Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • Women in Leadership
    • Legal Elite
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2023 Black Business Leaders
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
    • Order Women In Leadership Plaques
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2024

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • Women in Leadership
    • Legal Elite
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2023 Black Business Leaders
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
    • Order Women In Leadership Plaques
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2024

Home News Reports Legal Elite 2020 Legal Elite — Immigration Law Profile

2020 Legal Elite — Immigration Law Profile

Christine Lockhart Poarch, Poarch Thompson Law, Salem

Published November 30, 2020 by Virginia Business

Christine Lockhart Poarch
Christine Lockhart Poarch

Title: Managing attorney
Other legal specialties: Adoption
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of St. Thomas; law degree, South Texas College of Law
Spouse: Joey Poarch
Children: Zella, 15; Sidney, 13; and Bella Luz, 12
First job as a lawyer: Perdue & Clore, medical malpractice firm in Houston
Fan of: Creative nonfiction, fried green tomatoes, folk rock
Recently read book: “The Book of Longings,” by Sue Monk Kidd
Favorite vacation spot: Prague
Career mentors: Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, executive director, ACLU of Virginia; Betty Stevens, of counsel with Poarch Thompson Law; Denice Smith, appellate lawyer in Houston that I clerked for; Mark Clore, an accomplished civil litigator and my first boss.
What led to your decision to form your own firm focused on immigration law?
I began working with the immigrant community in Houston when I was an undergraduate and continued that work after being licensed as a volunteer attorney with Justice for Our Neighbors, a pro bono law clinic and Methodist ministry. I launched my private immigration practice after returning to my hometown for good in 2003. Because of our work on international adoption, our practice later expanded to domestic adoption as well.
How have immigration court backlogs affected your clients?
The backlogs have had a significant impact on our access to justice for our clients. The immigration court backlog — which has only increased because of COVID — embodies the concept of “justice delayed is justice denied.” Immigration court reform — specifically, creating a politically independent Article I court — is critical to fostering judicial independence in immigration proceedings and reducing the backlog of cases.

See more from our 2020 Legal Elite package:

  • 2020 Legal Elite — Immigration Law list
  • The 21st edition of the Virginia Business Legal Elite

 

Subscribe to Virginia Business.

Get our daily e-newsletter.

Related Stories

No related posts.

Trending

Pittsylvania site is top contender for $100M battery project

Va. could get $100M+ lithium-ion battery project

100 People to Meet in 2024

2023 Virginia Business Person of the Year: Kristen Cavallo

100 People to Meet in 2024: Rainmakers

Sponsored Stories

Precision Walls, Inc. Acquires SPS Corporation to Expand Service Offerings

Friendly and frictionless: 6 customer experience trends

Part 2: 2024; logistics nightmare or a re-awakening?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Pittsylvania site is top contender for $100M battery project

Va. could get $100M+ lithium-ion battery project

100 People to Meet in 2024

2023 Virginia Business Person of the Year: Kristen Cavallo

100 People to Meet in 2024: Rainmakers

Sponsored Stories

Precision Walls, Inc. Acquires SPS Corporation to Expand Service Offerings

Friendly and frictionless: 6 customer experience trends

Part 2: 2024; logistics nightmare or a re-awakening?

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk