Meeting with an immigration attorney is never a fun experience. You wouldn’t meet with them in the first place if there wasn’t a problem you needed help with. And the stress of that problem can cause you to stop thinking clearly, and you may not know what to say to an immigration lawyer.
That means you won’t know what questions to ask immigration lawyer office to make sure that the lawyers know what they’re doing. If you can’t think clearly during a meeting with an immigration lawyer, it can be harder to build your case. To help give you the confidence to face judges, you need a guide to find the right immigration lawyer for you.
And the first step you need to take to find the right lawyer for you is to ask them about their jobs. The more informed the lawyers seem with their answers, the more you can trust them. All you need to know is which questions to ask.
Keep reading below to learn seven questions you should ask immigration lawyers if you’re still looking to find the right one for your case!
- “How Can You Help me?”
No matter what kind of lawyer you visit, you should always ask them how they can help you. This is a broad question that leaves lawyers with a lot of room to answer, and that’s its purpose. Their answer will give you a sense for how well the lawyer can think on their feet, and whether they can be eloquent under pressure.
Both of those things are essential characteristics of any immigration lawyer. When you choose an immigration lawyer to represent you, you’re picking one who will be able to clearly explain your story to a judge. You need to find someone who can defend your story and convince everyone you are where you belong.
If they can convince you that they can be poised under pressure, then why wouldn’t they be able to convince a judge that you’re in the right?
- “What Experience Do You Have?”
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a lawyer or a writer — you should always make sure they are capable of doing what they claim. And the best way to tell if someone is good at what they do is to see what experience they have. The more experience a person accumulates, the more expertise they develop.
That expertise can be the difference in your case. You want someone who is tuned into the subtleties of the immigration court system, and who knows how to pick their words carefully. Adaptability accompanies expertise, and since every immigration case is unique, you want someone who has the experience needed to act quickly and think rationally.
- “How Does my Case Compare to Others?”
If you’re preparing a case for an immigration trial, chances are that you’re nervous. Immigration trials are daunting because they can decide your entire future. You’ll only have four hours to convince a judge that you deserve to be where you are during a hearing.
By asking a lawyer about your own case, you can get a clearer sense as to where you stand with your case. A good lawyer won’t try to sugar-coat anything about your case. They’ll tell you specifically where they’re confident in it, and where they aren’t.
With that information, you can refine your case. This question gives you an opportunity to improve your case and helps you prepare to face a trial.
- “How Can I Help my Case?”
Your case isn’t just being handled by your lawyer — you’re involved in it, too! That means you play a role in how it’s prepared, and that you should work with your lawyer to make it as strong as possible. Yet, you probably didn’t study law, and so may not be sure how to help build your own case.
That doesn’t mean you can’t contribute to it, though. All you need to do is ask your lawyer what you can do to improve your chances of succeeding in court. Chances are that they’ll explain exactly what you should do to build your case. Simply follow your lawyer’s instructions, and you’ll have a stronger case!
- “How Can I Reach You?”
Communication is one of the most important parts of preparing an immigration case. You should always know how to contact your lawyer, in case something happens that you need help with. Their business cards should have clear ways to contact them when you need to, such as a phone number or an email address.
You should also ask about when would be an appropriate time to contact them. There are situations that your lawyer should always be present for, such as if you end up needing to talk to the police for anything. It’s also important to establish whether or not it would be appropriate to call them at certain hours.
- “What’s Your Fee, and What Exactly am I Paying For?”
Lawyers traditionally aren’t cheap, but you always get what you pay for. It takes a lot of time spent studying the court system to become an expert in it, and lawyers deserve to be compensated for their efforts. Yet, you should also make sure that you have enough money to pay them.
Talk with your lawyer about how you can give them their payment, and how much they need to be paid, especially to commence representation. You should also ask about what happens if you can’t pay them any monies owed midway through your case.
- “What Happens Next, if I Hire You?”
Preparing a case can take months or years, and it may need to prepared again after presenting it to a judge. There are several steps you need to take for your case, and you should always ask what they are before you take them. That way, you’ll never feel lost.
This question also helps the process of preparing your case go faster. You’ll leave the office with clear objectives in mind, and will be prepared for the next time you sit with your lawyer!
Ask About What Questions to Ask Immigration Lawyer Offices
The most important question you can ask is simple. You should also ask about which questions to ask immigration lawyer offices. Nobody expects you to be an expert in immigration law, but you should your research before speaking with lawyers.
That way, you’ll be prepared when you start meeting with them. You’ll instantly become your lawyer’s favorite client just be knowing about the process and by knowing which questions to ask.
And if you’ve done your research, be sure to contact us here! We’ll find a time that works for us to sit down together so that you can ask all the questions you want!