How do I Pick a Good Immigration Lawyer? What should I Consider When Selecting an Immigration Lawyer?
The experiences include incompetence, neglect, apathy, bill padding and even fraud. Given the stakes that are involved when searching for immigration relief, a bad immigration lawyer can be tragic for an applicant. So how do you select a good immigration attorney? Here are a few basic tips that you can consider when deciding to hire an immigration lawyer. A good immigration lawyer or law firm can make the world of difference and it is a good idea to fully evaluate an immigration lawyer before you select him/her.
1. Check to see if the lawyer is actually a lawyer and if the lawyer is in good standing with their bar association.
Most Bar associations publicly disclose who is a member of their Bar and also when a lawyer has been sanctioned. As a general rule, if the lawyer had been disciplined by their Bar association, you may want to move to another lawyer. We have had clients where their previous lawyers had significant public reprimands and the clients were not aware. In some cases the lawyer had actually been disbarred but continued to represent him/herself as a lawyer. The so called “Notario” fraud is also rampant.
2. Check to see if the lawyer is a member of American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
AILA is the national association of immigration lawyers that was established to promote justice, the philosophy of fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration law, and enhance the professional development of the members. The group has over 12,000 members and provides regular continuing education training for immigration lawyers. Most immigration lawyers and firms are members of AILA and if the lawyer or law firm is not, this may give you an indication that the firm does not focus primarily on immigration law.
3. Google, Google, Google
You should perform simple google searches on the lawyer and the firm. Use key words including the firm or lawyer’s name combined with, “reviews”, “bad reviews,” “Complaints”, “Testimonials.” You can often find out a significant amount of information from simple Google searches that can help you. You should also consider the lack of an internet presence when deciding on a lawyer. If the lawyer or law firm does not appear on the internet, this may be a sign that they do not have many clients or that the firm is regionally focused.
4. Ask About Performance and the Immigration Cases the Firm has Worked On
Some lawyers are perfectly happy to take on a case that is not in their area of expertise and use the client as a paying Guinea pig. If you are applying for an E-2 visa for example, ask the lawyer how many E-2 cases that they have worked on and get that in writing. You can also ask how many they have had approved. Immigration is a vast field so be sure to hire a lawyer that has extensive experience in the area that you are looking for.
5. Consider More than Just Price
All we can say here is that you often get what you pay form. Many immigration law lawyers will post fees that are extremely low and we have taken over cases where the client received horrible service and negative outcomes. This is not always the case but something to consider.
Make Sure Your Immigration Attorney Has Experience with Your Type of Case
Immigration matters in the United States can range from applying for work or family-related visas and green cards to asylum to deportation. Our attorneys have experience with every type of immigration case, and we’ll be able to explain our past experiences with your type of immigration case.
Ask If You Will Work With an Actual Attorney
All immigration cases require an extensive level of attention to the details of your personal circumstances. Our attorneys recognize this fact and take pride in providing an open line of communication to our clients. We are a national recognized immigration law firm, but we’ve kept our boutique firm mindset as we’ve grown over the years. You will work directly with an experienced immigration attorney. Most big firms will not be able to deliver that personal attention and you may be delegated to a paralegal.
Questions You Should Be Asking Your Immigration Attorney
The practice of immigration law is very complex and should be approached with great care and attention to detail. If you are seeking legal counsel for an immigration law issue, you want to take steps to ensure your case is being handled by someone who will do the best possible job for you. While selecting the right immigration attorney can seem challenging, here are some questions you should be asking to help guide you in the right direction.
Questions For Your Immigration Attorney
At an initial meeting with a potential immigration attorney, there are a few questions you should get answers to. For starters, you want to work with a law firm that focuses its practice on immigration law. This means that they prioritize immigration issues and are more likely to work to remain as up to date as possible on immigration issues.
You will want to ask whether the attorney has experience handling a case like yours. Experience is powerful. Immigration law covers a wide spectrum of issues, from deportation defense to green cards and visas. Ask the attorney about his or her experience with handling your particular type of case.
