Texas Immigration & Estate Planning Attorney Lisa McBee works compassionately to advance social justice, fairness, and integrity and has practiced immigration law for over 16 years. “Reliability, efficiency, responsiveness, and consistency” predominate in Lisa’s representation of clients.
Lisa‘s practice of law has recently expanded into new legal areas, including estate planning and business entity formation — although her passion remains focused on serving clients in the field of immigration law, including both employment-based and family-based.
LISA McBEE’S BACKGROUND
A native of Texas, Lisa earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Kansas in 1991, following her family’s relocation to Kansas. Lisa subsequently moved to Missouri, where she received a Juris Doctor Degree from the School of Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2006. She practiced law in Kansas/Missouri offices for over 11 years, where she was admitted as a member of the Missouri Bar and served as a member of Missouri State Bar’s Immigration Law Panel. Before her role as an immigration attorney, Lisa served as a paralegal in immigration for over 11 years for Howard Eisberg, who Lisa continues to consider her mentor and guru.
In 2017, following several decades away from her native state, Lisa relocated back to her home of Texas following the unexpected death of her spouse. Lisa was born in Tarrant County, Texas, and grew up in the valley near Harlingen and the coastal canals and beaches of Corpus Christi, Texas.
Lisa has two grown children, her daughter Taylor (social worker/therapist) and her son Dylan (avionics technician lead, former U.S. Marine). Lisa also had a son, Ryan, deceased at age 32 in 2020, who she misses daily. She also has two beautiful grandchildren, grandson Julian (16) and granddaughter Kami (13). Lisa adopted Ryan’s two fur-babies, Niko and Lindsay, who are brother and sister and bring her much joy.
LISA MCBEE’S FOCUS & APPROACH
Lisa primarily practices in Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, etc.) and family and employment-based immigration law.
In estate planning matters, Lisa values the opportunity to work with clients to craft estate plans for the future, ensuring their wishes are carried out in case of death, disability, or incapacitation. Although she appreciates estate planning may not be such a pleasant undertaking for many clients, Lisa believes such plans for protecting assets and children are crucially important for “protecting what matters most.” In fashioning such plans, clients can gain ‘peace of mind’ by ensuring assets are distributed to chosen beneficiaries and by safeguarding children by appointing a trusted person(s) to make crucial decisions on their behalf.
In immigration matters, Lisa embraces a particular passion for working with regional, national, and international clients, including Fortune 500 companies, multi-national corporations, small businesses, and colleges & universities, serving and shepherding them through the complexities of immigration processes and requirements.
Lisa values the opportunity to work with diverse clients worldwide, encountering individuals from diverse cultures, religions, experiences, and backgrounds. Working with human resources personnel to develop innovative immigration solutions for meeting emerging hiring needs and maintaining ongoing relationships, Lisa enjoys working with U.S. businesses/colleges/ universities and foreign nationals to determine options and eligibility for U.S. immigration status.
Lisa manages all legal matters from case intake to the final disposition/decision, including performing relevant research, strategizing based on specific classification eligibility or admissibility issues, and analyzing and interpreting complex immigration laws, rulings, memos, and regulations.
A primary component of her responsibilities includes creating evidentiary documents (immigration petitions/applications, support letters, affidavits, and memoranda of legal analysis, etc.), as well as analyzing and advising clients on probable outcomes of cases using her familiarity of comprehensive immigration regulations, policies, memos, precedents, and rigorous procedures.
Lisa also advises corporate clients on compliance with the U.S. Department of Labor and USCIS regulations. She assists HR personnel/business executives with developing comprehensive hiring practices concerning immigration.
Lisa works hard to maintain communication with clients throughout the stringent immigration process, providing advice and addressing all questions/concerns. She also accompanies and represents clients at the local USCIS office for permanent resident and naturalization interviews.
LISA MCBEE’S ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
Lisa loves living and working in the community of Southlake. Through Rotary International, Lisa volunteers her time, treasure, and resources participating in various charitable local and international service projects as detailed below. She currently serves as President of the Southlake Rotary Club, Rotary International. She values being a part of Rotary, an organization whose motto is “service above self,” and whose pursuit of international harmony, kindness, peace, and goodwill enhances unity and diversity within an often-divisive world.
Lisa was honored to be awarded the “Rotarian of the Year” in 2019-20 and as “Rotarian of the 3rd Quarter “in 2019. She is also honored to serve a Club that has been recognized as the “Rotary Club of the Year” for small clubs in Rotary District 5790.
Lisa also serves as a Board Officer/Treasurer & Asst. Secretary for the North Texas Shield Foundation, Inc. (NTSFI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, which provides the Department of Public Safety for the police officers and firefighters of a particular community ‘Peace of Mind.’ Founded by renowned local jeweler Pieter Andries and retired police chief officer of Southlake Marlin Price, NTSFI works with families to help with any travel costs that the grieving family cannot afford. Specifically, NTSFI provides the Chief of Police or Fire Chief of an affected community a check for $5K-$10K at the first request, instantly and immediately, to help with the needs of a fallen police officer’s or firefighter’s family, including airline/travel costs to bring in family members.
