Mark A Ivener, A Law Corporation

Is It Necessary To Retain Legal Counsel For An Immigration Case?


No. The US legal system is structured so that, technically-speaking, people do not absolutely need attorneys. However, in our practice we see many individuals who have tried to complete the process on their own without an attorney and who have delayed or harmed their own case. So if a person has the resources, it is always better to hire an attorney.

What Sets Your Firm Apart In Handling Immigration Cases?

First of all, many firms do various different things. Some firms are generalized: They do trusts, and they do corporate law. Our firm specializes in immigration law. Even within immigration law, we really focus on a few things that we’re very good at, and that’s helping companies with an international workforce to be able to get talent into the US, along with their family members. So we’re really focused on companies and business people and their families.

There are some large firms that do what we do, and what we’ve found is there are a lot of complaints from clients. They get lost in these huge organizations and are just a number. We really try to give focus and attention to each company and each individual, and what sets us apart is that individual attention, that case-by-case approach.

How Soon In Advance Should Someone Prepare For Filing An Immigration Application?

A firm should contact an attorney and be talking about it as soon as they know they need a potential employee here because timing varies, depending on what they are trying to do. If a movie studio needs an actor, for instance, then it’s easy enough with an O-1 visa; but if a family member wants to bring their brother or sister here from the Philippines, they better start right away because it can take 15 to 20 years. So they should start at the earliest opportunity.

For more information on Retaining Legal Counsel, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (310) 477-3000 today.