Tips For Finding The Best Immigration Lawyer For You
One of the most important choices immigrants make is hiring the best immigration lawyer to represent them before the USCIS or in Immigration Court. The same is true for employers. We all share the urge to get the best deal we can get, but often saving money and obtaining the best representation are polar opposites
HIRE A CERTIFIED SPECIALIST
Immigrants frequently choose attorneys just because they speak their language or are from the same country as they are. Some immigration attorneys have built huge followings by blanketing ethnic newspapers with ads touting their successes. Other attorneys, including Yours Truly, are known largely through their websites
HOW IMPORTANT IS LOCATION?
Immigration law is federal. Therefore, an immigration lawyer in Texas or California can represent corporate and individual clients in all 50 states. For example, during the past few weeks, attorneys in our law firm flew to New York City, Reno, Dallas, and Philadelphia to represent clients. In a typical case, however, the petitions and applications are simply mailed to the USCIS, and no interview is required
FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAWYER ONLINE
There are a host of websites that you can use to learn more about the lawyer you are interested in hiring to represent you. One especially helpful site is Avvo. You can use Avvo’s “Find a Lawyer” tool to search for immigration lawyers. Avvo contains client reviews, endorsements from other attorneys, an Avvo rating and the number of years that the attorney has been licensed.
HOW TO FIND A CERTIFIED SPECIALIST IN IMMIGRATION LAW
Four states currently certify attorneys as specialists in immigration law. If enough savvy consumers of legal services use certified specialists, we predict there will be a clamor in all states to certify legal specialists in the future.
TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST IMMIGRATION LAWYERS
CHOOSE QUALITY
When trying to find the best immigration lawyers, it is best not to choose blindly and hire the first lawyer you come across. It is also much better to look for a high-quality lawyer that can handle your case like a professional than to choose the low-cost bargain option.
LOOK FOR A REFERRAL
When looking for an attorney for your immigration case, it is an excellent idea to dig into your personal network and find out if anyone you know has used an immigration lawyer in the past
CONFIRM CREDENTIALS
When you identify a potential attorney for your case, you need to make sure they are the real deal. Find out what their credentials are and where their experience lies. While you can find out some of this information from the lawyer’s website or from them, you can use several other sources to verify attorney credentials.
INTERVIEW THE BEST IMMIGRATION LAWYERS YOU HAVE SHORTLISTED
Once you have created a list of the best immigration lawyers you could find and narrowed down the choices to who you may want to work with, you need to reach out to them.
CHECK FOR REFERENCES
If you’re considering using a lawyer, chances are you will sit down for a consultation to discuss your needs. This is a great time to ask the attorney for references
Tips To Help You Find The Best Immigration Lawyer
Find out whether the attorney is recognized positively by others in the profession.
The best immigration lawyers in Dallas are recognized by their peers as the most knowledgeable and professional, and they’re a credit to their industry. Those seeking help with immigration matters should avoid attorneys with little or no positive reputation. You may also want to avoid lawyers who have limited experience but still claim to be the best immigration lawyer in Dallas. Also, please note that so-called “notarios” are not certified to practice immigration law in the United States
Ask each attorney you talk to what his or her success rate has been in similar cases.
During an initial interview, ask the immigration lawyer you’re speaking to about cases he or she has worked on. Find out if any were similar to yours, and then ask about how successful they were. In order to find the best immigration lawyer in Dallas, you’ll also want to ask for references and read reviews if any are available
Make sure the attorneys you talk to are certified members of the American Bar Association. You should also find out whether the law firm has an attorney who’s certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Immigration and Nationality Law.
Find out if the appropriate certifications are in place. If not, you should begin to search elsewhere. The best immigration lawyer in Dallas will be a member of the American Bar Association – and the firm where that attorney works, if not the attorney him- or herself, should have someone who’s certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Immigration and Nationality Law.
Check how far away the attorney’s office is from your home.
Your immigration attorney’s location is important. Being near is particularly essential if you or your family are involved in a confrontation that requires immediate protection from an immigration attorney. Contact the best immigration lawyer in Dallas at Davis & Associates Immigration Law Firm
Ensure the attorney speaks your language – or has a translator who can.
