The immigrant experience remains one of great challenges, trials and tribulations, no matter the time period or socioeconomic circumstances of the immigrant. Over the years, movies have captured countless stories showcasing one or many aspects of the immigrant experience, from the early days of immigration to America, to the present day, where immigrants face new, yet not entirely different, challenges to those preceding them in the journey. 

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While we often see that movies take creative liberties when it comes to portraying cultures or adapting a book, all of these movies show a different aspect of the immigrant experience by helping us remember that immigration is a uniquely individual experience, one that is life-changing for those going through it and for the communities they later join. 

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Here are fifteen movies that, in one way or another, illustrate the experience of an immigrant or an immigrant group or family. 

The Godfather II (1974)

Surprised to see a movie about a Mafia boss on this list? While this is a different angle to consider when it comes to immigration, there is one very important aspect about immigration that the two first Godfather films portray very well: how the network you leave at your country of origin, as well as the community you join in your new country, become your support system and a stepping stone to make your own way in your new country. In addition to the emphasis that the movie places in the cohesion of their family unit on the Corleone’s success in maintaining their empire, The Godfather II chronicles the Corleone’s story in America, starting with their first Corleones coming to New York by way of Ellis Island, the main port of entry for Italian immigrants in the early 20th century. We recommend watching The Godfather I first, of course, for context on the Corleones and Marlon Brando’s masterful portrayal of Vito Corleone, the family patriarch. 

The Terminal (2004)

This Steven Spielberg movie is based on the true story of Mehram Karimi Nasseri, who passed away a few months ago at the airport he spent decades calling his home. Nasseri, the real-life person, spent decades stuck at Charles de Gaulle airport, because of “legal hurdles to prove his refugee status”. In the fictional version, the main character, played by Tom Hanks, who flies to New York from Eastern Europe, gets stuck at John F. Kennedy airport in New York City after a coup in his (fictional) country renders him stateless, as no one recognizes his passport as valid. Hanks’ character, Viktor, must then wait at the airport until he is allowed to officially enter the United States, and makes his home at the airport. Over time, he becomes friends with multiple members of the airport staff, and he makes a living thanks to the kindness of others. 

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This movie is a great reminder of the uncertainty, and long waits, that characterize the immigrant experience. It’s also a good reminder of how, even when an immigrant has done everything right, something out of their hands could upend their status. 

Coming to America (1988)

This comedy, where Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall play multiple roles each, tells the story of Akeem, played by Murphy, the prince of a fictional African country, who’s used to an extremely lavish lifestyle. However, Akeem is unhappy with the bride that has been arranged for him, and wants to find a wife he can marry for her intelligence and whom he can respect. In order to do this without his royal status getting in the way, Akeem and his best friend Semmi, played by Hall, embark on an adventure to go “undercover” in New York City and live a normal life. Akeem insists on living as far removed from his royal lifestyle as possible, and goes as far as moving to a less-than-desirable part of Queens, taking a minimum-wage job, and posing as an exchange student in hopes of finding someone who will love him for who he is and not his riches and status as heir of the fictional country of Zamuda. 

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Bearing in mind that this movie is a comedy and Murphy’s comedic style can be rather bombastic, Coming to America does show how many immigrants are unable to access better opportunities upon immigrating to the United States and how low-skill industries such as the service industry rely on immigrant labor. 

The Namesake (2006)

Based on the book by Jhumpa Lahiri, which we also recommend, this movie explores the immigrant experience from the first and second-generation perspective, as it shows how Gogol, the main character, struggles with his dual identity as an Indian as an American, and wants to fit in with American society and culture. At the same time, the movie explores the story of Gogol’s parents, who immigrated to the United States in the 1960s shortly after their wedding in an arranged marriage. Over time, Gogol begins exploring his heritage with more interest, and building a more balanced sense of identity between his two cultures. In this particular case, the movie is directed by an Indian-American who could personally relate to some of the experiences and cultural traits of the story’s characters. 

Gangs of New York (2002)

This movie is based on a nonfiction book published in the late 1920s and named like the movie. Set on the Five Points neighborhood of New York around the early 1860s, Gangs of New York focuses on Irish Americans as a major group of immigrants in New York City, as well as others that were, at the time, considered as “less than”, yet could establish a level of superiority over other groups, made possible by the rampant corruption that dictates which ethnic group becomes the dominant one in Five Points. The movie also displays the tensions between “Natives”, or those American-born, whether they are of immigrant origin or not, and first-generation immigrants. This movie shows a level of violence between ethnic groups we hope is a thing of the past; however, the way it shows tensions that go beyond ethnic-based reasonings, including religious differences between immigrant groups, and tensions reflecting the prevailing political and social tensions of the society at large. 

Avalon (1990)

This film focuses on experience of a Jewish immigrant family in the 20th century and brings up some themes that may be common to the immigrant experience in general, such as the multigenerational struggles of maintaining close links to traditions and culture of the home country, the feelings of trepidation that some levels of assimilation may bring to immigrant families, such as incorporating American holidays, and the disconnect between older and younger generations over not speaking their native language. However, Avalon also addresses the grief immigrants often experience when the ties to the home they left behind begin to loosen, for a number of reasons. When thinking about watching Avalon, we should not ignore the lingering effects of the Holocaust on the main family portrayed, while chasing a better life in a new country with a high level of abundance. 

Moscow on the Hudson (1984)

In this romantic, dramatic comedy, the immigrant experience is illustrated through defection. A musician visiting the United States from Soviet Russia decides to defect and stay in the United States, which he decides to do while visiting a department store. The movie focuses on the stark differences Vladimir, played by Robin Williams, notices between his Soviet home during the time of the Cold War, and the seemingly paradise-like conditions of the United States, where everything seems attainable as long as you work for it. In line with a comedy starring Robin Williams, the process of requesting asylum in the United States, and even deciding to defect, is riddled with comical situations Vladimir creatively gets out of. As time goes by, though, Vladimir realizes that life in America isn’t as dreamy as he envisioned it to be initially. 

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While the movie gets criticism for a pro-American portrayal informed by the prevailing conservative politics of the time, an endearing moment in the movie comes through the oath new citizens recite in naturalization ceremonies. 

The Immigrant (2014)

Another story based on an immigrant in the early 20th century, The Immigrant tells the story of Ewa, a Polish immigrant who arrived at Ellis Island, initially with her sister; upon initial entry, the sisters get separated, and Ewa ends up in New York City and becomes a victim of exploitation. The power of this movie goes beyond a story of someone who falls prey to false promises and needs to find a way out of difficult situations. Indeed, the Immigrant explores Ewa’s experiences living amongst other immigrants in harrowing conditions, the psychological and physical toll that the hard choices that come with being a poor immigrant carry, and in the midst of it, how Ewa reconnects with parts of her heritage she had been disengaged from, including her religion and her ethnic traditions. 

An American Tail (1986)

This is the only animated movie on our list, telling the story of Fivel as an immigrant leaving the “gloom and doom” of his Russian town to go to a land of opportunity…and loads of cheese. This is, of course, a children’s movie, so it will not show the starkest difficulties of the immigrant experience at its most dark and gloomy. However, it does show Fivel missing his family, adapting to a new country, and realizing that the idealized version of America that he came looking for was a figment of his imagination. Given that it’s a children’s movie, it does, unsurprisingly, have a happy ending. 

Maria Full of Grace (2004)

We’ve chosen this movie as an example of a film showcasing the story of an immigrant driven by desperation. Maria, a young Colombian woman working in a flower packing plant, becomes pregnant and, in an attempt to find better options for herself and her child, gets involved in smuggling drugs into the United States. Instead of relying on stereotypes, Maria Full of Grace focuses on Maria’s ability to be quick on her feet to figure things out using common sense. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert praises the movie’s focus on how poverty affects immigrants before and after they immigrate by emphasizing that “Marston has made a film that understands and accepts poverty without the need to romanticize or exaggerate it”, and how this movie steps away from the Hollywood tendency to “simplify the world for moviegoers by pretending evil is generated by individuals, not institutions”. 

