The field of immigration law is vast, and an immigration attorney may specialize in a specific area or areas of immigration law. For example, at Sumner Immigration Law, we handle family-based and employment-based immigration filings. However, we do not handle deportation or removal cases. We have decided to focus our time and energy exclusively on learning the intricacies of family-based and employment-based filings, and on keeping up with the never-ending changes in adjudication trends that affect our clients’ filings. Many of the finer aspects of a successful filing are unwritten, and only learned over time and through experience. You will want to find an immigration attorney who can present your case in the best possible light, keeping in mind the current adjudicatory environment at USCIS and other agencies.

Many attorneys use the assistance of paralegals and other administrative support staff to help assemble and process cases. This is to be expected. However, you may want to find out which particular person will be primarily responsible for your case, who will be drafting the required supporting documents (support letter, etc.), who will answer your questions, etc.

At Sumner Immigration Law, paralegals and attorneys work closely together as a team. The process varies a little depending on the type of case, but this is the general process that we follow:

• We receive the completed questionnaires from the client via our online case management system.
• Once completed by the client, we receive notification that the online questionnaire is ready for our internal review.
• A paralegal will draft the required forms based on the information entered on the questionnaires and will also draft the “shell” of the support letter.  However, an attorney will draft the details of the support letter and/or cover letter, including job duties, legal arguments, company backgrounds, and explanation of any unusual circumstances.
• An attorney then reviews all the forms and letters before they are sent to the client for signature.
• When we receive the signed forms and documents from the client, a paralegal will make a thorough review of the entire petition or application as it is being assembled for filing.
• An attorney then makes a final review of the signed forms and documents before we file.

As you can see, we have a 3-time review process in which we use our customized internal quality assurance checklists. Further, paralegals and attorneys keep in close contact with one another on the details of any given case using our internal case management system to document the information.

No attorney can guarantee the outcome of a case, but a good attorney should be willing and able to give you a realistic assessment of the chances of success of your case. Further, a great attorney will point out areas where you can improve certain aspects of your case if you decide to wait and apply later. He or she will also be able to think outside the box with you – that is, get a clear understanding of your most important goals, and help you develop a long-term immigration strategy to get there.

It’s important for you as the client to have a clear understanding of not only what the exact process will be to prepare the case, but also how the attorney will best present the details of your specific case. It’s equally important for you to have a realistic timeline of how long the process will take.

At Sumner Immigration Law, this information is outlined in a clearly written engagement letter that we both sign.

Thinking about what your end goal is, and what qualities are most important to you will help you clarify what to look for when speaking with different immigration attorneys. Keep in mind that the ideal immigration attorney for you may or may not be located near you. At Sumner Immigration Law, we work with clients located all over the U.S., working effectively and efficiently by phone and email.

The testimonials will give you an idea of what kind of experience other clients like you have had. Keep in mind that some aspects of a testimonial, such as communication, attention to detail, etc. will be relevant no matter what type of case you have.

The process of applying for immigration benefits is complex, time-consuming, and not inexpensive. Therefore it’s worth taking the time to find and hire an experienced immigration attorney that makes you feel as confident and comfortable as possible.

Interested in obtaining a US green card or other immigration benefit? Set your telephone or in-person consultation here. We look forward to hearing from you!