As with all professions, there are a lot of competent immigration lawyers and there are some that are not. A competent immigration lawyer can make all the difference in your case. You need an immigration lawyer for all sorts such as filing a petition for a visa or avoiding deportation. Here are some tips on getting a competent immigration lawyer.
- Avoid Lawyers In Immigration Offices
Some low-value immigration lawyers usually lurk around the hallways of immigration offices to solicit business. The legal bar does not consider this an ethical behavior. A good and reputable lawyer is probably too busy with other clients to be prowling the hallways of immigration offices. Also, run away from lawyers who give unethical advice or make illegal offers. See here to know everything about bringing an attorney to citizenship interview.
- Fees
You also want to consider the price of the immigration lawyer before hiring them. Most immigration lawyers offer either a flat fee or an hourly fee. Depending on the case. An hourly fee is charged if there will be a need for court proceedings which can be unpredictable. Flat fees are usually for cases that are well defined and easy to predict the outcome like family-based visa applications.
Note: You should note that fees other than the legal fees are to be expected like filing fees, printing and photocopy fees, and other services like translations, DNA tests, or credential evaluation.
- Focus Of Practice
Many lawyers list immigration laws as one of the types of cases they handle. This should not be so. It will be hard for a top-notch immigration lawyer to shuffle between other fields of practice. There are also sub-specialties of immigration law like deportation, seeking asylum, or
family. You want an immigration lawyer that is competent in your type of case.
- License And Association
Some lawyers lie about being licensed. The best place to confirm if your immigration lawyer is licensed is The American Bar Association or your state’s bar association. You also want to make sure that your immigration lawyer is a member of the American Immigration Lawyer Association (AILA). As a member of the AILA, your immigration lawyer has access to resources that have up-to-date information.
- Caseload
Some lawyers do not know when to draw the line and stop taking any more cases under their wings. You want an immigration lawyer that has other experienced lawyers who can take up other cases so your lawyer can have their full focus on your case.
- Compare Immigration Lawyers
Before settling with one immigration lawyer, you want to compare them with other immigration lawyers to get the best offer possible. Researching different immigration lawyers will help you compare and know who to represent you. You also want to check for good reviews. Websites like Martindale will be very helpful for this.
Finding a competent immigration lawyer can be very tasking and may even take some time. A competent immigration lawyer will help you navigate the complicated immigration system and create a plan that will help obtain your immigration benefits.
