When pursuing a green card or being involved with another type of immigration attorney, choosing the right attorney for you is crucial. Meeting with an attorney can help you understand the best path to achieving your immigration goals. Hiring the best attorney for your goals is vital.
1. Get a Referral from a Trusted Friend, Family, or Co-Worker
One of the easiest ways to hire a skilled immigration attorney is to ask around and get a referral from a trusted friend, family member, or co-worker. If you know a person who is recently gone through the immigration process, they may be able to provide you with a referral or advise you of attorneys to avoid.
2. Ensure Your Attorney Has Immigration Experience
The immigration process is complex, and you will benefit from working with an attorney with an in-depth understanding of immigration procedures and forms. When you search for attorneys, ensure they have specific experience related to immigration matters. They need to stay up-to-date on legal issues regarding immigration and changes to the law. Ask potential attorneys about their experience related to your specific immigration matter.
3. Be Wary of Unrealistic Promises from Your Attorney
Many immigration cases can be extremely complicated. If you find an immigration attorney who promises you a specific deadline to obtain a green card, you should be wary. An attorney with an overly unrealistic outlook may lack experience with how immigration cases work. A skilled immigration attorney will be able to provide you with a realistic overview of potential challenges with pursuing a green card.
4. Inquire About Their Availability and Communication Standards
You should inquire into a potential attorney’s communication practices. Will they respond to you within one to two business days? Will they keep you informed of any updates to your case right away? Determining liability and whether a person will have enough time to spend on your case is important. You want to make sure your case won’t be neglected. You should also inquire when an attorney will plan to start your case
5. Discuss Payment Options
Discussing payment options upfront is extremely important. Before you sign a client agreement with an immigration attorney, you should determine how much the attorney’s services will cost you and if they are affordable. You will need to budget for several expenses, including payment for filing fees. Additionally, you should ask whether your attorney will charge you a flat fee or will charge you by the hour. If they charge hourly, make sure you understand their rates.
Discuss Your Immigration Case with an Experienced Attorney
At Ray Law International, our attorneys care about our clients. When you put your trust in our law firm, you can rest easier knowing we will pursue the best outcome possible in your case. If you want to live or work in the U.S., please contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.