team-member

Thomas Arkell

N/A

N/A

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Immigration

Language

English French

About

I have over 30 years of legal experience, including spending 16 years as a law professor. I am now exclusively focused on handling immigration matters for clients, primarily filing EB-1A Extraordinary Ability, EB-1B Outstanding Professor Researcher, and EB-2 NIW petitions on behalf of my clients who come from top research institutions and companies from around the world. 

Practices Areas

Immigration

Language

English French

Contact

1001 N. Main Street, Suite AABloomington, IL, 61701

Office: N/A

Website: N/A

Reviews

anonymous
February 21, 2022

From the get-go, we knew Jim was our guy after speaking to several lawyers in consultation. What we liked about him was his blunt honesty and transparency. He was clear in what he thought were the potential challenges in our case and drafted out a thoughtful plan for us. Throughout the preparation process, he was incredibly responsive and always available. Spends the time listening to our concerns and answering all our questions. I did have a minor hiccup during the process which Jim skillfully dealt with. All and all a great guy and a wonderful lawyer. Would recommend him every time.

Ujjal
November 18, 2021

My experience with Dunn law firm has been excellent. Dunn law has a very knowledgeable, capable and helpful team of lawyers. I worked with Dunn law (Jim Arkell, Kayla Clark and Stacy Rinkenberger) my and my family's EB1 green card starting from the beginning to the very end. They helped me with filing of I-140, and then they helped me with filing the I-485, the change of status. The EB1 category requires much more documentation at the I-140 stage to demonstrate extraordinary capability as researcher and professor. Dunn law helped me organize the evidences like letters of recommendation, papers, citations, etc., in the most efficient manner. They are very hands on and this reduced my effort and anxiety significantly. They checked and edited all the documents, letters and prepared the entire dossier very meticulously. Because of their meticulous job, I had no issues at any stage. Inspite of the COVID related delays, the process went through very smoothly. For the final submission of change of status, the prompt help of Dunn law was amazing. The great thing about Dunn Law is that they are very friendly, ready to listen and work with the client as per their requirements, the personal touch is very good, they are very friendly, and very prompt in their work. The response has always been very fast, yet very detailed and meticulous. They definitely exceeded my expectations, and I would overwhelmingly recommend Dunn law. I has also worked with them for my family's H4 application, where they showed the same level of helpfulness and response.

anonymous
November 14, 2021

I highly recommend Jim because he helped throughout the entire process to obtain my Green Card. I was still a PhD Candidate when I contacted Jim for a NIW consultation. After carefully analyzing my case, he was very honest with me and told me the strengths and weaknesses of my application. I hired him because of his honesty. He was always willing to answer my questions throughout the process until approval. My I-140 and adjustment of status were all with him and approved without RFE. His paralegal (Kayla) was also fantastic helping me and my wife during the process.

Samir
November 8, 2021

I retained the services of Mr Arkell in filing my EB2-NIW petition during the first COVID summer. The filing process was very smooth, and the Arkell team was detail-oriented, responsive, and prompt at each step of the process. I received my green card in 14 months from the time of submission (including 1-2 months extra time on my end while I was preparing my documents). Overall, I was very pleased with the services of the Arkell Immigration Team, and would be happy to recommend them to my friends.

Anura
October 11, 2021

I had a remarkably positive experience working with Jim Arkell and the rest of the Arkell Immigration Team. My case was handled expertly and efficiently from the first filing of the I-140 all the way through to the issuance of the green cards for my family and me. Jim showed great compassion and genuinely cared about my case throughout the entire process. I highly recommend Jim Arkell to anyone who is considering filing for an NIW green card

