Having practiced law for several years now, I have
noticed that in most cases, a successful outcome is indispensable. Of course, as
a lawyer I cannot guarantee any success to any client, however, it is imperative
that an attorney assesses the case in the best light and try to find the best
outcome for his/her clients. My practice deals in immigration law and debt settlement. For the
purpose of this article, I will limit my analysis to immigration law.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO WIN?
While winning is not
everything in life, when it comes to immigration law, winning might just be
everything especially in immigration cases. In fact, not winning might result in
deportation and possibly a permanent ban from the United States. In situations
when a client fears for his/her life and is mistakenly deported, the result can
be catastrophic. Imagine that someone is sent back the home country – a very
hostile country which is actually torturing or killing people belonging to this
person’s class (religious, political, sexual orientation or gender). Nobody can
really guess what might happen to this person especially if the country finds
out this person has sought an asylum in another country. (Note that asylums
are highly confidential and the US government makes sure that this is never
disclosed. In fact, a person might obtain asylum solely based on this
disclosure.). As an attorney, it becomes a duty to protect the interest of
this person. As such, a good attorney needs to look into all the avenues to
keep the client in thse United States not limited to an asylum only. It
becomes actually a ‘matter of life or death’.
There is no ‘magic solution’ to winning a case. However, there are few things
that can make the difference between winning and losing:
The experience of the attorney.
There are many good
attorneys/lawyers out there, yet no everybody practices all the areas of law.
When it comes to immigration, it is imperative that the attorney has some
practical experience on the matter. Our law firm has been practicing
immigration law for years now and we have successfully handled more than 1200
cases, yet we are faced with challenges on a daily basis. The reason is that
immigration law is very complicated, in fact one of the most complicated areas
of law, it is constantly changing and only a “little knowledge” can be very
harmful. If someone is not “up to speed” on the changes, there are crucial
mistakes made that can result in a denial for your client and ultimately a bar
from ever entering or getting any sort of immigration benefit.
Preparation
Although you have a
great attorney, if the attorney or you are not prepared for your case, the
chances of winning is highly diminished. You need to realize that you have a lot
at stake in your immigration matter, careful review of your case is a must. You
should take the case seriously and collaborate with your lawyer to assist you.
I actually prepared a slide show on how you can help your lawyer help you, feel
free to check it on www.Slideshare.net/Peerallylaw
Knowing the law
One of the
biggest mistakes that I see when clients come to our law firm is the ‘ignorance
of the law’. Either people are reading from forums or listening to friends, it
is always wise to check with a good immigration
attorney to make sure that you have the right solution for you. For example,
some people will take an advance parole without realizing that they have
overstayed for more than 180 days and leaving the country will result in a 3
year bar from the United States. Unfortunately some of them have actually
called the USCIS and this information was not disclosed to them. They left the
country and could not come back unless they could file for a waiver. The truth
is that the USCIS is not there to offer legal advices, and you take their
information at your own risk. Furthermore, ignorance of the law is not an
excuse.
Make sure you are dealing with a real licensed
lawyer
There are many non-licensed “immigration consultants”
offering their services for cheap or trying to help the immigrants to navigate
the immigration laws. Do not be fooled by them! Unless a person is a licensed
attorney or dealing with a non-profit organization, I will recommend staying far
from them. I have seen too many ‘horror stories’ on the matter. Fortunately
we are sometimes able to fix them but sometimes people are not so lucky! It can
also cost you a lot to fix the mistakes.
Winning an immigration case is one of the most
gratifying feeling. I am proud of my law firm on the quality of work the law
firm has provided over the years. The testimonials from our
clients are witness to their joy and gratitude of what we have been able to
accomplish for them. The compensation as an immigration lawyer is relatively
meager compared to the other areas of law, however the feeling of saving a
person or a family from deportation as well as assisting them to stay in this
United States is simply priceless.
Again, our law firm cannot guarantee success, yet if there is a little hope,
we will not give up. When it comes to immigration, the journey can be tough
but the destination is sweet. Over the years, I have realized that my life is
actually a success because of the success of the numerous families I have helped
during this period of time. What better way to serve your community than to
save this community from oppression and to obtain social justice for all.
Shah Peerally is an attorney licensed in California
practicing immigration law and debt settlement. He has
featured as an expert legal analyst for many TV networks such as NDTV, Times Now
and Sitarree TV. Articles about Shah Peerally and his work have appeared on
newspapers such as San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, US Fiji Times,
Mauritius Le Quotidien, Movers & Shakers and other prominent international
newspapers. His work has been commended by Congress women Nancy Pelosi and
Barbara Lee. He has a weekly radio show on KLOK 1170AM and frequently participates in
legal clinics in churches, temples and mosques.
For updates follow us onYoutube, Radio, Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn. Shah Peerally
Law Group PC deals in immigration law - www.peerallylaw.com and www.immigrationlegalblog.com
Attorney Shah Peerally also deals in debt
settlement. For more information call us on 510.742.5887 and visit us on www.YourDebtSettlementAttorney.com.
Information provided above is for educational purposes only. One should not
act or refrain to act solely based on the information provided. You should
consult an attorney to assess your case before proceeding.
Regards,
Shah Peerally
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