Immigration Solicitors, Lawyers, and Barristers - What are the Differences Between them?
What are the differences between Immigration Solicitors, Immigration Lawyers and Immigration Barristers?
Individuals who need legal representation in an immigration matter now have a number of choices to work through before they make their decision. Clients can choose to be represented by Immigration Solicitors, Lawyers, Barristers or even a combination of the 3 choices. In London, where there are many different types of providers, the best choice can seem far off.
How then to make your choice? Here are our top tips for making your choice.
Before choosing your immigration lawyer, be aware that simply choosing one of the three options does not ensure that your immigration case will be handled well. There are good and bad immigration solicitors, immigration lawyers and immigration barristers. Make sure that before you give the case to any type of lawyer, you speak to them at least on the telephone first and make sure they are competent and realistic about your case, rather than simply sounding confident.
Immigration solicitors are firms of solicitors regulated in the UK by the Law Society. They are many in number and one of the advantages of these is that there is likely to be a solicitor who specialises nearby to most locations in the UK, especially in London.
One other advantage is that many solicitors do not specialise in Immigration only. Therefore if the case requires representation in an area other than immigration, eg crime or divorce law, one firm can handle that and the immigration matter under the same roof. This can often save money compared to going to two separate lawyers.
Immigration Lawyers are regulated by OISC, the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. One advantage of these lawyers is that they are specialists in Immigration only. Every caseworker must be qualified after taking Immigration examinations before they can undertake immigration examinations. You can therefore be assured that the individual is qualified in Immigration rather than a solicitor who may have limited experience in Immigration.
Immigration lawyers are ranked by 3 levels, you should ensure that if your matter is an appeal that the person who goes along to court for you also has a level 3 qualification.
Immigration lawyers can also provide fixed fee and no win no fee pricing, which immigration solicitors cannot.
Immigration barristers have traditionally been able only to advise and undertake court representation. This changed in 2009. Barristers have traditional strengths in court advocacy and drafting appeal grounds. Whilst barristers can take work directly in immigration, they cannot send letters or other correspondence for clients. Further immigration barrister will almost invariably be in court, which will add to the time when they are unavailable for appointments or telephone conversation.
In any case, immigration clients should always choose carefully that they feel the immigration lawyer they are dealing with is competent and careful, regardless of the category.
Individuals who need legal representation in an immigration matter now have a number of choices to work through before they make their decision. Clients can choose to be represented by Immigration Solicitors, Lawyers, Barristers or even a combination of the 3 choices. In London, where there are many different types of providers, the best choice can seem far off.
How then to make your choice? Here are our top tips for making your choice.
Before choosing your immigration lawyer, be aware that simply choosing one of the three options does not ensure that your immigration case will be handled well. There are good and bad immigration solicitors, immigration lawyers and immigration barristers. Make sure that before you give the case to any type of lawyer, you speak to them at least on the telephone first and make sure they are competent and realistic about your case, rather than simply sounding confident.
Immigration solicitors are firms of solicitors regulated in the UK by the Law Society. They are many in number and one of the advantages of these is that there is likely to be a solicitor who specialises nearby to most locations in the UK, especially in London.
One other advantage is that many solicitors do not specialise in Immigration only. Therefore if the case requires representation in an area other than immigration, eg crime or divorce law, one firm can handle that and the immigration matter under the same roof. This can often save money compared to going to two separate lawyers.
Immigration Lawyers are regulated by OISC, the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. One advantage of these lawyers is that they are specialists in Immigration only. Every caseworker must be qualified after taking Immigration examinations before they can undertake immigration examinations. You can therefore be assured that the individual is qualified in Immigration rather than a solicitor who may have limited experience in Immigration.
Immigration lawyers are ranked by 3 levels, you should ensure that if your matter is an appeal that the person who goes along to court for you also has a level 3 qualification.
Immigration lawyers can also provide fixed fee and no win no fee pricing, which immigration solicitors cannot.
Immigration barristers have traditionally been able only to advise and undertake court representation. This changed in 2009. Barristers have traditional strengths in court advocacy and drafting appeal grounds. Whilst barristers can take work directly in immigration, they cannot send letters or other correspondence for clients. Further immigration barrister will almost invariably be in court, which will add to the time when they are unavailable for appointments or telephone conversation.
In any case, immigration clients should always choose carefully that they feel the immigration lawyer they are dealing with is competent and careful, regardless of the category.
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