anonymous
June 23, 2021

First of all, I want to thank Jim for all his great help and assistance: Jim has been assisting my family and me not only on multiple immigration issues but also helped me write a very strong cover letter to apply for a job. He and his brother Mr. Tom Arkell worked very hard on my case, which was very complicated. However, with their support and writing skills gave my family and me a quick pass to get the GREEN CARD in less than 9 months. They are a very professional, efficient, honest law firm, and they are so friendly as well. Overall they are great immigration representatives, and I have no hesitation to HIGHLY recommend anyone in need of a professional firm who knows exactly what they are doing in a very short time with an understanding of your feelings; as you know, immigration issues are a very painful process, where everyone, including myself, can feel really powerless and hopeless. However, they are always positive; with their support and encouragement will make you happy and hopeful. In addition, you can reach them very quickly via phone or email. They always responded to my phone calls and emails right away. Thank you so much again for your great services and help.

anonymous
April 29, 2021

My experience with the Jim Arkell and his immigration team was very positive. I am a senior doctoral student in engineering and initially reached out to the firm to inquire if petitioning for a National Interest Waiver (NIW) based on my credentials was viable. I was recommended by a friend that also had an excellent experience with Jim. After an initial consultation that was free of charge, I decided to retain his services to file the EB-2 NIW since his attorney fees were quite competitive. His team had a lot of experience in this area and provided me with all the steps/documents I needed to take to make a compelling case for my petition. My petition was approved within 9 months. I decided to retain his services again to file for an adjustment of status. Once again his advice at the time, such as including the public charge forms which were required at the time as well the decision to submit my medical records with my adjustment of status package helped USCIS reach a decision on my case fairly quickly (within 6 months). At no point in my journey did I receive any RFEs from USCIS,. Overall, I had a positive experience without any hiccups with Jim and his law firm. I would definitely recommend him to future clients.

Hesham
March 14, 2021

I am very pleased about the services I obtained from Dunn Law Firm as they helped me to obtain a National Interest Waiver and an adjustment of status to become a Legal Permanent Resident in the United States! Jim successfully got me my green card within 13-months of filing during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—starting from a J-1 visa for a visiting scholar. Jim was an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. He explained everything thoroughly and set reasonable expectations for the time it would take for me to obtain the necessary approvals once my petition was submitted. Jim is an outstanding client advocate, his attention to detail, and his knowledge of the law ensured that my petition for the NIW clearly highlighted and successfully articulated the reasons why I should be approved to remain in the United States--despite my only having 24 citations and not yet having a paper as a first author at the time of my application. I was also very pleased that Jim was available for urgent consultations and that he offered workable and knowledgeable solutions to various issues that popped up during USCIS's review of my paperwork. It is very nerve-wracking to be asked for additional documents without knowing what is happening at USCIS, but Jim was excellent at explaining the typical process and the various steps the reviewers go through when processing the paperwork. I hired Jim because of his reputation for having in-depth knowledge of the law and his vast experience helping individuals from varied research and academic backgrounds, and I am so happy that I trusted him with my entire immigration case. I am very pleased, happy, and satisfied with the service I received from Jim and the Dunn Law Firm, and I highly recommended his services to anyone wishing to obtain a NIW and adjustment of status to obtain a green card. I will, of course, be returning when it is time to apply for citizenship!

anonymous
February 21, 2022

From the get-go, we knew Jim was our guy after speaking to several lawyers in consultation. What we liked about him was his blunt honesty and transparency. He was clear in what he thought were the potential challenges in our case and drafted out a thoughtful plan for us. Throughout the preparation process, he was incredibly responsive and always available. Spends the time listening to our concerns and answering all our questions. I did have a minor hiccup during the process which Jim skillfully dealt with. All and all a great guy and a wonderful lawyer. Would recommend him every time.

