As a kid I loved reading Encyclopedia Brown books.  He was the juvenile detective who solved crimes for both his dad, the police chief, as well as his own preteen friends and neighbors.  His motto was “No case too small.”

This slogan stands out in my mind when I get called in on something that another immigration attorney might find too petty.

There is no case too small.  Every immigration client’s problem is the most important to him or her.  If you do a solid job fixing it, that client will be more than happy to impress your success upon friends and family.

Some clients tell me, “I did not want to bother you with my friend’s case.”

I reply, “Bother me?  That’s not a bother.  It’s my job.”

Ego – as usual – is the immigration lawyer’s worst enemy when it comes time to decide whether to accept certain matters.  I have no problem taking on what we refer to as “vanilla” cases.  The best immigration attorneys handle all cases where we can help,

In fact there are days when those issues are welcome, especially when we are buried in emergencies which we handle all the time.

We have an immigration client who once sang in several world famous rock groups.  He played Madison Square Garden and was frequently on MTV in the 1980s.  Three decades later he still works centerstage in the music industry and can still sell plenty of tickets in certain parts of the world.  But what I find most significant about his long career is his lack of ego.

Even in his heyday he never turned down smaller gigs.  He did backing vocals on many artists’ albums.  He acted in bit parts in films too.  Why?  Because they were paying him.

I notice a similar pattern in the career of Brooke Shields.  The parts she takes can be in kids’ films, tv shows, or on Broadway.  But she has worked consistently from childhood into her late forties.

As immigration attorneys we have to think the same way.  Get consistent work doing what you enjoy.  Some cases may not be as exciting as others but put your effort into every one of them.  No case too small.  We help change immigrants’ lives with even the smallest cases.