Martin Valko - a Dallas, TX U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law Lawyer

Dallas U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law Lawyer

Updated: 03/10/2026

Areas of Practice

U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law 100%

Attorney Information

Overview

Martin Valko is a founding partner of Chavez & Valko, LLP, managing its principal office in Dallas. He has navigated the complexities of the U.S. immigration process for decades-both as an immigration attorney and as an immigrant himself. His diverse practice embraces family, humanitarian, and employment-based immigration, along with the pursuit of temporary nonimmigrant visas.

Martin focuses primarily on representing both individual and corporate clients ranging from small businesses and startups to Fortune companies and transnational corporations. A former collegiate athlete himself, Martin has advised and represented other collegiate and amateur athletes and Olympians as well as professional teams and players from the NFL, NHL, and the USA Cricket Association.

Due to this deep and wide experience and a desire to give back, Martin is a frequent speaker at educational and business seminars on various immigration law topics. He is a former committee member of the AILA National USCIS Field Operations Liaison Committee as well the AILA National USCIS Service Centers Liaison Committee (SCOPS/Texas Service Center). He is also a legal advisor to the Mexican Consulate General in Dallas (2011 - 2027) as well as to the Slovak Embassy on U.S. immigration laws and represents the Slovak Republic as its Honorary Consul to Texas (since 2010).

A testament to his varied skillset and interests, Martin's career has included forays outside of traditional immigration law, into entertainment law and tech. Through his representation of legendary Slovak pop/rock singer Pavol Habera and his band TEAM, Martin obtained an out-of-court settlement with Sony Pictures regarding the use of the band's song in the 2005 horror film Hostel, including a written apology from the film's director, Eli Roth. Martin is also a co-founder of Lawpilot, an immigration case management platform that includes the Lawpilot Guardian, a one-of-a-kind mobile app that alerts attorneys of a client's encounter with ICE or the police, providing instant GPS location information and an audio recording.

Outside of the office, Martin is husband to a 5-time Olympian (2-time Olympic silver medalist) and a World Champion swimmer, Martina Moravcova Valko, and father to their children, Karolina and Michal with whom he resides in Dallas, Texas. He is an avid cyclist and spends his free time with an interesting book.

Awards and Honors

Super Lawyers® Selectees

Martin Valko included in a Super Lawyers® list

Other Sources of Feedback About Martin Valko

Included on the 2026 Texas Super Lawyers list

Past Lists

2025 Texas Super Lawyers list
2024 Texas Super Lawyers list
2023 Texas Super Lawyers list

Education

Legal Education
- Oklahoma City University School of Law, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 2002
  Juris Doctor (JD)
- Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas, 2004
  Master of Laws (LLM)
  Law Review: Yearbook of International Financial and Economic Law, Notes Editor
- Comenius University School of Law, Bratislava, Slovakia, 2005
  Bachelor of Law (BL)
Non Legal Education
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1997
  Bachelor of Science (BS)
  Major: Psychology

Current Employment Position(s)

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Managing Partner - Dallas
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Languages

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Slovak
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Czech
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Classes and Seminars