Ujjal
November 18, 2021

My experience with Dunn law firm has been excellent. Dunn law has a very knowledgeable, capable and helpful team of lawyers. I worked with Dunn law (Jim Arkell, Kayla Clark and Stacy Rinkenberger) my and my family's EB1 green card starting from the beginning to the very end. They helped me with filing of I-140, and then they helped me with filing the I-485, the change of status. The EB1 category requires much more documentation at the I-140 stage to demonstrate extraordinary capability as researcher and professor. Dunn law helped me organize the evidences like letters of recommendation, papers, citations, etc., in the most efficient manner. They are very hands on and this reduced my effort and anxiety significantly. They checked and edited all the documents, letters and prepared the entire dossier very meticulously. Because of their meticulous job, I had no issues at any stage. Inspite of the COVID related delays, the process went through very smoothly. For the final submission of change of status, the prompt help of Dunn law was amazing. The great thing about Dunn Law is that they are very friendly, ready to listen and work with the client as per their requirements, the personal touch is very good, they are very friendly, and very prompt in their work. The response has always been very fast, yet very detailed and meticulous. They definitely exceeded my expectations, and I would overwhelmingly recommend Dunn law. I has also worked with them for my family's H4 application, where they showed the same level of helpfulness and response.

anonymous
November 14, 2021

I highly recommend Jim because he helped throughout the entire process to obtain my Green Card. I was still a PhD Candidate when I contacted Jim for a NIW consultation. After carefully analyzing my case, he was very honest with me and told me the strengths and weaknesses of my application. I hired him because of his honesty. He was always willing to answer my questions throughout the process until approval. My I-140 and adjustment of status were all with him and approved without RFE. His paralegal (Kayla) was also fantastic helping me and my wife during the process.

Samir
November 8, 2021

I retained the services of Mr Arkell in filing my EB2-NIW petition during the first COVID summer. The filing process was very smooth, and the Arkell team was detail-oriented, responsive, and prompt at each step of the process. I received my green card in 14 months from the time of submission (including 1-2 months extra time on my end while I was preparing my documents). Overall, I was very pleased with the services of the Arkell Immigration Team, and would be happy to recommend them to my friends.

Anura
October 11, 2021

I had a remarkably positive experience working with Jim Arkell and the rest of the Arkell Immigration Team. My case was handled expertly and efficiently from the first filing of the I-140 all the way through to the issuance of the green cards for my family and me. Jim showed great compassion and genuinely cared about my case throughout the entire process. I highly recommend Jim Arkell to anyone who is considering filing for an NIW green card

anonymous
June 23, 2021

First of all, I want to thank Jim for all his great help and assistance: Jim has been assisting my family and me not only on multiple immigration issues but also helped me write a very strong cover letter to apply for a job. He and his brother Mr. Tom Arkell worked very hard on my case, which was very complicated. However, with their support and writing skills gave my family and me a quick pass to get the GREEN CARD in less than 9 months. They are a very professional, efficient, honest law firm, and they are so friendly as well. Overall they are great immigration representatives, and I have no hesitation to HIGHLY recommend anyone in need of a professional firm who knows exactly what they are doing in a very short time with an understanding of your feelings; as you know, immigration issues are a very painful process, where everyone, including myself, can feel really powerless and hopeless. However, they are always positive; with their support and encouragement will make you happy and hopeful. In addition, you can reach them very quickly via phone or email. They always responded to my phone calls and emails right away. Thank you so much again for your great services and help.

anonymous
April 29, 2021

My experience with the Jim Arkell and his immigration team was very positive. I am a senior doctoral student in engineering and initially reached out to the firm to inquire if petitioning for a National Interest Waiver (NIW) based on my credentials was viable. I was recommended by a friend that also had an excellent experience with Jim. After an initial consultation that was free of charge, I decided to retain his services to file the EB-2 NIW since his attorney fees were quite competitive. His team had a lot of experience in this area and provided me with all the steps/documents I needed to take to make a compelling case for my petition. My petition was approved within 9 months. I decided to retain his services again to file for an adjustment of status. Once again his advice at the time, such as including the public charge forms which were required at the time as well the decision to submit my medical records with my adjustment of status package helped USCIS reach a decision on my case fairly quickly (within 6 months). At no point in my journey did I receive any RFEs from USCIS,. Overall, I had a positive experience without any hiccups with Jim and his law firm. I would definitely recommend him to future clients.

