TCL: What Is Your Personal Definition Of Success?

To be a bit more specific, I think as a lawyer the key is to figure out why you became a lawyer and whether what you are doing is connecting with that aspiration. So many of us started out in our fields out of necessity and then stayed there because it is secure even if it is not really what we want to be doing. I would say success means being honest with yourself and if you have settled for less than what you hoped, you take steps—even at the risk of failing—to find work that brings you happiness and a sense of accomplishment.

Success to me also means balancing my personal and work life, something that becomes more difficult each year. As your practice becomes more successful, the demands on your time only increase. Yet the years your practice is getting stronger are also the years your kids may need you the most. And that means you’ll have to sacrifice—either saying “no” more often, learning to delegate more, charging more for your services in order to reduce demands for your time, and giving up some of your social activities unless they include your family.

I think achieving that balance is very difficult and that most successful lawyers I know would agree that for them, finding a perfect balance is always more of an aspiration than a reality.

TCL: Who Is The Most Successful Person You Know?
Bill Clinton. I know it sounds like a partisan answer, but here was a fellow who came from just up the road from a small southern town and from a family of very modest means and went on to become one of the most respected men in the world. And despite a scandal and a hostile Congress that might have wrecked the legacy of an otherwise remarkably successful presidency, he managed to get past it. As his public service work with former President Bush has shown, he can continue contributing to the country in a new role.

TCL: What Have Been Your Greatest Accomplishments?
I’d like to think I played an important role in helping introduce the legal profession to the Internet. My firm’s web site, Visalaw.com, was one of the first law firm web sites when it went online in 1994—and the first immigration law site as well as the first for a solo lawyer and a lawyer in the south. In addition, my ABA book, The Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet, has been a bestseller and I know has been helpful to many in the field. It continues to sell well and is being released this fall in its third edition. Probably the most visible recognition of this effort was when I was photographed for the cover of the ABA Journal a few years ago for a story on lawyers who take risks. I’ve spoken to bar associations across the country on the topic as well and I’d like to think I helped a lot of lawyers.

I’ve also helped build my solo immigration practice into one of the nation’s largest, with one of the largest health care immigration practices as well as one of the largest entertainment and sports immigration practices. That we’re headquartered in Tennessee surprises some, but our state is a wonderful place for entrepreneurs and it has really been of great benefit to our firm.

TCL: What Have Been Your Setbacks Or Disappointments?
Our biggest disappointment has less to do with our firm and more to do with the fact that the immigration system has gotten to be such a mess and that Congress has been unwilling to address the hard questions. It is very frustrating to tell business and individual clients that the options are so few and that they need to be lobbying as well as seeking out the counsel of an immigration lawyer. The situation is worse now than at any point in my 17 years of practice in this area.

TCL: What Influence Did Your Mother Have On Your Life?
My mother, a schoolteacher and librarian, has instilled in me a love for learning and reading. She has always set very high expectations for me in terms of academic achievement and, in turn, it has led to my setting my own high standards.

My mother has always been outspoken in her beliefs and has instilled that in me as well. She worked for civil rights and anti-war causes in the 60s. My being a vegetarian since I was a teenager was influenced by my mom.

TCL: What Influence Did Your Father Have On Your Life?
My father has a very irreverent sense of humor and his less-than-serious view of the world has taught me not to take myself too seriously either. My father is also an entrepreneur and I give him most of the credit for that side of my personality. He is the first person I call when I have a business idea and he usually has the most helpful advice in terms of moving forward.

TCL: Name One Of Your Heroes (Other Than Your Parents) And Tell Why He Or She Is Heroic To You

Leon Wildes. One of the deans of immigration law in the US, he is most famous for serving as John Lennon’s immigration lawyer in his famous deportation case (rent the excellent documentary The US v. John Lennon if you want to learn more about the case). Leon serves on the national board of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society with me and I’ve gotten to know him over the years. He’s a truly gifted lawyer and one of the most honorable, decent people you could meet. I’m proud to say I know him.

TCL: What Talents Or Natural Abilities Make You Good At What You Do?
I don’t know that I’m the smartest lawyer, but I think I have a pretty good ability to come up with creative strategies for clients and see solutions that a lot of others might miss.

I enjoy writing and that’s served me well over the years. My writing has certainly helped me build credibility in my practice and the process of writing has made me a better lawyer.

I also think that I have been successful over the years connecting with clients because I have genuine empathy for what they’re going through. I see my role as serving as their advocate and providing a level of service to them that I would want were I seeking the services of a lawyer. It frustrates me when I see lawyers in my field who see clients as a necessary evil rather than the reason we’re in practice in the first place.

TCL: What Have You Learned To Do That Was Not A Natural Talent But Has Helped You Be Successful?
Despite the fact that I consider myself to be a good entrepreneur, I am not nearly as disciplined in management as it is necessary to be if you want to be successful in business. Fortunately, early on in my practice I found Lynn Susser, an excellent business manager who has been my law partner for the last 13 years. Lynn has taught me a lot about a broad range of management issues. I’m still not as strong as I’d like to be in those areas, but am grateful to have a good mentor in Lynn.

TCL: What Would A Person Starting Out Today Have To Do To Enter Your Profession Or Position?
When I started practice, the field of immigration law was much smaller and going solo was easier than it is today. Given how complex and unforgiving immigration law is, I would say it is important to try and find a good mentor either by working in an established immigration practice or finding a mentor in another practice who is willing to help.

The good news is that the Internet makes it easy to get access to all of the information needed to practice today. And the American Immigration Lawyers Association and other bar associations make a great deal of resources easily available to those interested in trying out this practice.

Only a few years ago, most law schools did not even offer immigration law as a course. Today many do and there are also a number of schools with immigration law clinics. So it is easier to be proactive in preparing for a career as an immigration lawyer instead of falling into it accidentally as I did.

Post from: The Complete Lawyer

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