a Pro Bono Coordinator with Kids in in Need of Defense (KIND) and a Supervising Attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS). At BDS, Kat focused on representing criminal justice-involved youth in defensive and affirmative cases including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. She also spoke ... Read more
Brisa Gadea
As a first-generation Mexican American born to immigrant parents, Brisa has always been driven by a deep sense of determination and a commitment to making a difference. Growing up in El Paso, Texas, she experienced firsthand what the immigrant community could do for our country and the injustices they faced. From her experiences, Brisa felt compelled to lend her support to those in the immigrant community. With a solid educational foundation, she graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a certification in violence prevention and intervention. Determined to further ... Read more
Abbey Lanzarin
As the child of an active-duty service member in the United States Air Force, Attorney Abbey Lanzarin spent her formative years in Germany and Japan, where she experienced firsthand the complexity of migrating and developed a strong sense of appreciation for the challenges and triumphs of modern global mobility. Abbey earned a B.A. in International Studies, graduating summa cum laude from Texas A&M University, with a focus on U.S.-Mexico border relations. To enhance her Spanish fluency and deepen her understanding of migration in Mexico, she independently studied abroad at the esteemed Tecnológico de Monterrey in Guadalajara, México. At the University of ... Read more
Grethel Villarreal
Grethel Villarreal Cantu is a licensed immigration attorney with a deep-rooted commitment to advocating for immigrant rights and justice. Born and raised in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Grethel‘s early life in Mexico and later in McAllen, Texas, provided her with a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing immigrant communities. She later moved to San Antonio, Texas, where she completed her high school education and has since made it her home. With a strong sense of justice and determination, Grethel earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Afterward, Grethel earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from St. Mary’s ... Read more
Joseph De Mott
Joseph De Mott began practicing law in 1976 and is licensed in both Texas State Court and Federal Court. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his law degree from the University of Nebraska. Committed to justice and advocacy, Mr. De Mott is a charter member of the State Bar of Texas Immigration and Nationality Law Section and served as the section’s first Vice President for Family-Based Immigration Law. Additionally, he was a member of The American Immigration Lawyers Association and the founding attorney of what is know today as DMCA; in 2015 he ... Read more
Ruth Lozano McChesney
Ruth Lozano McChesney, originally from Mexico, moved to the United States as a child when her father accepted a medical doctor role at a Texas hospital. Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household, she has been a resident of San Antonio since 1994. Joining the firm in 1998, she served as managing partner from 2000 to 2019. Transitioning to an of-counsel role in 2019, she retired from DMCA in 2024. Her wealth of experience and expertise continued to be a valuable asset to the firm, as she provided guidance and insight to her colleagues. In her well-deserved retirement from DMCA in ... Read more