International Students in the Workplace (For International Students), Texas Wesleyan University, November 15, 2023
Hiring International Students (For Employers), Southern Methodist University, November 14, 2023
Hiring International Students (For International Students), Southern Methodist University, November 14, 2023
OPT and STEM Extension - Understanding F-1 Students and Their Employment Opportunities, 46th UTCLE Annual Conference on Immigration and Nationality Law, September 30, 2022
Presentation with the Slovak Ambassador to Mexico about the Mexico-US relations under President Biden and the students of the University of Matej Bel in Slovakia, University of Matej Bel in Slovakia and the Slovak Embassy in Mexico, March 25, 2021
International Students in the Workplace, Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, October 24, 2019
Employer Workplace Compliance Overview, Northwest Dallas Business Association, August 15, 2019
International Students in the Workplace, the DEC@Addison Treehouse, March 20, 2019
Law Firm Management and Best Practices, National Immigration Lawyers Association (CIL), March 22, 2017
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas & Alternatives for International Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, March 2, 2017
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas & Alternatives for International Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, November 2, 2016
Employer Strategies in H-1B and Immigrant Visa Processes for DFW Metroplex Accounting Firms, SMU Cox School of Business Accounting Department Advisory Board, April 22, 2016
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas for Foreign Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, March 9, 2016
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas for Foreign Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, October 13, 2015
Speaker, Immigration law and Classroom issues for Educators at the Teacher's Law School, American Board of Trial Advocates at the UNT Law School in Dallas, September 26, 2015
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas for Foreign Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, March 13, 2015
Speaker, Presidential Executive Action (DACA II, DAPA), Mexican Consulate General in Dallas, TX, December 2, 2014
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas for Foreign Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, October 23, 2014
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas for Foreign Students, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, March 20, 2014
Alternatives to H-1B Classification for Graduating Students, DFW-LINC Leading International Networking Clinic, March 10, 2014
H-1B Information Session at SMU, Southern Methodist University International Student and Scholar Services, October 11, 2013
Speaker, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Mexican Consulate in Dallas, September 8, 2012
Speaker, Nonimmigrant Derivative Beneficiaries and Household Members, 2012 AILA National Conference, June 13, 2012 - June 16, 2012
Speaker, Waivers of Inadmissibility (I-601; I-212), University of Texas CLE, October 20, 2011
Co-chair, AILA Spring 2011 Texas Chapter Conference, American Immigration Lawyers Association, April 14, 2011
Presenter, The I-9 Form: Employer's Compliance Responsibility, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, January 18, 2011
Presenter, Temporary and Permanent Work Visas, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, January 18, 2011
Speaker, "Overview of the Immigration Laws", Oklahoma City University School of Law, September 21, 2010
Speaker, "Overview of the Immigration Laws", The Fort Worth Breakfast Club, November 25, 2009
Speaker, AILA Fall 2009 TX/NM/OK Chapter CLE Conference (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico), American Immigration Lawyers Association, November 6, 2009 - November 7, 2009
Speaker, "Federal, State, and Immigration Consequences of Family Violence Convictions", CLE panel presenter for Tarrant County Mexican-American Bar Association, November 14, 2008
Presenter, "Know Your Rights" Videoseminar for respondents, American Immigration Lawyers Association, October 1, 2008
Speaker, "Employers' Ethical Obligations - Immigration Law & Employer Compliance", Sterling Institute CLE Seminar, February 15, 2008
Speaker, "No-Match" Regulations: Employers on "Constructive" Notice that Employee May be Working Illegally and How To Avoid Penalties, Hispanic Contractors Association of DFW, September 6, 2007

Bar Admissions

Supreme Court of Texas
District of Columbia
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas

Other Affiliations

Board Member, National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library (2015-2020)
Board Member, Consular Corps of Dallas/Fort Worth
Committee Member, AILA National USCIS Service Centers Liaison Committee (SCOPS/Texas Service Center, 2014-2015)
Committee Member, AILA National USCIS Field Operations Liaison Committee (2013-2014)
Member, Dallas World Affairs Council; Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce; Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; U.S.-Mexico Bar Association
State Bar of Texas; District of Columbia Bar; Dallas Bar Association; American Immigration Lawyers Association; Dallas and Texas Young Lawyers Associations
Dallas Bar Association

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Contact

Dallas, TX

10670 N Central Expy
Suite 300
Dallas, TX 75231

Directions

Phone: 214-251-8011

Fax: 214-251-8021

Email: Send a message

Websites:

https://www.keyvisa.com
http://www.facebook.com/chavezandvalkoimmigration (Chavez & Valko on Facebook)
http://twitter.com/chavezandvalko (Chavez & Valko on Twitter)
http://www.youtube.com (Chavez & Valko on YouTube)
http://www.keyvisa.com/blog/ (Chavez & Valko Blog)

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Martin Valko - Dallas, TX