Tech news magazines and reviews can give you all the information you need on finding great devices. And with those devices you can prepare yourself for an immigration attorney consultation. Finding a qualified immigration attorney can be difficult. It is always best that you ask for recommendations from friends and family who have also gone through immigration processes, that you verify their essential qualifications, and that you undertake the consultation.
What is the consultation?
A consultation is one of the first interactions you will have with a top immigration attorney near you. When you have your recommendations, you have to schedule an appointment with them to discuss your case and see if it is a good fit. This is where they get a chance to discuss the strategies they might employ if they decide that they can take on your case, and where you can discuss the finer details of your situation.
How do I set up a consultation?
Most law firms make it very simple for you to initiate the consultation. Immigration attorneys will make it possible for you to schedule an initial consultation with the firm on their website or over the phone. Typically consultations are about 30 minutes. While other legal Industries might provide free consultations, most top immigration attorneys will charge around $100 for an initial fee. Again, this is an opportunity for you to get some rudimentary legal advice about your situation and potential approaches to your case.
What should I bring to my consultation?
Once you have set up the consultation, bring any and all materials that are relevant to your situation. This might include your Visa or passports, a green card, criminal history documents, marriage certificates, or other immigration documents. In order to make the most out of the limited time you have during your consultation, bring all relevant materials and label the information in a folder so that it’s easy for attorneys to sift through quickly and understand. The easier and more organized the information is, the more time you will have to ask important questions.
What should I ask during the consultation?
During the consultation, the first thing you want to be aware of is that a legitimate attorney will not promise or guarantee any specific outcome. No decision can be legally guaranteed and it is actually against the law for lawyers to do so. If during the consultation and attorney promises or guarantees that they will get your paperwork passed or get you a green card, you should immediately cancel and move on to the next attorney.
During this time things will generally start with the attorney or attorneys with whom you are meeting asking some rudimentary questions about your situation. After providing them with the necessary documentation and a brief explanation, you will likely hear a list of potential steps for your case, what you might do next and what the likelihood of certain outcomes are based on those next steps.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is better to prepare a list of questions you want to ask before the consultation so that you remember when you are pressed for time. Some good questions include:
- What are your qualifications?
- Where did you go to law school?
- Do you practice other types of law?
- Have you taken on cases similar to this?
- How do I contact you in an emergency?
- How many people at your firm can speak my language?
- How much will your services cost and do you charge an hourly rate or a flat fee?
- What are the potential outcomes for my case?
- Do you have previous clients with whom I can speak?
How do I choose an attorney after consultations are complete?
During your consultation with an Immigration lawyer and after, take some time to reflect on whether the top immigration attorney was honest, whether they gave you information that coincided with information about your case you may have received from other attorneys or found online. Consider whether they were up front in providing a well-considered strategy with comprehensive outlines for the costs.
As you evaluate different attorneys, consider their level of professionalism and whether they were open to sharing previous cases or clients for you to contact and whether they were perfectly willing to share their credentials. If you don’t speak the same language, having a lawyer who has multilingual staff is going to be of particular importance to you so that they can relay legal updates regularly in a language with which you are comfortable.
Finally, consider their level of compassion and commitment. Not every attorney will seem completely committed to your case and they might seem disrespectful or as though they only want money from you. You should hire an attorney who demonstrated legitimate compassion while discussing your case and previous cases.