"I can guarantee you two things: Firstly, I will treat your case as if my own, and secondly, I will provide first class service." — Jerry Z. Zhang

Jerry Z. Zhang was born in Nanjing, P.R. China in 1957 and grew up in a small town called Hua Nan in the Heilongjiang Province. Jerry was a mischievous and naughty teenager during his early years of middle school and high school. Although Jerry did not steal with the other hooligans, he always fought with his fists as well as his teeth; showing a great promise for being a lawyer in the future.

In 1975, the Cultural Revolution sent Jerry to a village to do hard field work. Faced with the harsh reality of village life, Jerry regretted his neglected studies during grade school. Wanting to make something of his life, Jerry resolved that he would one day attend Peking University; a dream that friends believed to be a far-fetched imagination. The tranquil rustic life coupled with long and cold winters offered Jerry an opportunity to immerse himself in study. Take a peak to see Jerry's teen years.

In February of 1978, Jerry's hard work paid led to his acceptance at Jilin University in Changchun. In 1982, he obtained a B.S. degree in physics from Jilin University with an above average grade. Although Jerry had little exposure to history, literature, and social studies, he did receive a solid education in physics, which enabled him to pass the entrance exam for Peking University's master study program.

In 1982, Jerry entered Peking University and pursued his graduate study and research in physics. Life at Peking University was more colorful than the life in the less populated north. Daily exposure to new ideas and non-conformist political views opened Jerry's eyes to new possibilities abroad. After obtaining a M.S. degree in Solid State Physics from Peking University, Jerry returned to Jilin University, working there for a year until he was sent to University of Washington for further studies in Physics.

On a rainy and cloudy evening in September, 1985, Jerry arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with a suitcase and $50. Not knowing anyone in Seattle, he browsed through the local Yellow Page at the airport for help and was amazed by the sheer volumes of commercial advertisements. Jerry figured out that the White Page is the right book to look at and searched for names like Li, Wang, Zhang, etc. The first round of calls resulted in no help; the receivers were either not at home, had no car or were not willing to do so-America is a tough place for any new immigrant. Jerry realized that he asked for help too abruptly and made himself appear as a desperate vagabond. He made another call to a person named Zhang and chatted with him about the University of Washington, studying, and living in Seattle. Jerry soon discovered that the other Zhang was also studying under same Professor at the Department of Physics in the University of Washington. Moreover, the other Mr. Zhang graduated from Jilin University a few years prior to Jerry's graduation. Jerry knew at that point he could get some help for Mr. Zhang. When the other Mr. Zhang asked our protagonist where he lived, Jerry replied that he just arrived at the airport from China and experiencing first hand a homeless life. Surprised, Mr. Zhang asked "Why didn't you tell me earlier, so that I can pick you up?"

Seattle is a pretty city surrounded by Puget Sound and Northern Cascades. Jerry stayed at the University of Washington for four years, doing research work on Solid State Physics. Concurrently, he performed experiments at the Brookhaven National Lab in New York and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in California. He published two articles in the peer-review journal Physics Review.

After realizing the beginning of the information era, Jerry left the University of Washington in 1990 and found a job in a small IT firm where he gained some experience in computers. Later, Jerry thought that he knew enough to create an innovative business for himself; so he co-founded Sanyan Technologies with two other partners in a basement. Because of lack of experience, financial resources, and deployable technologies; the venture failed, leaving Jerry penny-less.

With a need to survive and an urge to become one with nature, Mr. Zhang found a job as deckhand on fishing vessels in Alaska. Constantly drifting in Bering Sea, Mr. Zhang endured hard work, sometimes sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. Although life on the boat surrounded by the blue sea and white mountains can be at times luring, Jerry did not stop reading and thinking. His self enlightenment led him to law. In 1993, he obtained the admission from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. In his law school years, he ranked number one in a few classes and received Dean's Achievement Awards.

Today, Jerry is a licensed attorney in both Texas and Illinois, and the founding partner of an 18-person law firm, previously known as the Law Offices of Zhang & Associates. Jerry has represented a number of Fortune 500 Companies, both within the United States and overseas. Jerry's main area of legal knowledge, however, lies in successfully filing immigration petitions for researchers, Ph.D. students, software engineers and other technical professionals. He has often been asked to give speeches and seminars to high tech companies in the United States regarding immigration matters.

Moreover, Jerry shares his extensive knowledge of immigration law by presiding over e-inquiries submitted by visitors to Sina.com, one of the leading Chinese portals that offer a broad array of information and services to people of Chinese origin worldwide. He is also the author of the firm's new book in Chinese, "American Case Law in Daily Lives".

In addition, Jerry also has broad knowledge on issues related to intellectual property, real estate transactions, commercial litigations, contracts, business transactions and corporate laws.

Here is Jerry on his break. In his spare time, Jerry enjoys catching crabs in Galveston Bay with his wife and two children. Click here for the largest crab that Jerry ever caught in Galveston Bay.

Jerry is an active member of American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Education:

BS, Physics, Jilin University
MS, Physics, Peking University
MS, Physics, University of Washington
JD, University of Texas School of Law at Austin

Memberships:

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
Texas State Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association

Language:

Fluent in English and Chinese