Kerry William Bretz

Kerry Bretz is a former INS trial attorney and partner at Bretz & Coven.  His private practice is defined by his dedication to progressive, fair immigration laws that reflect the true value immigrants bring to the United States and the original promises of the United States as a place where people can pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

Kerry Bretz has played a major role in challenging the retroactive application of new immigration laws and mandatory detention.  He was instrumental in winning major deportation cases such as Henderson v INS and Calcano-Martinez v INS, which cases have changed the national scene on the availability of relief to aliens with criminal convictions. 

Additionally, in St John v McElroy, Kerry Bretz helped acheive the release of a mentally disabled women from INS custody and was awarded approximately $88,000 in attorney's fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act by a federal court judge.  Further, he obtained an additional monetary settlement to Ms. St John under the Federal Tort Claims Act for alleged abuses she suffered while detained by the INS.

Prior to private practice, Kerry Bretz was a Trial Attorney for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service.  As a result, he brings a unique perspective to every client's case and is able to effectively strategize each individual case.  He is regularly consulted by the criminal defense bar, is frequently quoted in newspapers, has appeared on reputable television programs and radio shows. 

Kerry Bretz is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyer's Association and is often asked to speak at its annual conference.  He is also Commissioner for the Archdiocese's Commission for the Dignity of Immigrants. 

Kerry Bretz is Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Rated®, the highest peer-review rating an attorney can receive.

Admitted to Practice:

• Connecticut 1991
• New York 1992
• Florida 1996
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of NY 1994
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit 1996
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit 1998
• U.S. Court of Appeal, Fifth Circuit 1999

Languages: Spanish

Education:

• Juris Doctor, City University of New York Queens College 1991
• Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, Herbert H. Lehman College of the City University of New York 1988

Reported Cases:

• Pottinger v. Reno, 51 F.Supp.2d 349 (E.D.N.Y. 1999)
• Reno v. Navas, 119 S. Ct. 1141 (U.S. Mar. 8, 1999)
• Henderson v. INS, 157 F.3d 106 (2d Cir. 1998), cert. denied sub nom.
• Mojica v. Reno, 970 F.Supp. 130 (E.D.N.Y. 1997); aff'd
• St. John v. McElroy, 917 F.Supp. 243 (S.D.N.Y. 1996)
• Cruz-Taveras v. McElroy, 1996 WL 455012 (S.D.N.Y. August 12, 1996)
• Thomas v. McElroy, 1996 WL 487953 (S.D.N.Y. August 23, 1996) (same)
• Alba v. McElroy, Dkt. No. 96 CIV. 8748 (DLC), 1996 WL 695811 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 4, 1996)
• Thomas v. McElroy, Dkt. No. 96 CIV. 5065 (JSM), 1996 WL 487953 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 27, 1996)
• Cruz-Taveras v. McElroy, Dkt. No. 96 CIV. 5068 (MBM), 1996 WL 455012 (S.D.N.Y. Aug 13, 1996)
• St. John v. McElroy, 917 F.Supp. 243 (S.D.N.Y. 1996).

Lawyer Memberships:

• American Immigration Lawyers Association

• The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
  • Member, Immigration Committee 1997

• New York City Lawyers Association
  • Member, Immigration Committee 1993

Email NY Immigration Lawyer Kerry Bretz