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

This story is set in the mid-1960s and stars Icelandic artist Björk as Selma, a Czechoslovakian immigrant who moves to the US with the goal of making enough money to afford the surgery that will spare her young son from going blind, as she is, due to a hereditary disease. Selma performs a dangerous job that becomes even more dangerous due to her declining eyesight, and due to her strong focus on securing the funds for the surgery, will at times risk her safety to make enough money. Selma derives great joy from musicals, which bring a respite from her extremely difficult life, and become an additional activity she engages in. 

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This movie touches on multiple possible facets of the immigrant experience this movie depicts: challenges in accessing healthcare, needing to work multiple jobs to the detriment of their wellbeing to make ends meet, and lack of opportunities for leisure, among others.  

Stranger Than Paradise (1984)

This indie movie showcases a view of the idealized country (in this case, the United States) from the eyes of visitors coming from a different country and culture. Willie and Eddie, the main character, host Willie’s Hungarian cousin Eva, and the three of them embark on a road trip where Eva, initially wanting very simple American pleasures, finds similarities between America and her home, enough to make herself comfortable and find comfort in the perceived bleakness of both places for different reasons. 

A Better Life (2005)

A Better Life tells the story of an undocumented immigrant working as a gardener in Los Angeles. As is the reality for millions of undocumented immigrants, the fear of being deported and separated from his family looms large for the main character. Carlos Galindo’s main focus is, as the movie title indicates, to provide “a better life” for his son. As part of this effort, Carlos works hard to maintain his job, support his family, and at the same time, keep his son away from the influence of gangs in the East Los Angeles area where they live. Father and son bond further after Carlos’ truck is stolen and later resold, which attracts the attention of the police, threatening Carlos’ immigration status. 

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This is a film that primarily focuses on the human side of the story of undocumented immigrants, and the great sacrifices they make in their pursuit of a better life for their families than the ones they have or have had. 

Minari (2021)

Minari is the story of a Korean-American family in the 1980s that moves to Arkansas after living in California. Minari, which is the Korean word for a leafy green that roughly translates to water celery. Farming minari is the initial motivation for the family to move to Arkansas; the father, following his entrepreneurial spirit, struggles to get the farming operation off the ground, and the mother, isolated from what she knows and her former community in the West, isn’t convinced this is the right move for the family. The children, integrated into American culture, receive a shock when their grandmother moves in with them and with her, the old-country ways that the kids are not used to. This, like other movies, brings the inter-generational situations that are at times comical and at other times, reflect the struggle of immigrants to stay connected to their cultures back home and integrate into American culture. An endearing example of this intergenerational exchange happens when one of the children introduces grandma to the soft drink Mountain Dew, while grandma teaches the children a game riddled with Korean swear words. The director draws on his own experiences as a Korean-American growing up in Arkansas to illustrate life for the main family, touching on the cultural differences that can be found at times within the same family, and among neighbors of different ethnicities and cultures, without over-generalizing. 

In America (2002)

This movie is set in New York City in the 1980s and focuses on an Irish family which immigrates to the United States without legal status while grieving the death of a child. They find themselves in a community of immigrants, where they bond with a kind neighbor and find hope and wonder in the city itself and the possibilities it affords them, with special emphasis on the remaining two children in the family. Most of the movie focuses on the family’s situation from a child’s perspective, and serves as an example of how it’s possible for white immigrants to face similar challenges from discrimination as their counterparts of color. 

Streamline and automate your immigration law firm with Docketwise

Art imitates life, and these movies are simply a small sample of stories showcasing the immigrant experience, one that as an immigration lawyer you may be familiar with, yet find new, inspiring stories amongst your clients every day. 

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The role of technology to help immigration lawyers reach their goals is, in our view, crucial. Docketwise streamlines and automates the administrative parts of immigration - from client intake to invoicing to form filling - and helps immigration lawyers focus on what’s most important: supporting clients.

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From a full library of immigration forms to client questionnaires in multiple languages to an industry-leading set of API integrations, we help our users stay up to date on cases, communicate easily with clients, and otherwise build and manage their practice.

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If you want to learn more about Docketwise, schedule a demo at the link below, or sign up for our Immigration Briefings newsletter for daily and weekly immigration updates!

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Over the past decade, emerging technologies have significantly impacted nearly all modern-day industries. And even though outsiders’ first instinct about the traditionally “old school” law industry might suggest otherwise, law firms, particularly immigration law firms and practitioners, have not been untouched by the new digital-first world.

As an immigration lawyer yourself, you know this first hand. You probably also have a personal experience that running an immigration law firm productively and efficiently is challenging, and peace of mind is not easily attainable. With so many hoops to jump through, and the wildly varying cases with clients, even for the most seasoned immigration law practitioners, it can be challenging to stay on track. This is where the benefits of case management software indeed arise on the surface and help to increase the efficiency and team productivity of immigration law firms of all sizes.

Besides, nowadays, when most immigration law firms are conducting plenty of their operations online, first and foremost, because most of their client bases consist of individuals from all across the world, it makes perfect sense to function on an all-in-one online platform where both you and your clients can store, share, and manage case data in an almost fully automated fashion. 

From document management and creation and promoting collaboration to automated invoicing and conducting client payments more systematically, the benefits of case management software that comes with the successful implementation of a professional case management solution 100% focused on immigration law for your law firm are many. 

In this piece, we’ll explore how effective case management benefits your law firm by making your in-house processes more efficient and increasing your firm’s productivity.

Automating Various Tasks And Procedures

First and foremost, with dedicated immigration case management software like Docketwise in place, you and your in-house lawyers and paralegals will no longer need to perform dull, repetitive tasks, such as form filling, document tracking, data entry, and vetting. Instead, Docketwise comprises intelligent process automation that can take human-like care of numerous tedious administrative tasks and processes with the highest level of accuracy.

Being cloud-based, you can store and retrieve a vast repository of client data on demand and generate documents and forms based on your client’s most recent and relevant information dynamically. And if a given immigration case requires any additional information on behalf of the client, the case management software will automatically request the needed information from the client, allowing you and your employees to spend more of your valuable time on more mindful, challenging matters that require legal expertise to help your clients rather than doing mindless clerical work.

Facilitating Data Management

Furthermore, specialized software for immigration case management benefits law firms by enabling them to collect, store, and manage clients’ data properly by permitting the users (both lawyers and clients) to log into the system and fill out their forms online, thus streamlining the initiation and processing of cases.

Let’s review how reaping the benefits of case management software like Docketwise can aid your data management efforts with a real-time example. Back in the day, the initial step of each immigration case was to have your clients write down a broad scope of private information, many of which would prove useless in their specific case. This process used to be time-consuming and error-prone, demanding everything from past employment documents to spousal details and current citizenship status.   

Nowadays, one of the most immediate benefits of case management software is that you can simplify the information assemblage procedure and data management by mailing personalized questionnaires to your clients regarding their needed information about the case. By providing each client with a single questionnaire, you can ask them to provide you with the required documents and information tailored to their case, implying that they will only have to give you the genuinely needed stuff and nothing more. 

These questionnaires also come with a multilingual functionality, indicating they can be toggled into whichever language (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, Chinese, and more) your client is most comfortable using. This data management feature will significantly reduce the effort and time required to collect relevant client information, increasing your operations' efficiency and productivity.   

Improving Communication With Clients

Nowadays, all legal firms that specialize in immigration law guarantee, or at least they state so, that they offer round-the-clock assistance for their clients. However, delivering prompt feedback on their ongoing immigration cases is challenging. It involves scouring through official data sources and verifying details about the delay or backlog in processing visas and other types of paperwork for immigrants. 

Although dealing with these inquiries can be arduous manually, an immigration case management program can address them better and semi-automatedly in the dedicated client portal. By enabling your immigration lawyers to communicate directly with their clients through Docketwise's client portal, you effectively minimize the chances for any misinterpretation and enhance the overall legal proceedings' management. 

