The article below was written by Samantha Jean Francois, a promising law student at St. Thomas University and summer intern at Michael G. Murray, P.A..
Being a law student is said to have many advantages. One is that we are said to understand legal terms better than the average person without any legal experience. Every law student has gotten a random phone call from a friend or family member looking for legal advice. The biggest misconception about law is that if you have some type of experience in law or even one specific type, you can do it all.
I walked into the immigration law firm of Michael G. Murray, P.A. as a legal intern with high hopes. I figured with two years of legal experience and a year of law school under my belt interning here would be a piece of cake. My biggest revelation working here was realizing how intricate and complicated gaining any type of legal status in the United States can be. There are dozens of forms, procedures, and so many specific scenarios which can grant you as an individual eligible for legal status in this country. If the cards are not in your favor, unfortunately, then your situation can get complicated very quickly.
Although I am not an expert, one thing I can certainly attest to is Immigration law has issues which are not the type of legal issues one should tackle on their own. A common question everyone raises when dealing with a legal issue is “Do I need an attorney?” In certain basic circumstances as a parking ticket, an attorney might not be necessary. In other sectors of the law as the issues get more complicated your need to hire an attorney will as well.
Immigration law is a particular type of law that I have noticed first-hand, is very complicated. To begin with, the forms, which I have assisted in completing while working here, are as complex as can be. The form itself may not be as difficult to fill out but knowing which form to process is a whole different story. Additionally, most forms are incredibly detailed oriented that any mistake can prolong any progress on your case. The chance of you filing the incorrect form seems like a frequent occurrence. Time is, and will always be, of the essence when it comes to handling your legal matters. Can you imagine waiting months just to find out that not only has your immigration status not changed, but your filing fee has gone to waste because you filed the wrong paper work? This has been my big take away from my internship at Michael G. Murray, P.A.