Legal advice can be complicated and must be fully understood. Firms that provide multilingual assistance ensure that their customers understand the strategies, risks, costs and processes involved
HOW TO FIND A GOOD IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY
Finding a lawyer who will represent you before the immigration service is one of the most important decisions an immigrant will make in their life. This task is made more difficult by the assorted advertising claims of attorneys. When you and your family seek to find the right lawyer to immigrate or to obtain permanent residence status or defend you in deportation court, it is vital to establish that this attorney has the experience, the integrity and is devoted solely to the practice of immigration law.
When looking for a lawyer or law firm it is important to examine their internet web-site. A good law firm website will list all the attorneys working at the firm with a full description of lawyer’s education, type of immigration work he or she has performed, any published articles or opinions, certification with the California State bar and admission to the various courts, both immigration and federal courts in which that attorney is admitted to practice. Well organized web-sites also provide timely information as to developments in immigration law and are a valuable resource
Equally important is client access to attorneys and paralegals in order to ascertain the status of their cases 24-7. Many top-tier law firms now make available through the internet (using a secured password) the notes of their lawyers and paralegals on the progress of the case. Clients are free to check the status of their case from any place, twenty four hours a day – seven days a week
It is also important to examine the advertising of the law firm. Avoid firms that claim to do everything. The web of laws, regulations, administrative decisions and constant changes requires the full attention of an immigration attorney. Avoid law firms or attorneys who present themselves as the “everything” firm. It’s simply not possible for an attorney to competently represent clients in immigration, real estate, family law, contract disputes, criminal law and dog bite cases. The immigration lawyer you want should be devoted to the practice of immigration law exclusively. An attorney willing to do everything, is the mark of an attorney desperate for business and willing to take on any case. Also, avoid attorneys who make outrageous claims as to results or using cheap flashy promotional stunts to impress the reader. The key here is to pay attention to the attorney’s credentials and reputation.
CREDENTIALS
Consult the California State Bar. With a click of the mouse and keyboard you can visit the California State bar at www.calbar.ca.gov. You can then click on a bar in the left-hand margin marked Attorney Resources, and just follow the cues. You can check to see if your attorney has current California Bar membership by clicking Member Search and entering the attorney’s name or bar number. Also click on Legal Specialist Search and see if your attorney is a California Bar certified specialist in immigration law, but don’t stop here!
Tips for Choosing an Immigration Lawyer
There’s a fair bit of paperwork to get done during the immigration process, and you may feel overwhelmed when you first sit down to prepare your immigration forms. You might begin to wonder if you need to hire an immigration lawyer to manage the process. However, if your case is fairly straightforward, you should be able to manage things on your own
There are good reasons, though, to hire an immigration lawyer to handle your case. If you run into a snag partway through the process, you might need legal assistance to work through the issue. If your immigration situation is complicated, or if you simply don’t have the time or confidence to prepare the forms yourself, you might benefit from the help of an immigration lawyer.
Get references. Ask family, friends or colleagues if they know any immigration lawyers. Even if they haven’t been through immigration themselves, they may be able to connect you with someone they know who has retained the services of an immigration lawyer. People are quick to recommend a good lawyer and even quicker to name a poor one, which can be a great help when you’re beginning your search.
Search AILA. Search for a lawyer on the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) website. AILA is a national association of lawyers and attorneys who teach and practice immigration law, so you can be reasonably certain you’re dealing with someone who understands immigration law and policies. If you’re starting your research from scratch, you can search for a lawyer in your area. If you’ve been given the names of a few lawyers, you can look them up to see if they are members. While membership in AILA is not a requirement to practice immigration law, membership can be a good indication of a lawyer’s level of commitment to the practice
Interview your short list. Interview potential lawyers to find one who matches your needs. Ask them if they have any experience with your type of case. Immigration law is a huge specialty, so you’ll want a lawyer who is familiar with your type of case. If the lawyers provide client references, use the contacts to get a better understanding of the lawyers’ work styles.
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