Additionally, utilizing a client portal within the case management system for communication purposes facilitates tracking communication history, such as chat logs, which is yet another example of how software for case management benefits law firms to become more efficient in their workflow.

Organizing And Delegating Cases To Employees With Ease

In addition to streamlining the creation of forms, immigration legal case management software has the added benefit of serving as a comprehensive case management platform. This software typically includes various administrative vital features that enable law companies to organize their workload easily.

One such feature is the ability to assign cases to specific team members, ensuring each member understands their responsibilities. In addition, time-sensitive assignments can be posted with due dates, activating automatic reminders as the deadlines approach, ensuring that crucial deadlines are never missed.

Case management software also permits immigration lawyers to take notes on each case, helping to track important details and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. All this information is stored in one centralized platform, making it easy to access and manage. In addition, the multipurpose functionality of this software means that lawyers do not have to swap between different systems or platforms while doing their work, thus simplifying the workflow and saving significant amounts of time.

In addition to these features, case management software's other benefits include the possibility of incorporating reporting capabilities that allow law firms to track their cases' status and measure their processes' effectiveness. By providing this level of visibility, immigration software like Docketwise empowers law firms to make data-driven decisions and optimize their workflows for maximum efficiency.

Overall, the benefits of using immigration software as a case management platform to organize and delegate your cases to employees are numerous. From streamlining workload organization to providing reporting capabilities and everything in between, this software offers a comprehensive solution to manage immigration cases efficiently and effectively.

Providing Superior Team Collaboration

Communication between team members can often be a challenging task, particularly in sizeable legal immigration firms that simultaneously operate both online and offline. However, utilizing software for case management benefits law firms by facilitating communication among team members with ease. 

The software's internal case-specific chat feature allows instant status updates and requests for additional information and ensures that all communication is preserved for future reference. This transparency in communication is beneficial not only for immigration law practitioners but also for clients and beneficiaries. 

With the entire case history displayed in a single view, it becomes easier to track the case's progress and view the steps performed by every user involved. This provides a quick and efficient way to assess the status of each client case.

In addition, the possibility of creating customizable workflows allows immigration law professionals to configure mandatory or optional steps at various levels, ensuring that the necessary steps are taken at the appropriate time. This feature can be particularly useful in ensuring that all the required steps are followed and that nothing falls through the cracks.

Storing Client And Firm Information Safely On The Cloud

Last but not least, in addition to the benefits discussed earlier, another significant advantage of professional immigration software like Docketwise is the availability of cloud-based storage, which essentially means that you and your team of lawyers will be able to access your cases anytime from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection. Unlike traditional in-house servers or physical storage, cloud-based case management software offers a secure online home for firms to store their cases.

This secure online storage is available only via password-protected logins, which can be given to all partners, associates, professionals, and office clerks assigned to the case. This feature provides immigration professionals with user-friendly and convenient client data and information storage.

This cloud-based storage solution also eliminates the need to be physically present in the office, enabling lawyers to work remotely while maintaining quick access to all necessary case information. In addition, they can access the software from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection.

Nevertheless, lawyers must select an immigration case management software that utilizes a highly-trusted cloud encryption protocol, such as Docketwise’s Amazon S3, to ensure their data is managed with the most excellent care possible. By using this emerging technology, different individuals in an immigration law firm can access case information from any location, making it easier for teams to collaborate and manage their cases more efficiently.

Final Words

Utilizing the benefits of case management software like Docketwise to achieve workflow automation and make the law firm more efficient and productive is crucial for any immigration law firm that wants to stay competitive and profitable in today's fast-paced legal practice industry. 

As the legal industry is heading toward a future of workflow automation, firms must embrace this change to remain competitive. Put differently, if your firm fails to automate its processes, it risks falling behind its main competitors and losing clients to immigration professionals who are already enjoying most case management benefits for their everyday operations and processes and achieving better efficiency and productivity internally and externally.

To avoid that, we recommend you contact our sales reps and schedule a demo for Docketwise's full version to see firsthand how, with our solution's help, you can rest assured that your practice will become streamlined, digitized, and automated in no time! Also, don't forget to sign up for our free Immigration Briefings newsletter to receive all updates regarding immigration law daily or weekly.

Are you interested in learning about the latest developments in immigration law? We have two live streams in March that touch two prime areas.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Immigration Law Practice

Date: March 23rd (2:00 PM EST)

A panel discussion including: 

• Jared Jaskot - Legal AI Entrepreneur and founder of YoTengoBot
• Roman Zelichenko, JD - Laborless and GMI Rocket
• James Pittman - Co-founder of Docketwise

This live stream will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and immigration law practice. Join us as we discuss how AI is revolutionizing the legal industry and how it can help immigration attorneys provide better service to their clients. Whether you're an attorney, law student, or just interested in the latest legal tech, this live stream is for you. Don't miss the chance to learn about the future of immigration law practice!

Celebrating Women's Progress in Immigration Law and Confronting Remaining Challenges

Date: March 30th (2:00 PM EST)

Join Docketwise Co-Founder James Pittman and attorney Lourdes Fuentes, CEO of Sanabria & Associates, for an in-depth discussion on celebrating women's progress in immigration law and confronting remaining challenges.

The second live stream will celebrate the progress women have made in the field of immigration law while also acknowledging the remaining challenges they face. From fighting for the rights of asylum seekers to advocating for family reunification, women are making a real difference in the lives of immigrants. Join us as we hear from prominent women in the area and learn about their groundbreaking work. This live stream is perfect for anyone who wants to be inspired by women's incredible work in immigration law.

Take advantage of these two exciting live streams! Sign up today to gain valuable insights and participate in the conversation around the future of immigration law.

As many traditional industries are grabbing hold of the accelerated pace of technology, labor-intensive industries are the perfect early market examples of how companies utilized and used tech innovations to their advantage.  

We can take the customer service industry as an example — contact centers and in-house customer service teams were not afraid to implement tools with artificial intelligence-enabled features, like chatbots and call coaching, right out of the gate.

Working as a lawyer, you’ve probably already heard the persistent allegations that legal professionals are technologically stuck in their ways. But it’s an unfair assumption. 

For one, both solo law practitioners and law firms these days look at their professional activities through a business prism compared to just a decade ago, meaning that legal professionals are now “all-in” in identifying and implementing different types of business and tech solutions that help them increase their firm’s bottom line. 

For instance, much of the work that first and second-year law associates typically perform is now fully outsourced or automated through various tech tools made exclusively with law practitioners in mind.

Sophisticated software and technology for lawyers are already making a significant difference in lawyers’ lives, particularly in practice areas like immigration law. Despite the benefits of using these tools, which will only become more helpful in the years to come, some practitioners still find them overhyped and overvalued. However, what is sufficiently clear is that these current trends will drastically change the profession for the better. 

Nowadays, when law practice technology takes severe progress in worldwide implementation, immigration law practitioners are eager to invest in immigration law practice technology to overcome the challenges of productivity demands and increased workflow on smaller budgets. Are you ready to undergo a tech-driven change and unlock your practice’s full potential? 

Change is already happening in this industry known for traditional and customary working methods. As we’re witnessing the ongoing transformation in the law sector and its shift toward digital, let’s see why immigration and technology go hand in hand and how technology for immigration lawyers can help you solve some of your most intricate problems.

Exploiting The Potential Of Sophisticated Technology For Lawyers

As a dedicated immigration professional, your life is full of occupation-related challenges. You deal with clients worldwide and need to stay on top of ever-changing immigration policies and complex legal requirements, all while fulfilling a tremendously important community need.

In addition, many of your prospective clients typically live overseas, sometimes even in remote areas, far away from the U.S., and find it challenging to pay standard domestic legal fees. So, how can you serve these clients, expand their access to justice, and stay on top of policy changes while continuing to grow and improve your practice? 

