Clete is a nationally respected crisis response lawyer and focuses his practice in employment law, immigration law, worksite and regulatory compliance, and commercial litigation. Before joining Kutak Rock in 2016, he served the United States for seven years as a federal trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. There, he gained extensive trial experience prosecuting hundreds, if not thousands, of removal cases with underlying criminal and immigration elements. He has extensive knowledge of the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, including the civil and criminal penalties for hiring and employing individuals without employment authorization, worksite enforcement, and other related issues.

Since joining Kutak Rock, Clete is frequently retained to draw on his prosecutorial experience to conduct independent investigations at the request of business owners, corporate boards or special committees. These investigations may be prompted by anonymous employee complaints, by whistleblower allegations, or by grand jury or administrative subpoenas. In all cases, Clete’s internal investigations are conducted in a thorough, highly credible manner and his investigative reports are prepared to be readily accepted as evidence of compliance or cooperation. He also provides clients with key preventative advice to help them avoid liability associated with underlying allegations; and if there has been an action or investigation initiated by a governmental agency, he represents clients to ensure the government action is lawful and the matter is resolved fairly and expeditiously.

Clete also has significant experience in preparing H-1B, L-1, P-1B, and other non-immigrant visa petitions, and preparing family-based visa petitions, including Form I-130 petitions, Lawful Permanent Resident (green card) applications, and Naturalization applications.