Immigration at BigLaw? Forum

[unclepete]

So, I was a paralegal at a very large immigration firm before LS (the only such firm), and I really want to practice in that area. I'd love to either go back to that firm as an attorney or clerk for the immigration courts after grad. However, that firm does not do OCI in my Southern California city.

I am transferring to a school that will have all of the BigLaw firms at OCI, and I am finding it very difficult not to make bids (the "what if i turn down this opportunity and can't find anything in the public sector and I`m screwed" syndrome). However, I am not interested in most of the practice areas at these firms. I could handle the hours if I was doing something I love, like immigration.

Do any of these firms have a business immigration practice within them? Anyone know of any large companies that have in-house immigration attorneys I can reach out to?

Thanks!

[unclepete]

Anyone?

[09042014]

While you might be able to find it, I really doubt it. Nobody is paying biglaw money for immigration work.

[unclepete]

Which I find strange because the firm I worked for had all large corporate clients who paid an average of $30k total in legal fees to us for each of their skilled workers (we're talking H-1B/employment-based green cards, etc.) And these companies (Microsoft, Exxon, etc) have thousands of high-skilled immigrant workers.

Thought there might be a shot.

[09042014]

Which I find strange because the firm I worked for had all large corporate clients who paid an average of $30k total in legal fees to us for each of their skilled workers (we're talking H-1B/employment-based green cards, etc.) And these companies (Microsoft, Exxon, etc) have thousands of high-skilled immigrant workers.

Thought there might be a shot.

How many hours did it take to do it? 30k gets you around 30 hours of Associate and 10 hours of partner time at biglaw rates.

[XxSpyKEx]

The amount of higher end immigration work is pretty limited, and I doubt you'll find many biglaw firms in that practice area. You can find some small boutiques that do very specialized work that pay well, but it's not something that they can turn into a large law firm practice. Most immigration work is done at smaller firms/by solos and pays pretty poorly. You might want to consider other areas of the law if you want biglaw (assuming the firm at which you were a paralegal doesn't hire you).

[Anonymous User]

Anon because I have a similar background to you. There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them, but I think if you act like that's your main interest in your interview, you will probably get passed up. Maybe try also focusing on labor and employment?

[wingding]

So, I was a paralegal at a very large immigration firm before LS (the only such firm)

May as well just say Fragomen.

I think they're pretty much the only ones doing high-end immigration, and have carved out a really nice niche.
Then again, I don't know shit, so don't take my word for it

[unclepete]

Anon because I have a similar background to you. There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them, but I think if you act like that's your main interest in your interview, you will probably get passed up. Maybe try also focusing on labor and employment?

Mind PMing me?

[unclepete]

The amount of higher end immigration work is pretty limited, and I doubt you'll find many biglaw firms in that practice area. You can find some small boutiques that do very specialized work that pay well, but it's not something that they can turn into a large law firm practice. Most immigration work is done at smaller firms/by solos and pays pretty poorly. You might want to consider other areas of the law if you want biglaw (assuming the firm at which you were a paralegal doesn't hire you).

Unfortunately, I think you're right. Which is why I`m terrified that I`m making the wrong decision by transferring. Unfortunately, I just can't get excited about spending 12 hours a day doing pretty much any area within BigLaw

[randomstudent]

There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them . . . .

This. For example, I've heard Baker & McKenzie has a good immigration practice, but I don't know how easy it is to break into that practice as a summer associate or recent graduate.

[09042014]

There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them . . . .

This.

That's a bad plan if you really want immigration. Small niche practices are not easy to work your way into. You'd better off trying to work for a high end immigration botique.

[randomstudent]

There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them . . . .

This.

That's a bad plan if you really want immigration. Small niche practices are not easy to work your way into. You'd better off trying to work for a high end immigration botique.

Hmm. You may be right.

[unclepete]

There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them . . . .

This.

That's a bad plan if you really want immigration. Small niche practices are not easy to work your way into. You'd better off trying to work for a high end immigration botique.

Hmm. You may be right.

Yes, but so damn scared to sit out OCI.

[randomstudent]

Let us know what you decide to do, unclepete. Some of us are in similar situations, trying to figure out what to do.

[wingding]

Yes, but so damn scared to sit out OCI.

Why on earth would you sit out OCI?

[09042014]

Yes, but so damn scared to sit out OCI.

Why on earth would you sit out OCI?

Because there won't be immigration firms there.

[wingding]

Yes, but so damn scared to sit out OCI.

Why on earth would you sit out OCI?

Because there won't be immigration firms there.

Go to OCI, get an offer, but keep applying to immigration firms.

Better to have a backup plan

[XxSpyKEx]

The amount of higher end immigration work is pretty limited, and I doubt you'll find many biglaw firms in that practice area. You can find some small boutiques that do very specialized work that pay well, but it's not something that they can turn into a large law firm practice. Most immigration work is done at smaller firms/by solos and pays pretty poorly. You might want to consider other areas of the law if you want biglaw (assuming the firm at which you were a paralegal doesn't hire you).