Easy, you can do this by learning how to exploit the potential of immigration practice technology for lawyers and automating many of your processes. Achieving legal automation by implementing this technology is a powerful tool that allows independent immigration lawyers and immigration law firms to transform their workflows and workloads and revolutionize their operations. 

In greater detail, implementing such technology for lawyers can help you streamline and automate complex procedures associated with  immigration, such as:

• creating forms and legal documents based on clients’ details in real-time; 
• submitting  applications on behalf of your clients;
• keeping tabs on all current cases;
• accessing a gigantic warehouse of client data from virtual storage;
• drafting financial documents, and more. 

Once you embrace technology and automate most of the manual processes, you will indeed reap the benefits of the evolving technology for lawyers by eliminating the labor-intensive tasks and reducing the overall costs associated with running an immigration law practice. 

This means reduced errors associated with manually processing paperwork, expedited immigration case management processes, managing deadlines more effectively, and improved overall communication between you—the immigration legal professionals—and your clients.

The more time you have to focus on important immigration legal issues rather than administrative duties helps ensure that you give your best when representing each client’s case without compromising the standard of excellence and that you’re ready to take your office to the next level!

The Most Notable Benefits Of Using Evolving Immigration Technology For Attorneys And Their Clients

The utilization of all-in-one immigration and case management software technology to streamline operational workflows can undoubtedly put many benefits on the table for immigration legal professionals and their respective clients. 

The most notable advantages for immigration lawyers include significantly lessened workloads, boosted efficiency, enhanced compliance and accuracy, and overall cost and time savings.

On the other hand, clients also benefit from adopting such legal technology tools in numerous ways. For example, automated legal services leave room for more transparency in immigration process operations on behalf of the lawyers. This way, the clients can enjoy increased oversight of their cases and know how long each procedure takes. Likewise, clients can access and change their data and information fast and attach additional required documents, making it more manageable for both parties to update and be aware of crucial information on time.

Implementing such legal practice management technology can benefit everyone because it can streamline and simplify workflow procedures while simultaneously promoting collaboration and improving professional accuracy. Here’s how it is done in greater detail: 

Enhanced Efficiency In Providing Immigration Legal Services

First things first, the benefits of the technology for immigration lawyers are most evident in the enhanced efficiency and productivity in the actual delivery of professional immigration legal support and services. By enacting an all-in-one immigration legal practice technology solution that brings everything you need in one place, you will reduce the time devoured on routine administrative tasks and be able to focus on more complicated case-related legal subjects that mandate your legal team and your expertise. 

For example, by simply utilizing the electronic signature technology found in the best immigration solutions, you can eradicate much of the manual office work and “back-and-forths” that come with signing immigration documents and save a substantial amount of time. This will not only help you accelerate document handling, but it will also help you ensure the authenticity and integrity of all client documents through your work processes.

Simultaneously, this will allow you to deliver a more elevated level of legal immigration service, providing clients with way more fair value for their money. In addition, as all of your processes will become digitally merged into a single platform, you and your coworkers will have access to your client’s current data, making informed decisions about your clients' cases faster and with complete accuracy.

Superior Document Management 

Next in line, with the implementation of specialized technology for immigration lawyers, you also get document management automation. This robust operational tool will streamline documentation-related workflows and increase your in-house efficiencies. Automating this operation means enhanced data access, better organization, and significantly greater protection of clients’ files and documents. 

As you can guess, there are multiple benefits associated with automating document management operations: 

• You get streamlined updates. Document and file automation ensure quicker updates when modifications occur. You can update client files and documents to all concerned parties without the need for re-entries or typing multiple interpretations of the exact file. Automated document management provides true-to-life document control by monitoring and staying on top of each file's edits and corrections. 
• Significantly advanced searchability options. With immigration law practice technology in place, your documents will become simpler to locate with phrases and keywords rather than depending on human memory or the old-fashioned paper archiving systems. This will increase the efficiency of your office by allowing you and your coworkers to quickly find the needed details for a client’s case from any gadget at any time or place.
• Substantially increased security efforts. Unlike hard-copy files, digital records can be conveniently protected via password protection or encryption within your immigration and technology software. This effectively reduces the unwanted hazard of unauthorized admission or mismanagement of delicate materials.

Streamlining The Communication Efforts With Clients And Vice Versa

In the era of the internet and social media platforms, modern immigration lawyers must be equipped with different instruments to diversify their communication efforts with their respected clients, following their client's needs. 

Implementing a specialized immigration practice technology for lawyers will allow you to achieve that and give you the ability to communicate with your clients from remote locations and not only from your office, which will improve the overall productiveness of your law immigration practice.

By harnessing the power of evolving technology for lawyers, you can reach your clients wherever and whenever you need and vice versa. By setting aside a portion of your yearly budget and equipping your law practice with a professional immigration technology solution like Docketwise, you can truly reap the benefits of this evolving technology and make complete client-lawyer contact and communication much more accessible and efficient.

Simplifying Case Management

Lastly, as the demands of modern-day immigration law offices continue to rise, digital case management technology for lawyers is stepping up to fulfill the challenge. Nowadays, when the link between immigration and technology is stronger than ever, these tech-driven solutions can allow you to automate all in-house functions associated with case management. 

The most notable automated processes with the proper law practice technology include managing documents and client files, organizing and arranging contact lists, entering billing data, scheduling important dates, and other associated ongoing processes. In addition, you can store all relevant client data in a centralized database, from where you can access, retrieve, and share any necessary information quickly. 

And for the client, irrespective of whether they opt to go with a solo immigration practitioner or a renowned immigration law firm, they have much sounder odds of winning their case if the practitioner relies on evolving technology to get the job done.

Final Words: Docketwise Is The Way Forward! 

In the end, as you continue introducing novel legal technology into your immigration law practice, remember that Docketwise is a one-stop solution to streamlining and automating the administrative matters of your work—from client intake to form filling to invoicing and more. 

From a comprehensive library of client questionnaires to updated immigration forms in multiple international languages to industry-leading API integrations and a dedicated CRM system, Docketwise is the way forward for achieving law firm growth! 

If you want to learn more about how Docketwise works and how it can help you take your immigration law office to the next level, don’t hesitate to schedule a demo.

Millions of people apply for admittance to the U.S. each year with hopes and dreams of brighter and better days ahead. Sure, starting over in a new country takes a lot of work. For that reason, nonprofit immigration organizations exist in the first place to make the process more manageable by providing essential services that provide support and stability throughout the entire immigration application process.

According to recent studies' latest trends and findings, more and more individuals will pursue immigration services to the United States, including asylum. Eligible immigrants and their children constitute up to 88% of the United States inhabitants' growth by the year 2065. Moreover, with the latest developments in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, up to 5 million Ukrainians are actively pursuing asylum outside their country, many of which will eventually end up in the United States immigration program. 

So, if you have or work for some of the U.S. nonprofit immigration organizations that closely work with refugees and immigrants, the time is now to roll up your sleeves and get ready for a prospective surge in need for your services. Fortunately, case management software for nonprofit organizations can make everything more accessible by helping you coordinate your immigration efforts and successfully help more individuals.

This blog post will focus on the critical benefits of nonprofit case management software to nonprofit immigration organizations, particularly those that provide legal services. But before we get there, we'll start by covering the kinds of services nonprofits can supply to genuinely help immigrants and then explain what software for non-profit organizations is.

The Range Of Services That Nonprofits Provide To Refugees And Immigrants

Regardless of the reasons behind it, the decision-making process and having the determination to emigrate to a foreign country is always a hard one that stamps the start of a complicated and knotty journey. In that regard, perhaps the most crucial phase if someone wants to immigrate to the U.S. includes applying for legal residence, typically via obtaining the so-called green card. 

However, getting approved for legal immigration usually takes months in best-case scenarios and sometimes even years. As a result of the long and complex process, while the individuals and their needy families patiently linger for their status and papers to get processed and eventually approved, many individuals are commonly faced with distress and adversity.

