Each year, there are more than 1 million immigrants come to the United States each year. However, the process to immigrate to the United States is very complicated and taxing. You may need the help of an immigration law firm to help you through the process.
Are you looking for the best immigration lawyer in Chicago? Keep reading these top tips for selecting the best Chicago immigration attorney to work with.
Get Referrals
One of the easiest ways to find a great immigration lawyer to work with is to ask trusted friends and acquaintances for referrals. If you know other people who have dealt with immigrating to the United States, they will be able to help you through the process.
Referrals are also a great way to learn about the experience a visa recipient has had while working with a U.S. immigration attorney who is the best immigration lawyer in Chicago. If they had a good experience with a specific attorney or law firm, you will likely have a good experience as well.
Don’t Choose the Cheapest Option
It is also important that you do not choose the cheapest option for an immigration attorney. Legal fees can be expensive. However, choosing the least expensive option for a legal representative may result in hiring a low-quality attorney.
Lawyers who offer cheaper fees may also not be as experienced in immigration law, or devote their practice to solely immigration matters. As lawyers gain more experience and have a better reputation, they will be able to charge their clients more.
Make sure you do your research and consider the reputation of each lawyer you are considering working with rather than choosing based on cost.
Hire a Lawyer Who Speaks Your Language
Something else to consider as you are hiring immigration lawyers in Chicago is to hire a law firm with a staff member that speaks your native language if you do not speak fluent English.
Even if you speak English, immigration law is complicated and it may be difficult to understand the legal jargon associated with it. Hiring a lawyer or firm with a staff member available to speak your language fluently will help the entire process to go more smoothly and will make it easier for you to understand this complicated process.
While this is not always necessary, having a firm staff member speak your language will ensure that you are both always on the same page.
Check Online Reviews
One way that you can learn more about the reputation and experience of an immigration lawyer is to check online reviews. As you read through reviews of past legal clients, you will understand how an immigration lawyer treats their clients, whether or not they provide favorable results, and more.
You should also look for reviews that are specifically about complex cases similar to your own. This way you can be confident that your immigration lawyer is prepared to take on your case.
Type of Experience
While many law firms and lawyers offer immigration law services, you want to be sure that they have plenty of experience in this specific field of law. As was mentioned before, immigration law is complicated and frequently changing.
To make sure you are getting the best help possible, it is best to find a lawyer that focuses exclusively on immigration law matters.
It is also important that you learn as much as possible about your prospective lawyer’s past experiences working in immigration law and to see how long they have practiced immigration law. If a lawyer has several years of experience practicing this type of law, they will be able to help you with difficult obstacles that arise during your case. In fact, in general, the more years of experience the lawyer brings to the table, the better off you, as the client, will be.
Get a Consultation
Once you have a list of a few different lawyers that you may want to work with, you should ask each of them for a consultation. Some lawyers will provide a free consultation before taking on your case to discuss your needs but the vast majority of the most competent and experienced immigration attorneys will indeed charge a consultation fee.
You can treat this consultation like an interview and ask them questions to learn more about their previous work.
During your consultation, you can also ask your immigration attorney about the successes they have had with cases that are similar or identical to yours, and discusses the chances of a positive outcome in your specific scenario.
This is one of the most important steps to finding the best immigration attorney in Chicago, as it allows you to see if your attorney fits each of your needs and to make sure you are comfortable with each other.
Ask About Credentials
Finally, you need to learn more about your immigration lawyer’s credentials. If your lawyer has the right credentials, you will know that they are experienced and qualified to practice immigration law.
Often, you can learn more about a lawyer’s credentials by checking out their website. This can include information about where they went to law school, what types of law their practice focuses on and how long they have been practicing.
You can also check your local state bar to ensure that your lawyer is licensed to practice, to see if there have been any complaints in the past, and to learn more about your lawyer’s record.
Looking for the Best Immigration Lawyer in Chicago? We Can Help
Immigration law is a complicated process that is always changing. To make sure you find the best immigration law firm in Chicago, it is important that you follow each of these steps to hire the best candidate.
Are you looking for an immigration law office in Chicago, IL? USAVisaCounsel can help! Our Chicago immigration law firm focuses exclusively on United States Immigration law and can assist in your case.
Contact our team today to learn more about why our immigration law services are right for you, and arrange a consultation with an experienced, immigration-focused lawyer!
PUBLISHED January 8, 2022 – “IMMIGRATION LAW FORUM” Copyright © 2022, By Law Offices of Richard Hanus, Chicago, Illinois