Unfortunately, I think you're right. Which is why I`m terrified that I`m making the wrong decision by transferring. Unfortunately, I just can't get excited about spending 12 hours a day doing pretty much any area within BigLaw

Don't worry, your excitement level will go up substantially every two weeks

More seriously, if you're looking at transferring for a prestige bump in school rank and are solely interested in immigration work, you might be better off just staying put (assuming your getting a large scholarship at your current school, but will be paying sticker at the new school). It's a lot easier to take a low paid immigration attorney position when you have little or no-debt than it is when you have $150k+ in debt. You also most likely won't need to be putting in 12 hour work days.

Yes, but so damn scared to sit out OCI.

Why on earth would you sit out OCI?

Because there won't be immigration firms there.

Go to OCI, get an offer, but keep applying to immigration firms.

Better to have a backup plan

+1.

[NYSprague]

Yes, but so damn scared to sit out OCI.

Why on earth would you sit out OCI?

This would be extremely stupid. This is the only time in your life firms will be lining up to talk to you. You need a job. Do OCI. You might find firms you enjoy.

[Anonymous User]

There are several biglaw firms that have immigration practices within them, but they're not something that they are looking to hire directly for and tend to be very small. I think your best bet might be to get into one of those firms and hope to be able to eventually enter that field and do some work for them . . . .

This.

That's a bad plan if you really want immigration. Small niche practices are not easy to work your way into. You'd better off trying to work for a high end immigration botique.

I'm the anon quoted. Yes it's not a good plan if you are immigration or bust, but if your priority is biglaw with the chance of immigration, I think it's the only thing that makes sense.

[unclepete]

Go to OCI, get an offer, but keep applying to immigration firms.

Better to have a backup plan

My concerns are twofold:

1. If I take my focus off of immigration, I`ll make it harder on myself to lock something down in the field. If I get an offer after OCI, I would have to accept or decline before I know if I`ll have other options.
2. I`ll be swooned by dat $ and never look back

I should add that I`m trying to clerk at the immigration court after school, which is technically a federal clerkship. I suppose BigLaw next summer would help me obtain this? Or should I be gunning for, say, the DOJ Summer Intern program in DC?

I realize how all over the place I am, haha.

[NYSprague]

Go to OCI, get an offer, but keep applying to immigration firms.

Better to have a backup plan

My concerns are twofold:

1. If I take my focus off of immigration, I`ll make it harder on myself to lock something down in the field. If I get an offer after OCI, I would have to accept or decline before I know if I`ll have other options.
2. I`ll be swooned by dat $ and never look back

I should add that I`m trying to clerk at the immigration court after school, which is technically a federal clerkship. I suppose BigLaw next summer would help me obtain this? Or should I be gunning for, say, the DOJ Summer Intern program in DC?

I realize how all over the place I am, haha.

Let me make this clear: you need a job. OCI is the only time firms,ready to hire, will come to you. You seem to underestimate how difficult it is to get any job. Limiting yourself to big law immigration is a direct path to unemployment.

You should know how few visas there are every year. It isn't profitable for most big law firms.

Fwiw, all big law firms do immigration pro bono work. I have done some asylum work myself.

At the very least, do OCI as if you want a job to get interview practice and to learn about big law firms. It is stupid to throw this opportunity away. You might find a firm you like.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Go to OCI, get an offer, but keep applying to immigration firms.

Better to have a backup plan

My concerns are twofold:

1. If I take my focus off of immigration, I`ll make it harder on myself to lock something down in the field. If I get an offer after OCI, I would have to accept or decline before I know if I`ll have other options.
2. I`ll be swooned by dat $ and never look back

I should add that I`m trying to clerk at the immigration court after school, which is technically a federal clerkship. I suppose BigLaw next summer would help me obtain this? Or should I be gunning for, say, the DOJ Summer Intern program in DC?

I realize how all over the place I am, haha.

Doing biglaw won't help you get an IJ clerkship after graduation (though that's only a temporary job, as I understand it). Try to get immigration experience; clerking for an IJ through SLIP would be very helpful (and if you get SLIP you even get paid, a little). Depending where you are, there are small firms that do immigration (including business), but they're not going to follow the biglaw hiring model, so you have to be willing to risk bypassing that to take on that kind of experience. (Not saying whether you should or shouldn't bypass biglaw; you have to decide that for yourself.)

[unclepete]

Go to OCI, get an offer, but keep applying to immigration firms.

Better to have a backup plan

My concerns are twofold:

1. If I take my focus off of immigration, I`ll make it harder on myself to lock something down in the field. If I get an offer after OCI, I would have to accept or decline before I know if I`ll have other options.
2. I`ll be swooned by dat $ and never look back

I should add that I`m trying to clerk at the immigration court after school, which is technically a federal clerkship. I suppose BigLaw next summer would help me obtain this? Or should I be gunning for, say, the DOJ Summer Intern program in DC?

I realize how all over the place I am, haha.

Doing biglaw won't help you get an IJ clerkship after graduation (though that's only a temporary job, as I understand it). Try to get immigration experience; clerking for an IJ through SLIP would be very helpful (and if you get SLIP you even get paid, a little). Depending where you are, there are small firms that do immigration (including business), but they're not going to follow the biglaw hiring model, so you have to be willing to risk bypassing that to take on that kind of experience. (Not saying whether you should or shouldn't bypass biglaw; you have to decide that for yourself.)

Thanks for the info! I can't seem to find a thread on SLIP, but I know I've seen a lot of them in the past. Is SLIP transfer-friendly?