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Although immigrants "make up the fabric" of the United States, besides getting permitted and obtaining a green card, adjusting to their new community takes time, patience, and strong will. The absence of employment options, language barriers, and the challenges of adapting to a novel culture are just several of the obstacles most immigrants face.

Thankfully, nonprofit immigration organizations around the country exist to help ease the emotional and financial burdens that immigrants carry. While each immigration case differs from one another, here is the range of essential critical services that these nonprofit immigration organizations provide to immigrants and refugees:

• Professional legal counsel. Because steering through immigration laws and rules is not easy and could prove very hard for the prospective immigrants, many nonprofit immigration organizations specialize in immigration law and work hand in hand with immigration lawyers and law companies to assist prospective immigrants in successfully applying for U.S. residency. 
• Different types of family services. Did you know that the number of companionless children in the United States has drastically risen over the last few decades? In many instances, immigrant families who enter and live in the United States illegally live in sinister circumstances only made worse when needy families get broken up across state borders. Nonprofit immigration organizations and government agencies are frequently liable for caring for unaccompanied children and migrant youth.
• Food pantries. With the significant expenses associated with working with immigration professional attorneys and the application process of moving to a new place altogether, many immigrant families can’t afford necessities, including food. Luckily, many nonprofit immigration organizations run food pantries that make food accessible to immigrants regardless of status.
• They are providing job placement opportunities. With the help of government employment programs, nonprofits aid immigrants, including undocumented ones and not-qualified immigrants, to seek and apply for a job position in the United States. They are providing job placement opportunities. Many nonprofits also provide labor training, language assistance, and pro-development possibilities. 
• Supply affordable housing. As you probably already know, finding an inexpensive home in the United States is sometimes challenging, even for United States citizens. Needless to point out, it’s ten times more difficult for immigrants and refugees. Many nonprofit immigration organizations help prospects locate affordable, safe housing.

Now that you better understand the range of services nonprofits provide to refugees and immigrants in the U.S., we can focus on how specialized software for nonprofit organizations can help their cause and work. So let’s start by explaining what software for nonprofit organizations is and what it puts on the table for such organizations. 

What Is Immigration Software For Nonprofit Organizations? 

There are two primary types of case management software for nonprofit organizations and law practice management software for law practitioners and firms. While the two have numerous similarities, minor differences are worth noting. 

Traditional immigration case management software like Docketwise, utilized mainly by individual immigrant law practitioners and law firms, concentrates on client tracking, form preparation, and reporting and monitoring of immigrant documentation. However, as steering through the many rules of immigration law is often challenging even for very experienced immigration lawyers, this software provides a safe platform where, with the help of their paralegals, lawyers can assess their cases' status and communicate with their clients. The core segments of the best immigrant law case management tools like Docketwise include complete document management and keeping client files, appointment scheduling, client portal, and customer relationship management (CRM).

On the other hand, while software for nonprofit organizations also helps coordinate cases, it's generally employed to follow which services are delivered to clients and how they impact their lives. Put differently, nonprofit case management software offers an all-in-one solution for storing client data and facilitates service delivery. The fundamental features of the best software for nonprofit organizations include the capability for staff and clients to fill out documents digitally, customized reporting, the possibility to build workflows and client dashboards, and the capacity to encourage virtual case management services.  

Why Should Nonprofit Immigration Organizations Use Nonprofit Case Management Software? 

Refugees and immigration cases demand accurate and timely information handling and a full-service delivery system. In addition, as nonprofits provide numerous essential services and support to immigrants and refugees in crisis scenarios, they must be able to deploy services quickly and scale their operations in the long run. In that context, professional software for nonprofit organizations can positively influence the nonprofit's delivery of services and their financial outlook: 

• Software for nonprofit organizations can allow for faster service delivery in urgent circumstances. When inevitable crises arise, such as the 2022 conflict in Eastern Europe, nonprofit immigration organizations are often called on to respond and provide temporary assistance. Software for nonprofit organizations automates the immigration processes from initial client intake to service delivery and more. Software for nonprofit organizations automates the immigration processes from initial client intake to service delivery and more. Suppose an organization deals with paper docs and spreadsheets instead of a software solution. In that case, operating efficiently and quickly during an emergency undoubtedly have a more challenging task to act swiftly and efficiently during an emergency.
• Nonprofit case management software makes it more straightforward for organizations to obtain funding. As the Biden government is tirelessly working to deliver more significant budgets to nonprofits that help refugees and immigrants, the organization must meet all compliance regulations to qualify for funding with the ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement). Nonprofit case management software can help ensure that all suitable activities are taken timely and all records are filed on time, so the organization can avoid losing funding from state or federal agencies.

Docketwise For Immigration Law Nonprofit Organizations

However, if a given nonprofit provides professional legal representation services, counsel, and support to immigrants and refugees instead of providing other services like family services or job placement opportunities, going with a professional all-in-one immigration and case management software for lawyers like Docketwise is the way to go.

With nonprofit law organizations, there could be two apparent challenges. First, nonprofits must meet specific deliverables and metrics to secure funding. The second is that in most nonprofit law organizations, the majority of the work is done by recent law school graduates who work there as fellows and only stay in the position for a year before continuing their professional path in a law office or else, another thing that can create problems when it comes to the continuity of work.

If the nonprofit fails to implement immigration legal software like Docketwise, the organization risks losing track of its procedures for handling cases, tracking its most essential deliverables, and failing to standardize processes of information tracking and record-keeping across the team.

On the other hand, the successful implementation of immigration law software for nonprofit organizations will mean that the nonprofit can enjoy robust and efficient intake solutions, comprehensive and automated immigration legal form preparation, effective case management, automated reporting and tracking on deliverables, and an extensive database that could handle all organizational information and smooth and intuitive interface.

In Conclusion

Every individual deserves the privilege to live a good life irrespective of the place and situation they come from, something that nonprofit immigration organizations know perfectly well. So, as they work with their clients to support them in settling into their novel respective neighborhoods, they should be able to concentrate on the individuals rather than getting stumped down by clunky administrative assignments, a great deal of which could be streamlined and automated by utilizing a nonprofit case management software solution.

If you’re working for an immigration law nonprofit organization, don’t hesitate to fill out our form, schedule a demo and see how our immigration law software for nonprofit organizations can help you process more cases in less time and help more people!

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are becoming more important for companies in all industries, particularly those that strive to represent the values behind DEI at their workplace. Keeping DEI front of mind at your immigration law firm can help you support your team, attract diverse candidates, and overall lead by example by creating an inclusive culture. 

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In this article, we will define DEI, how it can benefit organizations in all industries, including law, and some ways immigration lawyers can use DEI as a guiding framework for hiring decisions and more.

What is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, commonly referred to as DEI, is a framework for social reform applied to professional environments according to the US Chamber of Commerce. To understand how to take simple and effective steps toward making your firm more diverse and inclusive, let’s look at what diversity, equity, and inclusion are on their own.  

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Diversity involves people’s “race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, (dis)ability, age, religious commitment or political perspective.”  In the immigration industry, working in diverse teams can help your firm establish trust with different communities and understand different perspectives. And as we will see further down when we discuss the benefits of DEI, a diverse work environment increases productivity and innovation and is generally perceived as a better workplace. 

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Equity “promotes justice, impartiality, and fairness within the procedure, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems.” This involves creating an environment where everyone is empowered to achieve. In your immigration law firm, that may involve treating all team members and clients with respect and ensuring your rules, policies, and processes are applied the same way to everyone. 

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Lastly, inclusion “ensures people of all diverse backgrounds are welcome and have a seat at the table.” Some examples of inclusivity at a law firm can be giving a variety of staff members the opportunity to weigh in on cases, to continue their education and advance their careers, and to influence the direction of your firm’s business, among other things.

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When you put this all together and practice it consistently, DEI creates a work environment where everyone can thrive and feel supported and welcome.

