Our Story

Before I came to the U.S., I practiced law in Beijing. I was part of the legal service team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, supporting the organizing committee and several well-known brands with trademark and related IP matters. I also worked to protect the "Water Cube" trademark, and we prevailed. That experience left me with a lasting belief: in IP, the law is not only a shield. It becomes part of the brand.

In 2012, I came to the U.S. to study law. I chose Chicago-Kent for its focus on intellectual property and the way it trains lawyers to think precisely about ideas, ownership, and use. I earned my LL.M. in International Intellectual Property Law there, graduating with honors. I then pursued my J.D. at South Texas College of Law Houston. I wanted the kind of training that makes a lawyer clear under pressure and strong in real conversations. South Texas is known for advocacy, and that environment suited me.

After graduation, I stayed in Houston and gained experience working with tech companies, law firms, and the municipal court. But the deepest lessons I learned came from building businesses of my own. In 2018, I started a web design company serving Chinese startups. Later, I even ran a small chicken farm. During a nationwide egg shortage, I had a strong product but quickly ran into unfamiliar rules on compliance and distribution. That experience taught me an important lesson: in the United States, having a good product is not enough. Real success depends on understanding the rules and knowing how to navigate the system.

These experiences took me beyond the ivory tower of the law. More than that, as a first-generation immigrant, I know the weight of "status." Building a life in a new country is hard. Even with education, skill, and resources, many things become harder when status is uncertain. I know what it means to start from nothing. I know the strain behind every filing, every explanation, and every long wait. That is why I approach each case with real empathy. When I work with entrepreneurs, artists, writers, researchers, software engineers, and other STEM professionals on EB-1A, NIW, and O-1 matters, I do not want to be a lawyer who only repeats the law. I want to be a steady partner who helps clients break down hard problems, find a clear path, and move forward with confidence through clear steps, timely communication, and careful strategy.

In 2019, I was invited again to join the legal team serving the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. I worked on intellectual property and entertainment-related matters. Returning to that work reminded me how much trust it takes behind the scenes.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, my hometown in Hubei was among the first to be hit. I worried for my family and friends. During that time, I returned to something I had always loved: writing. It gave me a way to stay grounded. I wrote stories about hope, loss, and rebuilding. I also joined online workshops through the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, and my story The Gift of the Nine-Headed Bird was published in UIowa Horizon, Iowa's literary magazine. I later wrote Dust and Spring and Rain's Fate and Cloud's Oracle--stories that, much like my legal work, are shaped by care, empathy, and compassion. The pandemic also changed the direction of my practice, leading me to include estate planning as part of the work I do for families.

One day, a reader, an engineer, said to me:

"A good lawyer is not only a storyteller but also a storydoer."

I smiled and asked, "Would you like to be part of that story?"

He said, "Deal."

That's how Ava Li Law PLLC began: a team that values professionalism, compassion, creativity, and balance. We focus on trademark, copyright, immigration, and estate planning, helping creators, innovators, and families protect what matters most.