Embarking on your immigration journey is an exciting step towards a new future! This means careful planning and finding an experienced immigration attorney that can best assist you in your immigration endeavor to ensure accurate support in your case.
Know your needs:
As an immigration applicant it is great to conduct thorough research into any law firm and attorney you would like to entrust with handling your case. One advantage in searching for an immigration attorney is that immigration law is federal, so an attorney out of any state within the U.S. can assist you, although be mindful, not all attorneys wish to travel for cases or have the capability, so make sure to ask!
- Compare and contrast your needs to make sure that you will receive competent and complete care with the immigration firm you want to work with.
- It is great to find out what specific areas of immigration law the attorney practices and the experience they have. Keep in mind that attorneys choose what they wish to practice, meaning some lawyers only choose to assist with Immigrant Visas, others work with Non-immigrant Visas, or some attorneys only handle immigration court, yet others, do it all.
- After you’ve conducted some research or if you feel uncertain about the type of lawyer you need for your case (or the type of case you have), you can try reaching out to a firm directly to get a better understanding of what they can offer and if that aligns with your needs.
Find an immigration attorney:
There are several ways you can seek out an attorney, from asking friends and family for direct referrals, to surfing the web, or connecting with a legal service, to name a few. Depending on which route you take, consider some factors:
- Referrals - you can ask family, friends or colleagues for referrals, but be weary. Many people forget to make the difference that all attorneys have different specialties. For instance, if you are seeking a recommendation from your friend who has gone through a divorce, their recommendation may only pertain to divorce and family law attorneys, meaning they would not necessarily be versed in immigration law. Essentially, do not assume that just because you have found a lawyer, that means they specialize in what you need. Each attorney chooses their field of practice, so make sure to be mindful of this when researching.
- Probably the easiest way to find legal help today is to simply search the web. The internet is a great tool to utilize in these situations. Remember, once you have found a firm, look up their official website for more pertinent and accurate information about who their attorneys are and what they specialize in.
- Another viable option is to seek out a third-party service that offers help in connecting you with a lawyer. This can be a bit tricky as there are countless companies out there that offer these services and finding one that provides not only options, but accurate results is tricky. Be careful of the services offered and watch out for any hidden fees these third-party websites may have. Don’t fall for phishing scams!
If you have found an attorney that you think may be a good fit – schedule a consultation to contact the attorney directly. Keep in mind each law firm has their own schedule and timeline they work with, so start researching early and do not wait until the last minute when you have an immigration deadline to get help from an attorney.
Common misconceptions and avoiding costly mistakes:
Sometimes conflicts can arise between a client and an attorney due to miscommunication or lack of understanding. Here are a few steps to avoid these common pitfalls:
- Refer to your contract if you are ever unsure what services the attorney you hired is providing. While attorneys can be solely specialized, sometimes they can also practice several different types of law. If you are needing assistance outside of immigration law and are unsure if your attorney can help you – just ask!
- You want to ensure that the attorney you are hiring for your case can clearly and effectively explain your case, next steps, any potential hold-ups, but ensure that they are not overpromising a specific outcome.
- While you want honesty, make sure it’s not “too” honest. For example, an attorney that promises “you’ve got this in the bag” or adversely states “there is no good way out of this one” may be overcompensating a bit too much depending on the situation. Attorneys are not allowed to “promise” or “guarantee” any type of outcome to a client, it is ethically and morally wrong for a lawyer to do so.
- Attorneys with “connections.” This is a movie myth that has caused a lot of trouble in real life. No attorney should be guaranteeing any type of case outcome to a client by claiming they have direct ties to a specific government organization or promising to “push through”, “expedite” or otherwise “take care” of a client’s case. It is not only ethically and morally wrong, but illegal to favor one client’s case over another.
- If you are ever unsure of the person you have consulted with and their credentials, they should always be available to provide them for you so you can look them up. All attorneys in the state of Indiana must be ABA (American Bar Association) accredited and furthermore each state has their own State Bar association as well. If an attorney ever refuses to provide their bar number or full/correct spelling of their name, that is clear sign that something is not as it should be.
Trust your instinct and do your research, in the same way an attorney can choose which case they will be a good fit for, each person may also choose the attorney they would like to have handling their case. It is okay to be picky but have realistic expectations and make sure to ask all the right questions to ensure the best fit overall!
Contact us:
At the Law Offices of Eugene Mogilevsky, we are dedicated to providing the support you need. If you or a loved one need assistance navigating the complexities of immigration procedures, our team is here to help.
Submit a contact form or dial (317) 743-7958 today to schedule a consultation with our team.
Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice in any capacity. Reading this blog does not constitute or establish an attorney-client relationship.
*Useful Links and References:
“Find Legal Services,” USCIS, 9 Feb. 2024, https://www.uscis.gov/scams-fraud-and-misconduct/avoid-scams/find-legal-services
“Common Scams,” USCIS, 21 Feb. 2023, https://www.uscis.gov/scams-fraud-and-misconduct/avoid-scams/common-scams