While nothing can replace your home, people often migrate to different places worldwide for various reasons.
From better educational facilities to higher paying jobs, there are various reasons why people leave their home country and move to another.
The process of immigrating is often complex, and trying to do everything yourself can be challenging.
Immigration lawyers can make it easy, which is one reason why the profession is becoming increasingly popular.
In this blog, let’s explore what immigration lawyers do, how to become one, and what challenges you might face.
What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do?
Immigration lawyers assist their clients in all legal matters related to their immigration goals.
This includes working on work visas, citizenship applications, family reunification, and other legal aspects of this process.
As specialists in this field, immigration lawyers provide expert guidance, ensure compliance with immigration laws, and represent clients in legal proceedings.
A key component of an immigration lawyer’s role is to assess the case of their client and guide them on their best legal options.
They look at each situation carefully, identify any challenges, and create a plan to help achieve the best result.
Whether it’s securing a visa, appealing a decision, or handling complex immigration issues, they guide their clients through the process.
Many immigration lawyers also pursue other career interests, including teaching at law schools.
Some large organizations that tend to hire a lot of foreign workers may even hire an immigration lawyer as a full-time employee.
The immigration attorney can also work in an advisory role for the government, helping shape policies related to immigration laws and regulations.
Steps to Become a Successful Immigration Lawyer
Your first step to becoming an immigration lawyer should be under the role, and determine if this is what you want to do.
Researching about the role can help you get started, but it may help to talk to an immigration attorney in person to get a deeper understanding of what this role requires.
It may also provide you with an opportunity to ask questions about how to become an immigration lawyer.
You may also want to do a self-analysis to determine if you have the skills to become an immigration attorney.
Generally, successful attorneys tend to have good interpersonal skills.
They also excel at handling complex legal processes and learn how to stay calm in tense situations.
Not all the skills required to be an immigration lawyer are innate.
You can develop these skills over time through hard work, discipline, and dedication.
Once you have a good idea of what the immigration lawyer does and whether this is the right path for you, you can start gaining the qualifications and experience required by this profession.
Educational Requirements
Generally, a bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement to become an immigration lawyer.
It is often a prerequisite to enrolling in law school.
You can choose any major for the bachelor’s degree however it considers programs that can help you develop your critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Majoring in degrees such as political science, history, or sociology could be beneficial.
They may provide you with an understanding of social issues, government structure, and legal system.
Depending on your ambitions, you may need to graduate with a high GPA to secure enrollment in the top law schools, which often are highly selective in their acceptance rate.
Along with a good GPA, you may also need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
Law schools use the LSAT score as a measure of assessing the applicant’s logical reasoning and language skills.
After you get enrolled in law school, you will be exposed to a broad range of legal subjects over three years.
This type will have some mandatory courses, while other courses might be elective.
You may be able to choose the elective course to specialize in immigration law.
Other related courses that can help you in this field include refugee law and asylum law.
You may also consult with the academic advisor at the law school to understand the best courses you can take to build a strong foundation for becoming an immigration lawyer.
Once you have completed law school, you will earn a Juris Doctor (JD) Degree.
It’s worth noting that your education should not be limited to academics at the school.
There is so much you can learn through self-study, either through textbooks, online courses, or other platforms.
Additionally, you can also consider doing internships to gain experience.
It’s common for law firms and other organizations to offer law students an opportunity to work as an intern or law clerks at their facility.
It would be partially useful if you could intern with a firm that deals with immigration law as you would then get direct exposure to the field you want to specialize in.
These internships could provide valuable exposure to the day-to-day responsibilities of an immigration lawyer, such as researching case law, preparing legal documents, and assisting with client consultations.
Internships also help law students build a professional network, which is crucial when seeking post-graduation employment.
Bar Exam
Graduating from law school would be a major achievement in your path to becoming an immigration attorney.
However, you are not there yet. After you have graduated from law school, you need to pass the bar exam, which serves as a “gatekeeper”.
It is designed to test the lawyer’s ability to identify and analyze legal issues based on their understanding of laws and apply legal standards to those facts.
No prior legal experience is required to take the bar exam.
However, passing the bar exam typically requires extensive preparation, and most candidates gain relevant foundational knowledge during their legal education.
The bar exam is specific to each state.
This means you would need to pass the bar exam in the state where you want to practice law.
The bar exam typically consists of multiple-choice questions, practical exercises, and essays.
Immigration law is federal.