Benefits of DEI for law firms

DEI is important to bring to any business, And for staff to see the benefits, they have to see DEI principles in practice. Indeed, if you cultivate an environment where your staff feels acknowledged, supported, and received equal opportunities to succeed, that in itself is a great benefit. However, there are also clear advantages that practicing DEI creates from a business standpoint that can directly affect your firm’s success. Let’s look at some of these benefits.  

Engagement and productivity

Studies report that in firms where DEI is part of the culture, employees report being more engaged at work and rate their firms as good places to work. Immigration law strives to provide equality in opportunity and access to professionals and families, and immigrants are a source of diversity for a country. As a result, it’s likely important for those working for immigration law firms to perceive DEI as an important part of their firm’s ethos, which in turn would make them proud of their place of work and be more engaged and productive in their work.

Better financial performance

Leading human resource management company Qualtrics, citing a study by renowned business consulting firm McKinsey, looked at results from ethnically and gender-diverse firms and concluded that both saw increases in revenue due to the diversity of their staff. Other studies have concluded that diverse companies make better decisions than those that don’t benefit from decision-making in diverse environments. 

Growth

A Harvard Business Review report showed that firms that practice DEI have a high likelihood of growth, not just through getting new clients or markets but by getting more of them. This is because diversity and inclusivity create an environment where professionals are supported and encouraged to take risks and implement new initiatives, including business development and marketing initiatives. Ideas from a diverse workforce will include insights from individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, which can help you tap into clients you may not have been able to reach before.

Implementing DEI at your immigration law firm

The interest in promoting DEI in the workplace increased tremendously after a wave of social activism in 2020 in particular. Since then, resources and a general understanding of this topic have become even more available, with a range of experts now providing corporate DEI services, for example. For immigration law firms looking to implement DEI-based initiatives, here are some ways to do so at your firm visibly and effectively.

Start with areas that need attention right now

If you’re unsure of where to start or where you may need to improve, go through this checklist with your leadership team first, then with your staff to see where you notice commonalities and what people point out as the most glaring issues regarding DEI. Feedback from stakeholders will help you create meaningful action plans and address the change that those working with you see as most necessary. 

Align your immigration law firm’s mission with DEI principles

Immigration lawyers of all stripes ultimately help others. If you practice business immigration, you’re contributing to diversity among your clients’ workforce. If you practice family-based immigration, you’re contributing to the country’s diversity. Make this alignment front and center of your firm’s brand via your website and social media presence.

Hire and promote top talent from diverse backgrounds

If you’re having trouble hiring more diverse staff members, consider how you’re sourcing candidates and whether the way you advertise job openings at your immigration law firm reaches different groups of people. Additionally, supporting the professional development of all your staff members is another way to promote DEI and elevate the individuals in your firm, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

Learn more about DEI

When it comes to DEI, learning by doing goes a long way. This includes keeping lines of conversation open and learning from others that promote inclusivity and equity in business practices. For more ideas on how to do that in a small business setting, here are some easy-to-implement ideas from leading platforms, tools to test accessibility, inclusive language templates for blogs and other marketing materials, and much more.

Managing your immigration law firm with Docketwise

As your firm continues to evolve into a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and growth follows, you will need a case management platform that helps you run your business effectively. 

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With a full library of immigration forms, easy-to-use client questionnaires, and industry-leading API integrations, Docketwise assists you in managing all your immigration cases, communicating easily with your clients, and building and managing your immigration law firm. 

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If you want to learn more about Docketwise, schedule a demo at the link below, or sign up for our Immigration Briefings newsletter for daily and weekly immigration updates!

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Regardless of whether you’re considering deploying immigration case management software for the first time or thinking about switching your current solution, there is a lot you should consider before choosing the right software solution for your law firm. 

After all, selecting the best case management software for your needs could make all the difference in whether you’ll scale up your operations or not. Therefore, it’s definitely not a choice you want to make without being fully prepared and informed. 

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Making the correct choice could mean that you and your team will enjoy better-managed caseloads and finances, and foster better client communication and relationships. In addition, your firm will be able to send out bills more efficiently, capture more time, and run more smoothly than ever before. 

On the other hand, making a poor decision when it comes to selecting the best immigration case management software according to your needs could prove to be costly—both in terms of potential security risks and efficiency. 

So, how do you choose the best immigration case management software for your law firm? From our extensive experience with lawyers and thousands of law firm owners regarding their technology needs, in this informative blog post, we’ll cover the essential aspects you need to consider to ensure that the solution you opt for covers the basics and simultaneously helps you meet your immigration law firm’s objectives. 

But, before we get to that part, let’s first elaborate on why it’s absolutely necessary for your immigration-focused law firm to hop on the bandwagon and invest in a sound case management solution. 

Why Does Your Immigration Law Firm Need An Immigration Case Management Software In The First Place? 

Over the last several years, as emerging technologies have made a significant impact on almost every industry out there, immigration law firms were undoubtedly not left untouched. However, unlike ten years ago, most immigration law offices are now operating partially or fully online, an aspect that’s very important for immigration services as you do not cater only to people from your local community but to individuals from all across the world.

Likewise, as the global Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in some radical changes in the workplace, technically advanced, cloud-based case management software has come to the rescue as it enabled legal firms to manage tasks, communication, and client intake, document creation, document sharing, collaboration, invoicing, and payments in a digital, more systematic manner.

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With that in mind, the best case management software can further encourage your immigration law firm to adapt its working strategies to the new digital era in the following ways: 

• Facilitating data management. Right off the bat, the best legal management software will enable your firm to collect and properly store clients’ data. And apart from saving precious time on the data entry process, the software will also assist you in organizing and retrieving clients’ legal files, documents, and cases. 
• Improved communication. By implementing immigration case management software, you can communicate directly with your clients and first-hand track client progress, thus preventing miscommunication and improving litigation management. In addition, communicating via the case management client portal will help you keep track of communication history, much like the chat client you’re using to share with your friends.
• Task management automation. With the best case management software, your lawyers would not need to perform dull, repetitive tasks like form filling, document management, tracking, and vetting. Your chosen software should come with intelligent process automation that can easily take care of tedious administrative tasks and management processes with human-like accuracy. This way, your staff will get the valuable time back to focus on more critical and challenging tasks that require human legal expertise.
• Better deadline management. Reminders and tasks will help your immigration lawyers to manage their time better and avoid missing deadlines. Most software solutions highlight pending tasks with short deadlines, so the user never misses a thing.
• Data-driven insights for making better-informed business decisions. For immigration law firms, combing hundreds of documents and fillings in a minute can help senior partners make better, more informed decisions based on data and previous trends. Sophisticated law practice management software can help you understand patterns, plan strategies around routine functions and complex legal processes, and eventually help you make sound business decisions and enjoy better daily business operations.

6 Things To Consider When Choosing The Best Case Management Software For Your Law Firm

Cloud-Based Software Is The Way To Go 

Back in the day, most immigration law firms worked with a server-based, on-premise software solution for their law practice management needs. However, in recent years, cloud-based system solutions have come to the forefront as they need numerous benefits over their traditional server-based counterparts. Just to name a few, these advantages include:

• The ability to freely and securely access case information from just about anywhere, as the lawyer doesn’t need to be physically present in the office in order to work the case. 
• The automatic software updates and upgrades that come with cloud-based legal software help eliminate the time, cost, and pain of manual upgrades. 
• Since cloud-based legal case management software is hosted on remote, secure servers, it eliminates hardware maintenance costs.

Whichever software you go with, it’s in your firm’s best interest to confirm whether or not the software you’re about to purchase is truly a cloud-based platform. Some case management solutions claim that they’re fully cloud-based, only to require you to download the software before using it—software that may only work with particular devices, like PCs. The best case management software should be accessible from anywhere and make its key features available from any device.

Evaluate The Software’s Ease Of Use

While this might seem a bit too obvious, you’ll need to evaluate the software’s ease of use before subscribing to any of its plans. Sure, it’s super easy to get excited about a smooth interface. Still, if it takes you fifteen clicks only to complete a common task like uploading a visa permit, the software you’re looking at may make your immigration law firm less efficient instead.

