Immigration lawyers assist people and businesses on all things immigration related from personal visa applications to companies looking to hire from abroad.
Being an immigration lawyer is a prestigious and highly rewarding career, but it can also be incredibly stressful, with people putting their very futures in your hands on a daily basis.
It certainly isn’t for everyone, but is it for you? There are certainly a huge number of benefits to becoming an immigration lawyer but also a few potential downsides that you need to consider before deciding to go down this career path.
In this blog, we will look at some of the biggest advantages and disadvantages of becoming an immigration lawyer.
What exactly do immigration lawyers do?
Glasgow immigration lawyers work to help individuals and organisations on legal matters relating to immigration in the UK, on behalf of those looking to work and live in the country.
They will use their extensive knowledge of immigration legislation to recommend the best course of action to their clients, help them to fill out paperwork correctly and on time, and represent them in court proceedings if required.
Businesses will also use immigration layers if they are looking to bring in workers from overseas or expand into another country and are unsure about the new rules and regulations their workers there will be bound by.
What are the advantages of becoming an immigration lawyer?
Make a real difference
Every day as an immigration lawyer you will be helping other people at a critical time in their lives. It will be your responsibility to protect the rights and livelihoods of your clients in what can be an incredibly fulfilling role.
Broadening your knowledge of the law
Many lawyers focus on one single area of the law after earning their degree and never look back. Immigration law, however, requires a broader knowledge of a range of different areas and regularly overlaps with criminal, business, and family law, to name just a few.
When working as an immigration lawyer you will be constantly becoming more and more knowledgeable about all aspects of the law, not only helping you to provide the best possible service to your clients but also expanding your skillset so that if you wish to change the direction of your career at any point you will be in a strong position to do so.
Chance to meet many different people
Working as an immigration lawyer will give you the opportunity to work with a wide variety of different people, both clients and other lawyers.
You will get to experience a range of different cultures and customs as you represent individuals from all across the globe, broadening the view of your world and changing your perspective on different issues.
Wide range of work opportunities
Immigration lawyers are in high demand and have a diverse range of potential employers to choose from. Law firms are just one route you could choose to go down with many choosing to work for Government agencies, human rights non-profits, or to start their own personal consultation agency.
The knowledge that you gain as an immigration lawyer also sets you up nicely if you ever decide to make a career change in the field of human rights or to work in the court system.
Find your love for the law again
If you are already working as a lawyer but are rapidly falling out of love with the profession, making the switch to immigration law can help you to find your passion once again. Many people become lawyers out of a desire to do good and help people and there is no area of law where you will have the chance to do this more often than in immigration.
What are the disadvantages of working as an immigration lawyer?
Long training period
As with any area of law, it takes many years to become qualified to practice immigration law. This is understandable due to the huge amount of information these lawyers must know, skills they must develop, and responsibility they will have, but you have to be incredibly committed and sure that this is the route you wish to go down.
Highly stressful
As an immigration lawyer, you will be working with people in incredibly tough situations who will often have gone through something extremely traumatic in their recent past.
It is not unusual for immigration lawyers to suffer mental health problems from the stress of wanting to help these people and hearing their stories and it takes a certain type of individual to thrive in this high pressure environment.
Less money
Immigration lawyers are not driven by money. You can make a good living from being an immigration lawyer but if money is the primary focus for you, corporate law is probably your best option.