Lisa is also a member or past member of several area women’s professional support and networking groups, including Grapevine’s Women Who Wined Down on Wednesdays (WWWDOW), and Together We Shine. Her role in these networking initiatives includes forming business relationships and assisting members with business opportunities for other women in the area.
Lisa is also a member of the Keller Chamber of Commerce and White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
- Immigration (Employment-Based & Family-Based)
- H-1B visas
- L-1A/L-1B petitions
- TN petitions
- PERM/Labor Certification Applications
- I-140 petitions/I-485 applications
- I-130 petitions/I-485 applications
- I-140 petitions under Extraordinary Abilities/Outstanding Professors & Researchers/ National Interest Waivers
- DACA
- N-400s
- Estate Planning: Trusts/Wills/Testamentary Documents
- Business Entity Formation
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Missouri, 2006
- Texas, 2018
BAR MEMBERSHIPS
- American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA)
- TX chapter of AILA
- MO/KS chapter of AILA
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- Northeast Tarrant County Bar Association
- Immigration & Nationality Law Section
- Family Law Section
- Texas Family Law Foundation
EDUCATION
- University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Law, Kansas City, Missouri
- University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
- Associate Attorney, Law Office of Dana L. White, PLLC – 2018 to present
- Managing Attorney, Law Office of Lisa McBee, LLC – 2014 to 2018
- Associate Attorney, Roberta F. Farrell, LLC – 2013 to 2014
- Associate Attorney, Law Office of Howard Eisberg – 2006 to 2013
RECOGNITION/AWARDS
- Voted “Top Attorney” by peers in the area of Immigration, featured in Fort Worth Magazine (2021)
- Voted a “Top Attorney” in Business by peers in Tarrant County, featured in Southlake Style Magazine’s “2021 Top Lawyers,” 2021.
- Voted a “Top Attorney” (2019) in Immigration in NE Tarrant County by peers, featured in 360 West & 76092
- Voted “Rotarian of the Year,” Rotary Club of Southlake, District 5790 (2019-2020)
- Voted “Rotarian of the Quarter,” Rotary Club of Southlake, District 5790 (3rd Q, 2019)
- Recipient of “Outstanding Achievement Award” in Juveniles & the Law, UMKC, School of Law/ May 2006
- Recipient of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s Higher Education Scholarship based on academic achievement, UMKC, School of Law (Fall 2002 to Spring 2006).
- Final Paper/Symposium: International Human Rights Law and Post September 11, 2001, Counter-terrorism Policies
- Recipient of the Robert L. Greaves Memorial Prize for outstanding undergraduate work in History, University of Kansas, 1991
- Member of the Alpha-Omicron Chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta International History Honor Society based on academic record in history, University of Kansas
- Member of the Alpha Theta Chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society, University of Kansas
COMMUNITY SERVICE & COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
- Rotary Club of Southlake Member (Jan. 2018-present)
- Southlake Rotary Club President (June 2020-present)
- Southlake Rotary Club Secretary (June 2019-2020)
- Southlake Rotary Club Director of Public Image/Club Service (June 2018-2019)
- Southlake Rotary Club Board Member (June 2018-present)
- Board Officer/Secretary of the North Texas Shield Foundation (March 2019-present)
- Member of the Keller Chamber of Commerce (2019-present)
- Contributor/Author for Best Version Media’s Southlake Neighbors (2019-present)
- Grapevine’s Women Who Wined Down on Wednesdays (WWWDOW) (2017-present)
- Member of Together We Shine Women’s Networking Group (2017-2020)
- Member of White’s Chapel United Methodist Church
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
- Current President, past Secretary, past Director of Public Image/Club Culture, Board Member of the Southlake Rotary Club, Rotary International, Rotary District 5790.
- DPS (Department of Public Safety) Appreciation Day/National Night Out.
- DPS Officers of the Year Awards.
- DPS Scholarships for children of First Responders.
- Quarterly Trash Pick Up for the City of Southlake’s ‘Keep Southlake Beautiful” Program.
- GRACE Christmas Cottage Gift/Toy Drives.
- GRACE food drives.
- Community Storehouse & Metroport Meals on Wheels food drives.
- Warm clothing drives for the Presbyterian Night Shelter & other area homeless shelters.
- Gift drives for Freedom Hospice, LLC.
- Salvation Army, Red Kettle Bell Ringing.
- Shelter Box, Rotary International.
- Guatemalan Literacy Project.
- “Toasty Toes/Artic Blast” Project for area Homeless Shelters.
- Sponsorships of Rotary International Global Scholars whose scholarly focus is Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.
- Sponsorships of Rotary International foreign exchange students.
- Sponsorship of a dental clinic in Costa Rica; and
- Eradication of polio worldwide.
PERSONAL/HOBBIES
- Daughter of the King of Kings, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, & friend.
- Traveling the world
- Reading/Writing
- Movies
- Spending time with family & friends
INTERESTING FUN FACT: DANA & LISA ARE SISTERS
ATTORNEY LISA’S WORD TO LIVE BY:
Of all the things Texas Immigration & Estate Planning Attorney Lisa McBee “thinks, says, and does,” she endeavors to uphold the principles of Rotary’s “4-Way Test” as follows:
- -Is it the TRUTH?
- -Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- -Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP?
- -Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
