Jacksonville, FL Immigration Lawyer Susan Pai | limited to immigration law only
Susan Pai is admitted to the Washington State Bar, not the Florida Bar Attorney Pai's Florida legal practice is limited exclusively to Immigration & Nationality law
(904) COURT-1-A or (904) 268-7812 | (904) 339-9447 Fax

  • About Us
    • Susan Pai
    • My Family’s Story
    • In the News
  • Choosing an Immigration Attorney
    • Pricing Immigration Lawyers
    • Consumer Information
    • Background Check
    • Case Evaluation
  • Library
  • Español
  • Contact
  • 24/7 Client Login
Print Email Shortlink

Is a Good Lawyer an Oxymoron?

By Susan Pai on July 20, 2011 in Consumer Information

What Makes a Good Immigration Attorney

  • The attorney practices immigration law exclusively. Immigration Law is highly specialized and the laws are constantly changing. If your lawyer practices in multiple areas like criminal, family, estate planning AND immigration, chances are that lawyer will not be as well educated as one who practices immigration law exclusively.
  • Membership in a State Bar Association (because immigration matters are under federal jurisdiction, attorneys can practice anywhere in the U.S. with membership to any State Bar Association). The State Bar Association Directory of Lawyers will tell you how many years the attorney has been practicing and whether or not he or she is in good standing.
  • For the individual, the most important question is, “Does your attorney have respect for the law, morals, ethics and does he or she believe in your case 100%?” Does your attorney tell you the truth even if it’s not what you want to hear? Does your attorney outline what may or may not happen? If your attorney guarantees any results, run as fast as you can. No one can guarantee results.

    No one can guarantee that USCIS won’t make a mistake or even go against their own rules (as they did in processing H2Bs in 2008). Does your attorney continue to counsel you even after the visa is issued? Is your attorney willing to bend the rules to get your visa? Besides the obvious legal and morality issues, an attorney who is willing to venture into “gray areas” of fact in order to obtain your visa is putting you and your employer at great risk.

    “Gray areas” often lead to problems, for example, when you later apply for citizenship. “Gray areas” may lead to your early layoff. “Gray areas” may lead to ICE showing up at your house at 6 a.m. “Gray areas” may lead to your deportation. In the short term, a Rule Bender may get your visa but in the long run, it will likely hurt you and your employer or family. Additionally, such practices only fuel malcontent in the U.S. about immigration in general.

    Your attorney should have ethics, morals, and fully abide by the law. Your attorney should tell you the truth even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. Your attorney should believe in the facts of your case 100% so he or she can be the best advocate for you.

    Remember, in most cases, your relationship with your immigration attorney lasts for many, many years. Your attorney should ensure all your filings are unquestionable in order to safeguard both your immediate and longterm interests.

“A lawyer’s either a social engineer or he’s a parasite on society.”

-Charles Hamilton Houston

Share this on: Mixx Delicious Digg Facebook Twitter
choosing an immigration attorneyimmigration fraud
  • Related Stories
  • Most Popular
  • CBP Threatens Military Family’s Grandmother with “5 Years of Imprisonment”
  • Here is the “Disappeared” EOIR Benchbook
  • FREE CLE with Handouts – Post March 5, 2018 DACA
  • Persecuting the Persecuted: Asylum Under Donald Trump
  • La Biblia es La Ley de Dios
  • Immigration Investigations 2.0 – Social Media
  • Bring Your Family to the United States
  • Arrested by Immigration
  • Bad Lawyers
  • Is a Good Lawyer an Oxymoron?
  • Know Your Rights
  • My Lawyer Won’t Give Me My File
← Previous Next →

Connect

  • Google
  • #Facebook
  • Twitter profile for the Law Office of Susan PaiTwitter
  • RSS feed for the Law Office of Susan Pai RSS

Jacksonville Office

NO DROP INs / NO DROP OFFS
Please mail or upload all documents and questions

Contact Us

Email me at pai_s@aol.com

Call me at 904-268-7812

No faxing

NO DROP OFFS (send documents by USPS Priority Mail, UPS or Fedex)

In observance of CDC protocols, we are using alternatives to in person meetings.

THE HIRING OF A LAWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION THAT SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLELY ON ADVERTISEMENTS. BEFORE YOU DECIDE, ASK US TO SEND YOU FREE WRITTEN INFORMATION ABOUT OUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

Copyright © 2004-2021 by The Law Office of Susan Pai, PLLC and Susan Pai.
No part of this website may be reproduced without written permission.

  • English
  • Español