Ask the attorney whether he or she will be the person to oversee your case through to its resolution. Be clear as to who at the firm will be handling what aspects of your case. While support staff often plays a valuable role in legal cases, you should know who is working on your case and who to contact should you have any questions.
You may also find it beneficial to ask how the attorney can help you. While this may seem to be a broad question, the answer provided can be very valuable. It can provide you with insight into how the attorney communicates and explains things to clients. It lets you see first-hand how the attorney can think on his or her feet, a valuable skill should your case ever requiring any kind of hearing. The answer can also clarify what will be happening should the attorney take on your case. What tasks will be handled regarding your case? Will you be responsible for filing certain or all paperwork? Will you be represented at any hearings? These are all great questions to clarify things with and help set your expectations.
In line with the above questions to help manage your expectations, you should also ask your immigration attorney about the estimated timeline of your case. This will help you prepare for the journey ahead. Having a general sense of the timeline for your case can provide peace of mind as you travel what can seem to be a very long road.
You also want to be clear with your attorney about how they charge clients. Get the details about how the attorney bills and for how much. You will also want to know when fees are due for payment.
Qualities You Should Look For In An Immigration Lawyer
Immigration law can often become extremely complex, which makes it difficult for many people to fully understand the various issues that they will face when immigrating to the United Kingdom.
A god immigration solicitor will be able to help you work through the paperwork that needs to be completed in order to ensure your application is successful, but you need to be aware of what to look for when hiring. Here are a few of the qualities that a good immigration lawyer will possess.
An Eye For Detail
There is often a large amount of paperwork that goes along with any immigration application and mistakes can often set the process back and lead to more time being taken. As such, your immigration solicitor must have a superb eye for detail, allowing them to highlight any issues with the paperwork before it gets sent away. This will ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
Strong Communication Skills
Complex legal issues have the ability to confound members of the public at the best of times, but the issue is exacerbated for those who are looking to immigrate and may not understand the various pieces of language that are used in the paperwork they are required to complete. This means that the immigration solicitor that they work with needs to be a strong communicator who is able to explain what the client needs to know in terms that they can easily understand. This trait will also prove to be invaluable if the solicitor needs to correspond with other professionals in relation to your application.
A Thirst For Knowledge
The legal profession is constantly changing, with immigration law being particularly volatile in this respect. A good immigration solicitor will understand the importance of updating their knowledge base as often as possible, constantly research the latest developments in their area of law and making the effort to understand how this applies to their clients. Failure to do so could lead to them operating under outdated information, which will in turn cause more difficulties for their clients.
Empathy
Empathy is probably the most important quality you should look for in an immigration lawyer. Does he really care what happens to you? The sad reality is that some lawyers do, and some lawyers don’t. If you don’t consider yourself a good judge of people, bring along someone who is when you meet the lawyer for a consultation. Client reviews are also helpful in this regard.
Empathy is especially important when you are paying a flat fee for a defined service such as a visa application, because your lawyer will make the same amount of money regardless of whether you win or lose, and he can always blame immigration authorities if you are rejected. It is also particularly important if you are paying by the hour to avoid deportation — after all, your lawyer knows that if you are deported, he will probably never see you again anyway.
Creative Problem Solving
A good solicitor will understand that no two clients will ever present the same challenges, which means that they need to be able to adjust to each individual’s situation and use their problem solving skills in order to help them traverse any obstacles that might be in their way. This often requires a level of creativity, alongside the analytical skills that immigration solicitors must possess, so be wary of any solicitor who is unable to offer potential solutions when they are faced with a problem.
Perseverance
Even when all of the paperwork has been filled out correctly, it is often the case that the Visas and Immigration department will ask for further clarification on issues or otherwise slow the process down. A good immigration solicitor must demonstrate perseverance, allowing them to complete all of the work that is required by the client in order to achieve the desired outcome.
