Tips on Finding an E-2 Visa Lawyer

This post offers tips on how find an E-2 visa lawyer to help with your application.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking…this guy is an E-2 visa lawyer, so of course, he is going to try to make the case that he is the best person to help with the E-2 visa application process. I can assure you that is not the case. While I may be the right person for some applicants, for many others, I am not the right fit. You will see why when read about these five things that you should consider when you are trying to find an E-2 visa lawyer.

Consideration #1:Cultural Background

Going through the E-2 visa process can be intimidating. Are you someone who would feel more comfortable working with someone who shares your cultural background?

If so, the good news is that many US immigrants become amazing immigration lawyers. If you can find an immigration lawyer who is an immigrant and has had similar experiences or shares a native language with you, that shared cultural identity could give you a lot of comfort during the process.

Consideration #2: Communication Preferences

Who do you want to communicate with during the process? In some smaller practices, you will have a lot of direct communication with the E-2 lawyer. In other practices, you may communicate primarily with a paralegal. 

Both scenarios can work really well, but you should consider your preferences— and make sure that you know who the contact person will be—before you hire your lawyer. 

Also, how do you want to communicate? In other words what method of communication do you prefer?

In my practice, I leverage technology to collaborate with my clients. So, if you are not comfortable with email, scanning documents, participating in video conferences or sharing documents via a cloud based portal, then I am not going to be a great fit. 

Consideration #3: Location

One of the things I enjoy most about practicing immigration law is that I get to work with clients across the globe. Since immigration law is federal in nature, an E-2 visa lawyer in Charlotte, North Carolina can help a client in New Zealand who is opening a business in New Jersey. I love that. 

But, maybe you don’t love that. Maybe you don’t want to communicate via emails, calls and video conferences. Maybe you would prefer face to face meetings. If that is the case, then you should select a lawyer who is located in an area where you can meet.

Consideration #4: Desired Service

There are three types of prospective clients that I encounter in my practice. 

Category A: Consultation Seekers

People in this group have typically done a lot of research on the E-2 visa process and they feel relatively comfortable filing their own application. However, they want just a little bit of help from a lawyer. They want to find someone who will review the application for a consultation fee.

Category B: Traditional E-2 Visa Lawyer Seekers

People in this group are looking for a lawyer who will handle all aspects of the E-2 visa process from filing to interview. And they want their immigration lawyer to collaborate with other professionals who will help with other associated tasks such as tax planning, entity creation and business plan drafting.

Category C: One Stop Shoppers

This group is composed of people who don’t want to deal with a number of different service providers. They want one firm to handle everything from entity creation to tax advice to business plan creation. And, they are willing to pay a premium price to receive all of those services from one provider.

In my practice, I only help people in category B. But, if you are a consultation seeker or a one stop shopper, I am confident that you will find a lot of fantastic options for the level of service that you desire.

Consideration #5: Focus

In my former professional life, I was a trial lawyer who wasn’t entirely satisfied with that type of work. So, I started to look into other practice areas including immigration law. And during that period of exploration, I started to appreciate the fact that immigration law is incredibly broad. So, I decided that in order  to maintain my sanity I would narrow my focus and concentrate on handling just a few different types of cases. 

I was clueless about the broad nature of immigration law until I started to dive into the subject. So, I assume that consumers of legal services are equally unaware of this reality. My advice is this…since immigration law is so broad, do not assume that everyone who practices immigration law will know how to properly handle an E-2 visa application. In order to gauge their familiarity with E-2 applications, ask your prospective lawyer about the cases that they handle most frequently.

Conclusion

Those are my thoughts on how to find an E-2 visa lawyer. Fortunately, regardless of your preferences, you will have a lot of great options. Lawyers who practice in this area tend to have immense appreciation for US immigrants; they are passionate about their work; and they treat their clients with the respect that they deserve.

Best of luck on your search for an E-2 lawyer!