Who is the best immigration lawyer in Idaho? This is probably the first question you’ll ask yourself after you’ve decided to hire an Idaho immigration lawyer to help you with your case. The good news is that if you are in Idaho, you will have many good immigration lawyers to choose from.

The difficult part will be in finding one that is the best match for you and your case. Because of how many different factors need to be considered in selecting the best immigration lawyer for your case, however, it isn’t possible to just provide a list of the best immigration lawyers in Idaho. The best immigration lawyer for your case may not be the best immigration lawyer for your friend’s case. 

What should you consider when looking for the best immigration lawyer in Idaho for your case? At a minimum, you should consider the following six items:

Does the lawyer explain issues so that you can understand?

Immigration law is complicated and you will probably have many questions for your immigration lawyer. Is the lawyer able to explain to you the different immigration options and the legal issues involved in your case in a way that makes sense to you? Your immigration case is probably one of the most important things in your life and you’ll want to make sure that you can make well-informed decisions and understand all of your options.

But how do you know if the attorney can explain things in away that makes sense to you? One way to find out is to ask the immigration lawyer for a copy of any books or immigration guides that the lawyer has written. If at all possible, you should review these materials before you set up a meeting with the lawyer. After all, these materials will give you an idea of how the lawyer thinks and whether you’ll understand how the lawyer explains immigration issues. If you think that the lawyer may be a good match for you after you read her books and guides, you should go ahead and set up an appointment so that you can discuss you case in detail with the lawyer.

Immigration Practice Area

Not every immigration lawyer will handle every type of immigration case. It is not uncommon for a lawyer to only accept cases in selected subareas of immigration law. For example, a lawyer may accept employment-based immigration cases but may not accept asylum cases. In that situation, the lawyer probably isn’t the best choice for your asylum case. Likewise, a lawyer may be an excellent match for your immigrant visa case, but you may decide that you prefer a different immigration lawyer for your immigration court case. After all, these types of cases are very different and the best lawyer for you for one type of case may not be the best lawyer for you for another type of case.

Personality

You should also consider whether there is a good match between your personality and the lawyer’s personality. Many immigration cases can take months if not years to complete. With that in mind, shouldn’t you work with someone that you enjoy working with?

Location

Idaho is a big state. If you live in Twin Falls, it may not make sense to drive all the way to Boise to meet with an attorney about your green card or immigrant visa case. But, if you are comfortable working with your attorney by email, phone and Skype, then it may not matter if your lawyer is in a different part of Idaho. In addition, if your case will involve an interview at the USCIS office in Boise and you want your attorney to attend the interview with you, it may be better to work with an attorney close to Boise so that the attorney can be at your interview.

For immigration court cases, you should keep in mind that the immigration court for residents of Idaho is located in Boise, Idaho. Depending on your situation, if you are outside the Boise area, you may find that you prefer to work with an attorney who is close to you, even if that means that you have to pay a larger attorney fee to cover the attorney’s travel time to Boise. On the other hand, you may decide that you prefer to work with an attorney who has an office closer to the Boise, even if that means that you have a longer drive to meet with your attorney. There is no one right answer to this issue — it simply depends on your personal preferences.

Cost

Although cost will almost always be an issue because you’ll need to make sure that the attorney you choose will fit within your budget, I recommend that you do not use cost as your primary decision tool. You shouldn’t just shop around for the least expensive attorney and the most expensive attorney may not always be the best one for your case.

When evaluating a lawyer’s fee, you should primarily consider the overall value that is being offered:

• Are you confident in the lawyer’s ability to represent you?
• Will you be charged extra for phone calls, online legal research or postage?
• What is included with the fee?
• Will you be charged extra if the government requests additional information in your case?
• Will the lawyer attend your interview with you or will an additional fee be charged?

Membership in Professional Organizations

Because immigration law is constantly changing, it is important that you hire an immigration attorney who keeps up with the changes in the law. One of the best ways for a lawyer to stay up to date with the law is to join the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Among other things, AILA provides continuing education courses and daily information updates that help members stay up to date with new developments in immigration law. If your attorney is not a member of AILA, you should ask about what steps they take to keep up to date with changes in immigration law.

By considering the above factors, you should be able to narrow down your list of Idaho immigration lawyers on your personal “best Idaho immigration lawyers” list. You can locate attorneys by doing Internet research and checking with friends and family. Once you have your initial list, you will be ready to start speaking to the lawyers so that you can make a final decision on who you would like to represent you.