Can I Change My Immigration Lawyer | Tips to Change Immigration Lawyer

Do you need to find a new immigration lawyer? Can you switch lawyers? What if you want to change your immigration lawyer?

Immigration law is complicated, and there is no shortage of immigration lawyers. Finding the right one for you can be challenging. This blog post will talk about choosing a good immigration lawyer.

I will cover some of the most important things you should look at when choosing a good immigration lawyer—for example, experience, location, fees, specialization, etc.

I hope it helps!

Okay, enough small talk… Let’s get started:

Can I Change My Immigration Lawyer?

Experience 

This is the most critical thing when finding an immigration lawyer. The more years they have been practicing in immigration law, the better. It shows that they are experienced with what they do and thus will know what questions to ask for your case.

Location

Where lawyer practices may also influence your decision to hire them, if you live near their office or travel to where you live, that is a definite advantage. However, don’t let proximity fool you into thinking that means they will charge less. Reasonable attorneys often have large offices to provide quality service to clients.

Fees

What does an attorney charge per hour? Do they practice contingency? Will you have to pay up-front, or are you paying as you go? How long has the lawyer been practicing immigration law? These are all factors to consider when hiring a lawyer.

Specialization

If you’re looking to resolve your particular issue quickly, make sure you find a lawyer who specializes in that area. Do not use a general practitioner unless you need to. This could lead to unnecessary delays. Immigration law is a particular issue that requires specialized knowledge and skills.

References

Ask around for recommendations or check online reviews. You can even call people who are satisfied with your lawyer’s services.

Communication

When communicating with your lawyer, ensure that you understand clearly what they are saying. Make sure they explain everything thoroughly. Don’t assume anything. Ask questions whenever you feel confused.

Trust

Finally, trust your gut feeling. When interviewing potential lawyers, ask you these questions: “Can I imagine working with this person?” “Is this person easy to communicate with?” “Will I feel comfortable discussing confidential information with this person?” A great lawyer will answer yes to all these questions.

You must be careful, though. Some unscrupulous lawyers will promise you the world but deliver nothing, and they could take your money and disappear without providing any results. So keep your guard up!

If you need help searching for an immigration lawyer, here’s how to go about firing yours.

Firing your immigration lawyer is never fun. But if you need to save some money, here are some tips:

• Contact them first. Tell them why you want to fire them and give them time to respond. Hopefully, they will say something like “I’d love to help you” or “I’ve done similar work before.” That way, you always know that you aren’t wasting your time and energy.
• Document everything. Take screenshots of your communications with them. Save copies of emails you send them. Could you keep track of when you paid them?
• Give them time to fix the problem. Sometimes it takes a few days to set something. If they haven’t responded after a week, follow up again. And hopefully, they will apologize and agree to help!
• Consider using another lawyer instead. There are many other qualified immigration lawyers out there. Find someone else who can handle your situation.
• Finally, stop paying them if they still won’t cooperate—no sense in paying someone who doesn’t care about helping you. At least now you know what kind of lawyer you’re dealing with.

What If the Lawyer Won’t Give You a Copy of Your File?

While most attorneys will provide you with a copy of your file once you hire them, there may come the point of realization where you need to see a hard copy of it.

Maybe you want to look over the file before signing a contract. Or perhaps you want to know what’s going on with your case. Whatever the reason, make sure you get a copy of your file from your lawyer.

How to Get the Money Back From Your Lawyer

The fact that your attorney didn’t do their job correctly means that you have grounds to sue them. However, it would help to avoid getting into legal trouble.

Instead, it would help if you considered using your lawyer. To do so, you’ll need to contact your state bar association. Not every state has one, however. So if you live in California, you might want to check with the State Bar Association of California.

However, you shouldn’t expect your lawyer to refund your payment. Many states don’t allow clients to receive refunds on legal fees. Instead, they would only request a credit towards future payments. The amount of the credit payment depends on the state. For example, a client can get a 50% credit in California. This means that they would owe half of their next bill.

In any case, your best bet is to talk to your lawyer about requesting a refund. Otherwise, you risk being sued by your lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to change immigration lawyer?

Yes. It is okay to switch immigration lawyers if you are not changing your immigration status. Changing lawyers does not affect your application for permanent residency.

It is lovely to change your lawyer at any stage of the process. Just make sure that you notify your lawyer immediately. They might ask questions about why you want to change. Most people think that firing a lawyer will end their representation. But this is not true. Most states require that you pay the remaining balance on your bill. Then you can choose a new lawyer. 

How do I remove an attorney from an immigration case?

You cannot remove an attorney from your case unless you terminate your relationship with them. Completing your relationship means ending all communication with your former lawyer. You should also send a letter to your former lawyer letting them know you intend to fire them. That way, your former lawyer will no longer represent you.

Your lawyer will never give you the entire file – that’s confidential information, which could potentially ruin your chances of winning in your case if the opposing party finds out about some aspect of your background.

Instead, the lawyer will prepare a summary document that explains the main points of your case in simple language. They will then take the brief to court to argue your case.

Can you get a refund from an immigration lawyer?

No. There is no federal law that can assist you in getting a refund from a lawyer. Some states have laws that prohibit refunds. Others won’t allow it. And others don’t even offer refunds.

There are two significant points to understand, though:

• You must let the lawyer know that you wish to withdraw. If you attempt to cancel without notice, you risk having the lawyer claim that you breached their agreement and seek damages.
• You still should pay your lawyer until the matter is resolved. Even if you decide to withdraw, you are still

If you believe that you made a mistake and want to withdraw from the case, you can do so without any problem. If you were paying through a third party like a bank or an insurance company, they would usually charge you back the money, but since you paid directly to the lawyer, nothing stops you from withdrawing.

Do immigration lawyers make a difference?

Immigration attorneys differ quite a bit. Some specialize in specific fields such as family reunification or asylum; other attorneys focus on particular cases, such as employment-based visas.

Some of these attorneys may have more experience than others. However, it doesn’t matter because they will all help you similarly.

An immigration lawyer will typically begin working on your case within one week of receiving your retainer. In most cases, your lawyer will contact a few government agencies to obtain documents or forms related to your topic. Once everything is ready, they will submit your paperwork to the USCIS. Your lawyer will continue to work on your case until your application has been approved or denied.

The National Association for Legal Help provides a directory of attorneys specializing in immigration matters. You can search here to see whether your state has a lawyer association.

Does USCIS send a green card to an attorney?

USCIS does not send a green card to your attorney. The process of applying for permanent residence requires that you go through the same steps yourself.

Key Takeaways

To sum up, firing an immigration lawyer is a tricky situation. Since you have already filed for temporary relief, your employer cannot force you to stay in the country. So, that means you are legally allowed to request a voluntary departure order, which will enable you to leave voluntarily without getting deported.

However, it is helpful to convince your employer that their refusal to allow you to leave the country is causing you undue hardship. To qualify for a VDO, you must demonstrate that your removal would cause extreme trouble to you and your spouse, parent, or child under 21 years old.

In addition, you must prove that you have tried to secure alternative employment in the United States and that you have exhausted other options available to you outside of the country. Hope you have got your answer on can I change my immigration lawyer.

References

• https://www.usa.gov/immigration-and-citizenship
• https://www.uscis.gov/