Your first meeting with your experienced Austin immigration lawyer may be the first time you’ve met with an immigration attorney – or with any lawyer. To ensure the first meeting is productive and that your questions are answered, it helps to prepare for your first meeting.
Here are three ways to prepare for your first meeting with your Texas immigration lawyer:
Give yourself plenty of time. Traffic jams and unexpected events can slow you down, making you late to your meeting and causing frustration and anxiety. Schedule an appointment with your lawyer and give yourself plenty of time to reach the office, especially if you are visiting for the first time. By being on time, you can arrive calm and confident, ready to discuss your needs.
Bring your questions with you. Write down any questions you have about your case and bring it with you to the meeting. Common questions to ask at your first meeting include:
- How long will my case take? What are my options?
- About how much are the legal fees?
- Are there other costs, like filing fees, which I will need to cover? Approximately how much?
Although no attorney can promise you a particular outcome, your lawyer should be able to explain your options and expected outcomes in a way you understand and feel comfortable with.
Organize your documents and bring them with you. You may or may not need to bring paperwork, depending on the nature of your case. Documents your attorney may want to see at your first meeting include:
- Marriage certificates, if your case is based on marriage to a citizen or permanent resident,
- Criminal records, if you are seeking sponsorship or sponsoring another person,
- A copy of the Notice to Appeal if you are facing removal,
- All court paperwork, if you already have an immigration case underway.
After the meeting, set aside a folder just for your immigration case paperwork. Keep all your paperwork in this folder, and bring it to every meeting with your attorney.