Moving to the United States opens you up to loads of opportunities. But while preparing to move, you don’t want to limit your research to just opportunities. You also want to research the complex immigration law. The United States authorities take its immigration laws seriously, and failure to abide by them can lead to severe consequences. But then, how can you avoid breaking a law you don’t even understand? Well, this is where a professional immigration law firm can help you.
Beyond helping you understand immigration laws, an immigration lawyer can also advocate for you to help win your case. They can quickly suggest the best way to handle your case while also maximizing your winning chances. But since you’re new in the United States, it can be challenging to find the best immigration lawyer or firm to plead your case. If you’re in this category, this article is for you. You can just read on to find valuable steps you can use to find the right attorney.
How to Find the Right Immigration Law Firm
So, you’re ready to find an immigration lawyer who can plead your case? Here are some tips to help you:
1. Do your research
Indeed, an excellent place to start is by researching to find available options. You probably just arrived in America, and it’ll be challenging to find the best fit among the pool of options available. But you can only do something if you know how to research. Some of the ways to research for the best immigration law firm include:
Ask your friends and family.
Sometimes, the best options are the ones staring you in the face. Ask your family members, friends, and coworkers who have had cause to hire immigration attorneys in the past. In fact, this is one of the best ways to find a reliable immigration law firm.
Moreover, this kind of referral provides details about the firm’s experience, skills, and professionalism. After all, immigration Law is a very specialized niche, so it’s best to get referrals from people you trust to tell the truth.
Use online law directories.
This is a popular field in the United States, so many immigration law firms are registered with online directories. Start your research by looking up the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) directory. There are tons of other local directories you can also search for this purpose.
2. Meet With Credible Immigration Law Firms
Now that you’ve done your research and found several options, it’s time to sort the options and find one that works. Here’s a list of steps you can adopt for this.
- Make a list: Start by creating a list of the options you’ve gathered. Research the options and rank them according to expertise. Your list should include the possible pros and cons of each firm. This way, you can be sure you’re choosing a law firm that suits your needs.
- Schedule a free consultation: once your list is complete, start talking about your options. Most law firms will eagerly provide free consultation sessions to sell their services. Contact the top firms on your list and request quotes and consultation sessions. This is an easier way to streamline your list further. Besides, it’ll help you know what to expect from each immigration law firm.
- Ask questions: Don’t hold back from asking questions during the consultation session. Also, don’t wait until the consultation session before preparing your questions. Preparing questions beforehand will help you remember important questions. Make sure each question is focused on helping you understand what the immigration lawyer has to offer.
Need help figuring out where to start? You can start with these questions:
- What additional services do you offer
- When did you start practicing immigration law
- Would I have a dedicated attorney if I choose your firm?
- Is your law firm accredited?
Take notes: the consultation session will involve a lot of discussions. So, this is the right time to take notes of critical information. Ask questions and note the answers each attorney provides. The information you’ll gather here will be helpful when you decide to choose an attorney. You can also attend the session with a trusted family member or friend. Let your friend take notes while you concentrate on asking the right questions.
Don’t buy any bogus, unbelievable promises: avoid hiring an immigration attorney who over-promises. After all, one of tne of the easiest ways to know a firm that won’t deliver is from the kind of promises they make. While it is okay for a firm to assure you, you don’t want them to fall short of their promises. The best immigration law firms are the ones that can clearly outline their processes to show their understanding of the law area. Ultimately, it’s up to a judge to decide the ruling, but an experienced attorney can even predict the final ruling.
3. Make your final choice on the immigration law firm to choose
Now that you’ve highlighted the best options in your list, it’s time to make the final choice. Take the time to do additional research before concluding. If you ask the right questions during the consultation session, you’ll most likely know the best. However, there are other qualities to look out for before making your choice.
- Experience: the best immigration lawyers are the ones with a proven track record. These kinds of lawyers are usually familiar with unique challenges and processes to expect in the United States.
- Language: As an immigrant, you may not be very fluent in English. Thus, it’s important to find an immigration lawyer who can communicate with you in your language. This way, they’ll know your unique challenges and how to address them. Additionally, ensure that they can adequately explain your case in English.
- Service cost: to be honest, the best immigration law firms are not cheap, but the cost is worth it. While we recommend cutting down costs, we advise against choosing the cheapest. Don’t hold back on paying the right money for the right lawyers. You don’t want to jeopardize your chances of living in the United States because of a few bucks. So choose a good immigration lawyer and pay well for their services.
Coleman Law Group Can Help You
No matter how you look at it, the truth is that immigration laws can be pretty complicated. However, the right immigration law firm will help make everything easier.
Luckily, our attorneys at Coleman Law Group are both experienced and reputable. Plus, we’re always ready to help you win your case. Please reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you.
