It’s essential to choose the right immigration attorney to help you on your journey. Some people may focus on cost, location, or availability. However, a good question you should ask your lawyer, or someone that you're thinking about hiring as your lawyer, is, "What systems and what software do you use to keep track of cases?"
The great thing about the rise of the Internet and all the software companies out there is that there are really a lot of not-so-expensive software options that allow lawyers to do what's called “case management”. There's case management software, which allows you to keep track of all your cases.
In Hacking Immigration Law, LLC, we happen to use a piece of software called Filevine. It's very customizable. We've put in all these fields so that we can put in all this data and run reports. We can see all the cases that have requests for evidence out. We can run a report that says, for this attorney, how many cases do they have, what's their workload like? We can run a report that shows us how long a case has been pending. There are all kinds of ways we can mix and match. We know each stage, we've anticipated and thought out what questions are going to come about this stage, and we send that email. It's really a great way to run a system.
As you're going through the process of asking attorneys or thinking about hiring an attorney, you should ask them:
• How technologically savvy are you? How advanced are you?
• What's it going to look like for me to interact with your firm?
• What can I expect as far as how you're going to keep track of my data?
• Are you going to record the dates? Do you have automatic ticklers or reminder systems?
These kinds of questions ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. By building a new level of automation and case tracking, each case type has its own section and its own workflow. It takes a lot of work, but it makes a law firm more efficient. It allows paralegals to handle high caseloads efficiently and cuts down on mistakes.
Some attorneys aren’t prepared to take on evolving or complex immigration cases. Others take simple applications before passing you to another firm when they can’t handle your case anymore.
You deserve a lawyer who sticks with you from consultation to the end of your case.
We do our best. We're not always perfect, but we do our best. And I think that's really important when it comes to selecting an immigration lawyer.
A qualified lawyer should:
• Be honest about their limits and experience
• Offer a clear communication process via email, phone, social media, or web portals
• Provide guidance and strategies if USCIS pushes back
• Stay updated with immigration law
You can also ask them if they’ve taken a similar case like yours to court or have fought to overturn a denial. Their answer would greatly influence your decision whether to hire them or not.
Get free information by asking these questions if you’re not ready to work with an attorney yet:
Some law firms offer free initial consultations in person or through online meetings. This is a great time to:
• Get your questions answered
• See if you’re comfortable with the lawyer
• Understand your options before paying
Many community centers and nonprofit organizations provide immigration resources and help through pro bono clinics and access to volunteer immigration lawyers. These clinics can also answer questions related to visas and green cards.
Law firm blogs and YouTube channels like the Hacking Immigration Law, LLC, offer free answers to immigration questions. You can also go to the USCIS website or browse immigration-focused Reddit threads.
Some immigration law firms go live on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to answer questions from the audience. They also post short video updates on these platforms to inform you of any changes in immigration law.
Asking all the important questions right away can help you find the best immigration lawyer. Dig deeper beyond timelines and fees—gauge their willingness to put in some work and effort when things go south in your case.
If you have questions about this or about how to talk to immigration lawyers about whether or not you want to hire them, you should call us at 314-961-8200. You can also email us at [email protected].
