BRENT K. NEWCOMB is an immigration attorney in the Chicago, Illinois area. Before setting up the law office in 2001, he worked in Moscow, Russia, and in Almaty, Kazakhstan with the British law firm of Denton Wilde Sapte from 1999-2001. 

Mr. Newcomb graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma University College of Law, is a member of the Oklahoma Law Review, and was awarded Order of the Coif.  He has experience in Russian law and Kazakhstani law and is fluent in Russian, German and speaks some Polish. He has published in several journals and magazines and has won several awards for his scholarship.  He also holds double undergraduate degrees, both with honors, in philosophy and political science.

Mr. Newcomb is licensed to practice in both Illinois and Oklahoma and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Oklahoma Bar Association.

EDUCATION

1999  University of Oklahoma, College of Law, Norman, Oklahoma

                    Juris Doctorate degree with Highest Honors

1996  Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

                   Graduate studies in Russian Law and Language

1995  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

                   Graduate studies in Political & Ancient Greek Philosophy

1993  Southwest Missouri State University

                   Bachelor of Science in Political Science with Honors

                   Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with Honors

LANGUAGES

English, Russian, German, some Polish

LEGAL WRITINGS

• "Immigration Law and the Criminal Alien: A Comparison of Policies for Arbitrary Deportations of Legal Permanent Residents Convicted of Aggravated Felonies," 51 OLR 697 (1999)
  

• "Tempest in a Samovar: A Foreign Investor's Guide to the Russian Petroleum Industry," presented to the Oklahoma Mineral Lawyers Foundation
  

• "Crying Over Spilled Pollutants: Russia's Environmental Legal Framework," presented to and recipient of the Frank C. Love Scholarship for legal writing 1998
  

• "A Comprehensive Guide to the Intellectual Property Regime in the Russian Federation;" presented to and recipient of the Lou Wentz Scholarship 1998
  

• "A General Guide to the Foreign Investment Environment in the Republic of Kazakhstan"
  

• "New Amendments to the Tax Code," Oil Watch No. 31, September 15, 1999
  

• "Commentary on the Recent Amendments to the Petroleum Law," Almaty Herald, September 16, 1999
  

• "Commentary to the New Subsoil Law Amendments," Almaty Herald, September 9, 1999
  

• "New Changes in Kazakhstan's Petroleum Laws: One Step Forward, One Step Back," prepared for publication in the Petroleum Economist
  

• "Commentary on the Recent Amendments to the Petroleum Law and Subsoil Law in the Republic of Kazakhstan," Denton Hall, September 1999, and Foreign Investor's Voice, October 1999.
  

• "Negotiations, Arbitration, and Fulfilment of Awards in China and Kazakhstan," November 1999
  

• "Privatisation in Kazakhstan: Approaching 2000," Privatisation International: Yearbook 2000, p.56.
  

• "Summary and Comments on the New Labor Law in Kazakhstan," Oil Watch No. 41, February 1, 2000.
  

• Growing Pains in an Emerging Market, Energy in the CIS and Eastern Europe 2000 Yearbook
  

• "2000 and Beyond: The Business, Investment, and Legal Regime of the Republic of Kazakhstan," submitted for publication.
  

RECENT EXPERIENCE

· Numerous IV and NIV applications and petitions of all types including B, H, K, L, F, J, labor-based green cards (including RIR), relationship-based green cards, lottery cases, asylum, citizenship, expedition of matters, etc.

· Drafted and participated in negotiations of a major oil and gas exploration and production contract between Camberwell's, Ltd., and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

· Advised the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and negotiated the privatization of 33% ownership of the blue-chip company MangistauMunaiGas involving a purchase price of $115 million.

· Advised numerous Western clients on legal matters, contract preparation, and negotiations in Kazakhstan including petroleum, subsoil use, investment, currency, banking, corporate matters, and labor issues.

· Received specialized training at Oxford University in International Project Financing.

Resume

tel: 847-224-2551

fax: 847-534-0826

E-mail: immigratetous@yahoo.com