This means that it applies uniformly across the US.
As a result, most bar exams don’t specifically test immigration law because it isn’t state-specific.
Once licensed, you can also practice in federal immigration courts and before agencies like the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Not only does the bar exam provide you with the legal authority to offer legal services to clients, but it also ensures that you have a solid understanding of the legal principles that will form the basis of your immigration law practice.
Experience in Immigration Law
Ideally, you want to have some experience under your belt by the time you pass the bar exam.
However, some attorneys start gaining experience after passing the bar exam.
If you want to be an immigration lawyer, you should start networking with companies that offer such positions.
While you can always start your practice, having some experience helps before you consider such a move.
If you can’t land a full-time role, consider volunteering with large aid organizations or taking pro bono cases to help you get some experience.
This will also help build your portfolio and demonstrate your skills and commitment to the field.
While immigration law is a specialized field, you can choose to build expertise in specific areas within this field.
For example, you can become an expert in deportation defense or business immigration.
If there is a field that interests you, you can prioritize gaining experience by working on cases specific to that field.
Advanced Certifications
Gaining advanced certifications may not be mandatory to become an immigration attorney, but they can help enhance your profile.
You can consider various types of certifications based on your location.
Some states offer board certification in immigration law.
However, there are certain requirements for this, including the minimum number of years of work experience as an immigration attorney and recommendations for peers and judges.
You can also choose to get advanced degrees, such as Master of Laws (LLM) in Immigration Law or International Human Rights.
These advanced degrees can provide a competitive edge and equip you with the knowledge needed to handle complex immigration cases or shape policies at a global level.
Building a Network
Success in immigration law often depends on your professional network and reputation.
This means you must build a strong network to open doors to new opportunities.
The earlier you start building your network, the greater your chances of establishing meaningful connections that can support your career growth.
You can build your professional network consisting of lawyers, immigration officers, judges, and other professionals in the legal system and immigration authorities.
Keeping Up with Immigration Laws
Every country has its immigration laws.
The United States is a popular destination for immigrants.
It offers excellent employment and educational opportunities.
The country also provides a diverse environment where people can build better lives.
There are multiple routes to immigrating to the US, including EB5 investment projects.
The EB-5 Visa program is designed to attract foreign investment into the U.S. economy, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.
Biggest Challenges For a Career as an Immigration Attorney
Immigration law is multifaceted and ever-evolving.
If you want to succeed in this career, you need to keep up with the latest rules and regulations.
The immigration laws can vary from one country to another.
While you can choose to specialize in certain regions, you may still need to have a solid legal understanding of the immigration systems in multiple countries.
This requires continuous learning and staying informed about changing policies, court rulings, and international agreements.
Another challenge for an immigration lawyer is to contend with changes in political climate and policy shifts.
For example, Canada used to be a hotspot for immigrants from around the world for the last couple of decades.
However, the recent housing crisis and rise in inflation have deterred many immigrants from seeking residency in the country.
The Canadian government is also considering changes to immigration policies that could have a huge impact on this field.
For immigration lawyers specified in this region, this change in immigration trends and policies means their careers may require constant adaptation and flexibility.
They may have to pivot toward a different specialization or offer legal services aligned with the changing landscape.
Immigration attorneys also face pressure in terms of client expectations.
Many individuals who seek to immigrate to another country aren’t deeply familiar with the living conditions, and their expectations may not match reality.
Even visiting the country may not be enough, as visiting as a tourist is much different from moving to another country.
Lawyers must navigate these expectations by providing clear, realistic advice and helping clients understand both the opportunities and limitations of their immigration journey.
Can Immigration Attorneys Transition to Another Role?
So you worked hard to become an immigration attorney but want to transition to another role?
That’s not uncommon, as attorneys change their career paths for various reasons.
It could be a result of being burned out in their profession or the stress of constantly adapting to the changing legal landscape.
While there is no restriction to which legal field you transition to, you should be prepared to get the required experience and qualifications to make the change.
Ideally, you want to transition to a legal field where your experience as an immigration attorney would be useful.
For example, you could transition to a legal role that deals with policy, employment law, or international business.
If you are interested in academia, you could even transition to a legal profession focused on teaching at law school.
Alternatively, you should become a policy advisor for a government entity.
The possibilities are endless.
However, the transition could be challenging, so it’s essential to plan strategically.
You may also help to understand your motivation for becoming an immigration attorney in the first place.
Leave a Reply