How do you find a good, if not a great immigration lawyer? This is an interesting topic as it affects those who are moving from the Philippines to the US. However, before we look into the outside source—we need to look into ourselves first. Are you a tourist when you first entered the country and have decided to stay? Are you currently employed or have an employer that is willing to file a work petition on your behalf? Do you have a relative that petitioned you? Or did you come to the US on a fiancée visa? In other words, you need to understand your situation and to gather all the documents required prior to seeing an immigration lawyer. so that you can arm yourselves with as much information before you set an appointment for consultation.
Do not rely on your memory. Write things down. Note that for some immigration lawyers who are popular in the community charge a consultation fee when you first meet them. So, make it easy. It could save you time and money. I’m not going to give you a name of a law firm in this column. However, I will try to direct you on the important things you should consider when looking for an immigration lawyer.
Research, research and more research. Find out who is the top or number one immigration lawyer in the community. When I say number one, it means finding out how many cases the firm won vs. the number of cases handled. Are there any cases where the firm lost? Know the expertise of the lawyers working for the firm you are considering. Make a short list of the top three immigration law firms. Ask friends about the immigration firm’s reputation. That, at times will tell you something. Work with legitimate law firms. Look into the experience of the firm and the people working for the firm. Set an appointment and find out the turn around time in terms of working on your case. Be pro-active to ask questions about your case, about the firm and how they will handle your situation. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Remember—you are the client. So do not feel intimidated.
Know the immigration law. You can find out a lot by surfing the Internet or going to the bookstore or the nearest library. Doing research will help you ask the right questions when you meet with the lawyer for the first time. Also, don’t make a decision until you’ve met at least the top three choices on your list. There are times when, even after making a decision, you still come across someone better. If this is the case, consider it. Don’t close your doors. There’s nothing wrong with that. You can still ask questions and maybe another law firm can do a better job. I know, this will cost a lot. But remember, this is what you want and it does have a price tag.
Anyway, good luck. It is a tough and long search but the reward is worth it.
Next week's article is about keeping your relationship interesting and fun even if you’ve been married or have been dating for over 4 or 5 years. For those interested on a topic, please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I’ll be waiting. For those who sent their requests—thank you & keep smiling. Life is good.
Disclaimer: * The items listed on this column are mere suggestions and no guarantee that it will work for you. I am not making any promises nor will I be liable for any outcome.
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