Between the years of 2015 and 2016, up to 3.7 percent of the U.S. population was made up of illegal immigrants. If you are in a situation where you need to establish your legal status in the country, then the best course of action is to hire an immigration lawyer.
If you have decided that you do need the services of this legal professional, then finding the right one is essential. Finding the right attorney is possible when you learn what questions to ask an immigration lawyer.
Keep reading to learn more about what you should ask when hiring an immigration lawyer.
1. Does the Immigration Attorney Have Experience with Cases Similar to Yours?
Immigration law is a legal specialty that covers several different types of cases. These include cases involving a request for a visa, the naturalization process, and even removal or deportation from the U.S.
Each of these types of cases requires extensive work, unique processes, and in some cases, time in the courtroom. Having an attorney on your side who fully understands the process and who understands how to troubleshoot the potential challenges that may arise is essential to achieving the best possible outcome.
2. Is the Attorney a “Jack of All Trades?”
It’s very important that you are careful when hiring an immigration attorney. It’s not always a good idea to choose someone who works in several areas of the law.
It’s extremely difficult to be a specialist or expert in several areas of law. After all, everyone has heard the saying – a Jack of all trades is a master of none.
Immigration law is much more than just filling out some forms and then mailing them in. This is especially the case if deportation may be the outcome of the case.
As a result, if you see an advertisement on television or hear one on the radio, or even find a website that touts the services offered by a single attorney begin able to handle multiple legal cases, proceed with caution. It is usually better to find an attorney who focuses on immigration law alone.
3. How Big is the Law Firm?
There are some people who enjoy the idea of having a single attorney working on their immigration case, with no help from paralegals or other lawyers. If that’s what you want, fine.
However, it’s important to understand what you are getting into when you choose an attorney without any additional support. If the lawyer takes on too many cases, if they are sick or go on vacation, your case may suffer.
As a result, it’s a good idea to find a law firm that has several attorneys and support staff. Hiring a law firm with multiple people ensure your case will receive the care and attention it deserves.
4. What Specifically will the Attorney do to Help You?
It’s important to find out specifically what the attorney can do for you. For example, are they going to submit all the paperwork for you? Will they oversee the other administrative work crucial to your case?
Other things to consider include if they can attend interviews and court hearings with you? Be sure you ask about the level of service you can expert with the attorney. This is crucial to finding the right person for the job.
5. What Type of Online Reviews Does the Law Firm/Lawyer Have?
While there are some attorneys who hate online reviews, the fact is, they are beneficial to consumers. While it is important to look at these, remember to take them with a grain of salt.
In most cases, only people who are extremely happy or unhappy with the service they receive are going to leave a review. Be sure to keep this in mind as looking at the reviews that have been left.
Keep in mind, it’s also a good idea to look at several different review sites when choosing an immigration attorney. This will help ensure you have a good idea of who you should hire.
6. Does the Attorney Offer a Consultation?
The majority of immigration attorneys won’t offer a “free” consultation. Unlike a personal injury attorney, who do offer this, immigration attorneys usually take on cases and charge lower fees than other legal professionals.
Most immigration attorneys are going to charge a reasonable consultation fee, at a rate that’s equivalent to their experience. This is the approach that works best for clients.
7. Is the Attorney Willing to Provide References from Other Clients?
Regardless of if you are planning to contact the references, or not, make sure to ask this question. It can provide you with quite a bit of insight regarding how confident an attorney is with the services they have provided in the past.
8. Is There Someone at the Office Who Speaks Your Language?
When dealing with any type of legal matter, communication is key. You need to ensure there is someone at the office who speaks your language.
Being able to discuss your legal needs in your native tongue is crucial to making sure that the message is clear and that there are no surprises that arise down the road.
Questions to Ask an Immigration Lawyer: Now You Know
As you can see, there are more than a few things you need to know when hiring an immigration lawyer. Knowing what questions to ask an immigration lawyer can help ensure you choose the right one for the job.
If you need the services of a qualified and experienced immigration attorney, be sure to contact us today. We can help with any immigration issue you may be facing.
