Alfonso Briz Otero

Education

1995- J.D. in Law Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico ranked 8th.
1999- LLM Master in Laws American Legal Studies, St. Mary’s University School of Law
2001- Jurisprudence Doctorate St. Mary’s University School of Law

Employment

2016- Founded Afonso Otero Attorney at Law, P.C.
2001- Founded Gonzalez & Otero, P.C.
2001- Present Attorney Consultant for the Mexican General Consulate in San Antonio, Texas
Participated as an expert in Mexican and immigration law for the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas.

Memberships:

Texas Bar Association 2001 – Present

Western District of Texas

Southern District of Texas

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Admit to the practice of law in all 32 States of Mexico

Awards:

Santa Maria Award 2000

Green Award 2001

Advocacia sin Fronteras 2001

Named Best Lawyers in San Antonio, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2016

Named Top Criminal Attorney by San Antonio Scene Magazine in 2013

Honored for Excellence in Immigration Law in 2014

Cases

Mercado v. Lynch Docket: 14-60539
Opinion Date: May 4, 2016
Areas of Law: Immigration Law
Petitioner, a native and citizen of Mexico, petitioned for review of the BIA’s order of removal finding that his convictions for indecent exposure and making terroristic threats under Texas law are crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT). The court concluded that the BIA incorrectly applied the realistic probability approach in analyzing whether petitioner’s convictions are CIMTs.
There has not been an intervening change of law that would permit this panel to overturn prior precedent and adopt the realistic probability approach as applied to CIMTs. The court has persistently applied the “minimum reading” approach in this context. Accordingly, the court reversed and remanded for the BIA to analyze petitioner’s convictions under the correct approach.

See Webpage for a complete list of relevant cases.

St. Mary's University

Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor (J.D.)

2001

St. Mary's University

Master of Laws

1999

Autonomous National University of Mexico

Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor (J.D.)

1996

Texas State Bar  # 24009189

Member

2001 - Current

Texas

Since 2001

5th Circuit