Hesham
March 14, 2021

I am very pleased about the services I obtained from Dunn Law Firm as they helped me to obtain a National Interest Waiver and an adjustment of status to become a Legal Permanent Resident in the United States! Jim successfully got me my green card within 13-months of filing during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—starting from a J-1 visa for a visiting scholar. Jim was an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. He explained everything thoroughly and set reasonable expectations for the time it would take for me to obtain the necessary approvals once my petition was submitted. Jim is an outstanding client advocate, his attention to detail, and his knowledge of the law ensured that my petition for the NIW clearly highlighted and successfully articulated the reasons why I should be approved to remain in the United States--despite my only having 24 citations and not yet having a paper as a first author at the time of my application. I was also very pleased that Jim was available for urgent consultations and that he offered workable and knowledgeable solutions to various issues that popped up during USCIS's review of my paperwork. It is very nerve-wracking to be asked for additional documents without knowing what is happening at USCIS, but Jim was excellent at explaining the typical process and the various steps the reviewers go through when processing the paperwork. I hired Jim because of his reputation for having in-depth knowledge of the law and his vast experience helping individuals from varied research and academic backgrounds, and I am so happy that I trusted him with my entire immigration case. I am very pleased, happy, and satisfied with the service I received from Jim and the Dunn Law Firm, and I highly recommended his services to anyone wishing to obtain a NIW and adjustment of status to obtain a green card. I will, of course, be returning when it is time to apply for citizenship!

anonymous
February 21, 2022

From the get-go, we knew Jim was our guy after speaking to several lawyers in consultation. What we liked about him was his blunt honesty and transparency. He was clear in what he thought were the potential challenges in our case and drafted out a thoughtful plan for us. Throughout the preparation process, he was incredibly responsive and always available. Spends the time listening to our concerns and answering all our questions. I did have a minor hiccup during the process which Jim skillfully dealt with. All and all a great guy and a wonderful lawyer. Would recommend him every time.

Ujjal
November 18, 2021

My experience with Dunn law firm has been excellent. Dunn law has a very knowledgeable, capable and helpful team of lawyers. I worked with Dunn law (Jim Arkell, Kayla Clark and Stacy Rinkenberger) my and my family's EB1 green card starting from the beginning to the very end. They helped me with filing of I-140, and then they helped me with filing the I-485, the change of status. The EB1 category requires much more documentation at the I-140 stage to demonstrate extraordinary capability as researcher and professor. Dunn law helped me organize the evidences like letters of recommendation, papers, citations, etc., in the most efficient manner. They are very hands on and this reduced my effort and anxiety significantly. They checked and edited all the documents, letters and prepared the entire dossier very meticulously. Because of their meticulous job, I had no issues at any stage. Inspite of the COVID related delays, the process went through very smoothly. For the final submission of change of status, the prompt help of Dunn law was amazing. The great thing about Dunn Law is that they are very friendly, ready to listen and work with the client as per their requirements, the personal touch is very good, they are very friendly, and very prompt in their work. The response has always been very fast, yet very detailed and meticulous. They definitely exceeded my expectations, and I would overwhelmingly recommend Dunn law. I has also worked with them for my family's H4 application, where they showed the same level of helpfulness and response.

anonymous
November 14, 2021

I highly recommend Jim because he helped throughout the entire process to obtain my Green Card. I was still a PhD Candidate when I contacted Jim for a NIW consultation. After carefully analyzing my case, he was very honest with me and told me the strengths and weaknesses of my application. I hired him because of his honesty. He was always willing to answer my questions throughout the process until approval. My I-140 and adjustment of status were all with him and approved without RFE. His paralegal (Kayla) was also fantastic helping me and my wife during the process.