When evaluating the ease of use and user experience, think about the regular daily tasks you’ll need to complete within the software when managing immigration cases, and run through how you’d complete these assignments in the software you’re evaluating. Examples of these tasks might include logging time, finding particular information about a specific case, adding notes to cases, opening a new case or adding a new contact to your system, calculating billable time tracking, billing management, billing clients, etc.

The best immigration case management software for your firm’s needs should be designed to be intuitive so that remaining organized and completing daily administrative tasks is relatively easy and within a single number of mouse button clicks. With that being said, keep an open mind and ask for a demo version or a demonstration of the software you’re interested in to see how it works and if it’s worth your investment.

Security Should Be Your No.1 Priority

Keeping your entire firm and client records and information secure and confidential is paramount for every immigration law firm. In that regard, keep in mind that some case management software solutions are safer than others, so do your due diligence and confirm that your future software vendor is prioritizing security!  

To do your due diligence and ensure that you’re selecting a 100% secure cloud-based case management provider, ask many security questions during your software evaluation process. A few things that you should examine include the following:

• Are they positive that all data is being encrypted? 
• Is the software audited by third parties to ensure security?
• Are there multiple servers to provide geographic redundancy? 

Mobile Phone Access Is A Must

Nowadays, mobile phones reign supreme. On average, Americans check their mobile phones every four minutes (that’s 344 times per day!), and as immigration lawyers, you and your team are likely no different. 

For that reason, it makes sense to go with software that will enable you to check in on your legal practices from your phone, wherever you are, so ensure that the case management software you’re about to get provides a mobile app that makes everything easier on the go.

Check If The Software Offers Robust Integrations

The best legal practice management software shouldn’t stop your firm from using the services and suite of applications you already do. The best immigration case management software solutions are designed to work seamlessly with other popular management platforms and programs so that you can keep all company information organized in a central hub without having to enter the same information into multiple apps.

Many immigration case management solutions don’t offer integrations, so make sure to speak to the vendor about this important feature before making your final decision. Luckily, Docketwise integrates with nearly all leading services and apps, including Microsoft Office 365, Quickbooks, Google Calendar, Outlook email client, Zapier, and many more.

Ask About Their Customer Support System

Last but definitely not least, you should also look into the customer support provided by the potential immigration legal case management software company. Whether you need help to sort through a workflow, run into an issue, or are just curious about how to get more out of your solution, it’s always worth checking and knowing that you’ll have a good customer experience when you reach out for answers.  

The best case management software provider should come with award-winning support departments that can make a significant difference in your experience, so don’t neglect this final consideration.

Final Thoughts

Selecting a new legal case management software for your immigration law firm can be an overwhelming and challenging task. Nevertheless, the best legal case management systems can make your immigration law firm more profitable and efficient than ever, so the effort and time it takes to evaluate a possible solution are definitely worth it.

If you’re an immigration legal professional looking for a sophisticated, flexible, cloud-based solution to help you run your firm, waste no time looking at other alternatives, and check out Docketwise. Docketwise can help you stay current on all your ongoing immigration cases, stay in touch with your clients, and help you take your immigration law firm to the next level!

It goes without saying that being separated from your family and loved ones and geographically severing family ties is never an easy thing, particularly when numerous complex immigration laws and procedures and standing in the way of your family reunification. 

The whole family based immigration process has always formed the bedrock of the United States immigration system, and the promise of reuniting with family members has motivated prospective special immigrants to make a new home in the U.S. and lawfully enter the domestic labor market. However, it’s all too common nowadays to see misconceptions arising from the media, internet sites, and political figures when it comes to family based immigration.

To begin with, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) confines the total number of family based immigration family visas that can be issued annually to foreign family members. The good news is that since President Biden took office in early January 2021, his administration has acted on several fronts to reverse the so-called “Trump-era restrictions” on immigration to the U.S. In that regard, while considerably more family-preference visas were issued in the fiscal year 2022, many of them still went underutilized because of processing delays.

All of this is adversely affecting people eligible to receive an immigrant visa and leading to further delays for the 4 million applicants waiting for a family based immigration visa number to become available. As a matter of fact, the State Department estimates that over 57,000 family-based visas went unused in 2022 out of the 226,000 made available by Biden’s administration.

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Furthermore, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) is in control of deeding immigrant visas, while the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is in charge of determining immigrant permit eligibility. This can further complicate the process for first-time applicants, a process which often requires immense perseverance, patience, commitment, and an experienced immigration and family law attorney by your side. Therefore, as you can see, even though the entire process can sometimes be discouraging, it’s essential to keep the big picture in mind.

Receiving family-based immigrant visas is not impossible if you’re well-informed on the process so that you know what to expect throughout the process. This blog post will give you a top-level understanding of how family based immigration functions in the U.S. and everything you should know about it.

Understanding The Basics Of Family Based Immigration

In a nutshell, family based immigration allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPR) to bring their family members into the United States. In fact, family based immigration is so popular within the U.S. immigration ecosystem that it’s actually the most common form of legal immigration status to the country, making up two-thirds of all immigration that happens each year. 

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Usually, the process works by permitting U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor particular family members to become green card holders. And to be fully eligible for a visa, the individual must be an immediate family member or within the family preference category of the sponsor. As you can tell, the family based immigration process includes a minimum of two family members—a petitioner and a beneficiary.

Petitioners And Beneficiaries

The petitioner needs to be a U.S. citizen or an LPR that is willing to sponsor a foreign relative for a green card, regardless of whether the relative is currently located in East Asia, Western Europe, East Africa, or else. 

On the other hand, the beneficiary is a foreign citizen relative that wants to obtain a green card to lawfully reside in the U.S. In certain situations; the beneficiary may have a spouse, minor children, adult children, and even unmarried children that may qualify as derivative beneficiaries.

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What Is The Application Process Like?

As a rule, the immigration process begins when a given petitioner files an immigration report with the U.S. government. First, the petitioner must start the process by filing a form called Form I-130, the so-called Petition for Alien Relative. 

Once the I-130 petition is approved and a visa number becomes available for the beneficiary, the family member can apply to become a green-card holder. From there, the permanent residence for the beneficiary is given through adjustment of status or consular processing.

As simple as it may sound, receiving a family based immigration visa is not a quick or easy process, and it can take years for the beneficiary to receive a visa, which is precisely why you should consult with an immigration and family law attorney before committing to a single step of the journey. 

This is particularly true for immigration efforts that involve family preference immigrants, as the wait time can be significant because of high demand and the limited number of family visas. On the flip side, immediate family members can receive their immigration visas in a shorter amount of time once they finish the extensive visa application process together with their immigrant families’ attorneys.

Why You Need Professional Legal Support During The Process

In today’s digital world of ubiquitous information, you might be wondering why—or even if—you should consult with an experienced immigration and family law attorney for your case when things like social media platforms and Google are packed with information right at your fingertips. 

Well, the current American immigration law is quite extensive and complex and continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, so keeping up with the latest laws, rules, legislation changes, and regulations is quite a task. 

And not to mention all that legal jargon you’ll have to navigate—which can be very challenging for someone with a non-English speaking background. Below, we’ll share the top reasons you should always consult with a family immigration lawyer when trying to secure that family based immigration visa.

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Extensive Knowledge And Expertise On The Matter

First things first, as immigration laws are continuously changing in the U.S., with the concerned institutions regularly introducing new family based immigration visa requirements and form updates in the latest visa bulletin, your immigration and family law attorney will come with extensive knowledge of the subject matter, regulations, and all other relevant policies and legislations involved.

Besides that, keeping abreast of the latest changes and developments is also a part of their professional responsibilities. In addition, as the whole application process can come with many unexpected hurdles that may result in the visa being delayed or refused, words can’t describe how helpful it will be for you. Whether you find yourself in the position of petitioner or beneficiary, always have a well-versed family immigration lawyer by your side to provide you with strategic options tailored to your current circumstances.

Application Accuracy 

Filling out and submitting family based immigration visa application forms is never a straightforward task and can be arduous, even in the simplest of cases. As a matter of fact, it’s not uncommon at all for family based immigration applications to be refused because of simple yet fatal mistakes and incorrect information that the applicant wasn’t aware of at the time of filing out the form.

On top of that, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are not obliged to contact applicants directly when some documents are missing from their application or are filled incorrectly. Furthermore, a visa refusal could also lead to numerous immigration bans on re-applying, which can reflect rather poorly on the applicant’s history if they ever want to apply for future visas—whether in the United States or overseas.

Having a family immigration lawyer oversee the entire application process will provide you with professional attention to detail and ensure not only that the application is airtight but also minimize the chances of getting the application refused. This might happen due to backlog forms and issues that are easily preventable when there’s an experienced immigration and family law attorney in the picture.

Simplifying The Complicated Immigration Process

Last but not least, there are several different types of immigrant visas under U.S. immigration law—each of them coming with a distinctive set of legislations and requirements involved. Moreover, the application procedure for each of the different immigration visas available involves many correctly filled forms submitted, all with a great deal of supporting evidence and security checks that the applicant needs to include and go through.

And even after you get the initial phase right, there are many potential roadblocks that you may face on the family-based immigrants' application that has been submitted, a process that can take months and even years to complete. 

However, by navigating your family based immigration process with the help of legal expertise, the experience can be far less stressful and hassle-free. Your lawyer will support you every step of the way by collecting and organizing all the necessary evidence, assisting you with the required documentation for the application, communicating with the relevant federal institutions on your behalf, and resolving any issues that may arise along the way.

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Final Thoughts

In the end, family based immigration is and will remain the most common way for people to get a green card, as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can help certain potential family immigrants move to the United States for good. 

Navigating the family relationships based immigration process on your own can be quite the hassle if you’re a first-time applicant, so it’s in your best interest to work closely with a family immigration lawyer by your side to ensure that you’re going to achieve the desired results. 

And if you’re an immigration and family law attorney who wants to expand their business, perhaps it’s the right time to invest in Docketwise—the best-in-business all-in-one immigration law platform that provides everything from a robust CRM, full immigration forms library, easy-to-use client questionnaires, and industry-leading API integrations—all in one place. If you want to learn more about how Docketwise works, sign up for our Immigration Briefings newsletter to get informed on the latest immigration updates or schedule a demo.

One of the most crucial aspects of managing a successful immigration law firm and planning for its growth is monitoring and evaluating the firm’s profitability over time. But as with many other non-legal aspects of running a law firm, this isn’t something taught in law school and is often learned by doing. Hopefully this article can help.

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In this article, we will explain what profitability is in general, dive into what profitability looks like in the context of running a law firm, and share some tips about how you as an immigration lawyer can increase the profitability of your immigration law firm.

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Let’s dive in.

What is profitability 

According to Investopedia, “profit” is realized “when revenue generated from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs, and taxes." Profitability has to do with both your law firm’s income and expenses. To calculate your income, look at the money your law firm generates through the services you provide, including what you charge for casework, consultation or other administrative fees, speaking engagements or consulting other lawyers, and any other instance where your firm charges money and gets paid. Your expenses, on the other hand, are the money you have to spend to do your work, including office materials, technology licenses, office space, staff or contractor salaries, professional association fees, annual taxes, and more.

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Overall, the goal is to maximize revenue while reducing costs and maintaining, if not increasing, quality. 

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Thinking about profitability involves periodically evaluating your rates to ensure you charge enough for your services, and deciding, if you want to grow, whether growing your firm will actually also translate to growing profit. Indeed, in the law firm context, there are different angles to consider when analyzing profitability for your firm, so let’s take a look.

What does profitability mean for an immigration law law firm 

Profitability should go beyond mere income being greater than expenses. Particularly in the immigration law industry where flat fees are the norm, achieving profitability means looking at revenue versus costs and the actual time spent actively working on your casework.

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Why? Because if you spend so much time on your casework that your effective hourly rate falls below what you want to be earning, the fact that you’re technically earning more than you spend isn’t a very strong indicator of how strong your law firm is as a business. In this sense, profitability should be looked at as a proxy for the strength of your business in addition to just a mathematical formula.

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Thus, you need to understand how every minute of work is spent, by you and your staff if you have any, and to what extent that work generates revenue for the firm. The best way to do this is to have staff track their time whenever working on casework to then be able to calculate the effective hourly rate. Admittedly, in the immigration space, this isn’t often done because cases are billed on a flat fee basis and thus tracking time feels like an unnecessary burden. But in reality, while time tracking won’t impact revenue directly (though you may have a policy that a case that takes an unreasonable amount of time due to unforeseen circumstances, etc., may have additional fees added to it), it may help you better strategize whether or not to increase fees, which staff to put on what matters (or train, or let go), and potentially even what case types to no longer offer depending on how profitable they are.

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In summary, understanding what profitability means and how it can be looked at in the context of your immigration law firm can help you make better decisions, optimize your time and your staff’s time, and perhaps even automate when it makes sense. 

How do you increase profitability?

To increase profitability in your immigration law firm, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Set clear objectives and be consistent

Like in other areas of life, setting goals for your law firm with clear steps will help you remain focused and hold yourself and your team accountable. A helpful way to frame those goals is following the SMART acronym: goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. You can set these by yourself if you run a solo firm or with your team at the beginning of the year. If you struggle with goal-setting and holding yourself accountable, you may want to consider working with a coach, if possible, not only to help you gain clarity on your goals but to support you when things get challenging. A lawyer-specific coach who is familiar with the ins and outs of running a law firm may also help you evaluate how feasible your goals are as things change. 

Save time by automating and outsourcing tasks

There are tech tools and platforms, including those specifically made for immigration lawyers to help automate payment, organize cases, schedule and keep track of client files, transcribe meetings, and much more. If you’re a solo or small law firm owner and you’re open to getting outside help, you can also look at certain tasks to outsource to ensure you’re truly dedicating your time to the things that will keep your firm profitable: e.g. billable hours. Some examples of work you can outsource include paralegal work, receptionist services, immigration brief writing, and even court appearances by other lawyers. 

Looking closely at Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the benchmarks that show progress toward a goal. Some Key Performance Indicators include collections rates (how many hours have you been paid for the hours billed), utilization rates (hours worked in comparison to hours billed), or conversion rates (responses to marketing campaigns or ads that result in signing up a paying client). And for immigration lawyers who charge flat fees, especially if you offer payment plans, your collection rate is an important KPI to look at as well. Utilization rates should be as close to 100% as possible, which is where, again, automation and outsourcing will help you ensure you can dedicate your time to billable hours as much as possible. Finally, if your clients are happy, the more likely you can maximize their Lifetime Value (CLV). Satisfied customers will return to you for their continued immigration status, refer you to their friends that need a lawyer, and keep you front of mind as their preferred immigration lawyer. 

Save costs where you can without sacrificing quality

If office space doesn’t make financial sense for your firm or if you’re running your firm on your own, consider running your firm remotely. This would not only allow you to save on overhead costs, which translates to not having to pass those costs onto your clients, it may also afford you the flexibility to work from anywhere and adjust your work to your personal needs and personal priorities so you can deliver your best work, minimize error, and those optimize the hours you spend on client work.

Track your profitability and manage your immigration law firm with Docketwise 

From time tracking to invoicing and our comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) tools, Docketwise is the ideal, one-in-all platform to track your cases for data driven decisions that keep you focused on achieving your goals, delivering outstanding legal services and staying profitable.

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With our full library of immigration forms, easy-to-use client questionnaires, and industry-leading API integrations, Docketwise helps you stay up to date on all your immigration cases, communicate easily with your clients, and otherwise build and manage your immigration law firm. 

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If you want to learn more about Docketwise, schedule a demo or sign up for our Immigration Briefings newsletter for daily and weekly immigration updates!