Samir
November 8, 2021

I retained the services of Mr Arkell in filing my EB2-NIW petition during the first COVID summer. The filing process was very smooth, and the Arkell team was detail-oriented, responsive, and prompt at each step of the process. I received my green card in 14 months from the time of submission (including 1-2 months extra time on my end while I was preparing my documents). Overall, I was very pleased with the services of the Arkell Immigration Team, and would be happy to recommend them to my friends.

Anura
October 11, 2021

I had a remarkably positive experience working with Jim Arkell and the rest of the Arkell Immigration Team. My case was handled expertly and efficiently from the first filing of the I-140 all the way through to the issuance of the green cards for my family and me. Jim showed great compassion and genuinely cared about my case throughout the entire process. I highly recommend Jim Arkell to anyone who is considering filing for an NIW green card

anonymous
June 23, 2021

First of all, I want to thank Jim for all his great help and assistance: Jim has been assisting my family and me not only on multiple immigration issues but also helped me write a very strong cover letter to apply for a job. He and his brother Mr. Tom Arkell worked very hard on my case, which was very complicated. However, with their support and writing skills gave my family and me a quick pass to get the GREEN CARD in less than 9 months. They are a very professional, efficient, honest law firm, and they are so friendly as well. Overall they are great immigration representatives, and I have no hesitation to HIGHLY recommend anyone in need of a professional firm who knows exactly what they are doing in a very short time with an understanding of your feelings; as you know, immigration issues are a very painful process, where everyone, including myself, can feel really powerless and hopeless. However, they are always positive; with their support and encouragement will make you happy and hopeful. In addition, you can reach them very quickly via phone or email. They always responded to my phone calls and emails right away. Thank you so much again for your great services and help.

anonymous
April 29, 2021

My experience with the Jim Arkell and his immigration team was very positive. I am a senior doctoral student in engineering and initially reached out to the firm to inquire if petitioning for a National Interest Waiver (NIW) based on my credentials was viable. I was recommended by a friend that also had an excellent experience with Jim. After an initial consultation that was free of charge, I decided to retain his services to file the EB-2 NIW since his attorney fees were quite competitive. His team had a lot of experience in this area and provided me with all the steps/documents I needed to take to make a compelling case for my petition. My petition was approved within 9 months. I decided to retain his services again to file for an adjustment of status. Once again his advice at the time, such as including the public charge forms which were required at the time as well the decision to submit my medical records with my adjustment of status package helped USCIS reach a decision on my case fairly quickly (within 6 months). At no point in my journey did I receive any RFEs from USCIS,. Overall, I had a positive experience without any hiccups with Jim and his law firm. I would definitely recommend him to future clients.

Hesham
March 14, 2021

I am very pleased about the services I obtained from Dunn Law Firm as they helped me to obtain a National Interest Waiver and an adjustment of status to become a Legal Permanent Resident in the United States! Jim successfully got me my green card within 13-months of filing during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—starting from a J-1 visa for a visiting scholar. Jim was an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. He explained everything thoroughly and set reasonable expectations for the time it would take for me to obtain the necessary approvals once my petition was submitted. Jim is an outstanding client advocate, his attention to detail, and his knowledge of the law ensured that my petition for the NIW clearly highlighted and successfully articulated the reasons why I should be approved to remain in the United States--despite my only having 24 citations and not yet having a paper as a first author at the time of my application. I was also very pleased that Jim was available for urgent consultations and that he offered workable and knowledgeable solutions to various issues that popped up during USCIS's review of my paperwork. It is very nerve-wracking to be asked for additional documents without knowing what is happening at USCIS, but Jim was excellent at explaining the typical process and the various steps the reviewers go through when processing the paperwork. I hired Jim because of his reputation for having in-depth knowledge of the law and his vast experience helping individuals from varied research and academic backgrounds, and I am so happy that I trusted him with my entire immigration case. I am very pleased, happy, and satisfied with the service I received from Jim and the Dunn Law Firm, and I highly recommended his services to anyone wishing to obtain a NIW and adjustment of status to obtain a green card. I will, of course, be returning when it is time to apply for citizenship!