🧠 You’re Not a Law Student Anymore (But It’s Okay to Feel Like One)

This Week’s Immigration News Highlights

• Pope Leo XIV “JD Vance is Wrong“ - Newly Elected Pope Opposes Trump Policies

• Trump to Undocumented Immigrants: “$1000 to Self Deport“

• Green Card Holders Warned to “Behave” or Else

This Week on Notice to All

Ever had a case that made you question everything? Or a moment in practice when you felt completely unqualified? You're not alone.

This week, I’m sharing two stories: one about setting boundaries with a client who pushed too far, and another about learning how to be a confident lawyer, even when you don’t know all the answers.

The Case That Made Me Want to Quit (And Why I Didn’t)

When I say this case almost made me quit, I don’t mean quit being a lawyer. I mean, quit on the case, on the client. And it’s hard to admit that, even now.

It was an old I-751 petition to remove conditions, the kind filed after a marriage ends in divorce. The relationship was real, but it had ended more than six years ago. The client had little documentation left to prove it. USCIS had misplaced part of the file, and the burden was now on us to piece together a record from a relationship that had long since ended.

I worked hard. I submitted everything we could gather. I coached the client on what mattered most: being honest, clear, and composed during the interview.

But when the day came, the interview unraveled. The client spiraled. And even after I’d driven three hours to be there, I became the target of their frustration. I was blamed for everything. And in that moment, I questioned everything: my preparation, my presence, my patience.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. It was the constant barrage of abusive language, entitlement, and disrespect for nearly 18 months that almost broke me. Emails, phone calls, and accusatory messages, I held on as long as I could. But the truth is, this client crossed every line.

What I learned is something every lawyer, especially those early in practice, needs to know: You are not required to endure abuse just because you’re someone’s attorney.

I documented everything. I kept my firm informed and, thankfully, they supported my decision to step back. I had done my best. But I had also hit a wall.

We show up for our clients. We advocate, we empathize, we fight. But we are not emotional punching bags. And when someone’s behavior becomes toxic, you’re not quitting, you’re protecting your professionalism, your peace, and your power.

In the end, I finished what I started. The client got her 10-year green card, but I kept my boundary. Sometimes, that’s how you preserve both the case and your integrity.

How to Practice Immigration Law When You Still Feel Like a Law Student

I used to avoid TN visa consults purposely. I didn’t understand the category, didn’t trust myself to explain it. The truth is, I felt like a law student playing lawyer, hoping no one would ask a question I couldn’t answer.

Then I had to take one. And I panicked. That’s when it clicked: the practice of immigration law isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about learning how to find the answer.

Especially in immigration, where policies can shift overnight, no one, and I mean no one, knows it all. The lawyers who seem confident? They’ve just built their research muscles. They’ve collected good tools. And they’ve learned how to stay calm when something unfamiliar comes up. I like to think I’ve developed a solid handle on that now, and I promise, you will too.

So, what do you need to know?

You need to know how to look it up. And here are the resources that have never failed me:

• 🔍 USCIS Policy Manual – Start here. It’s surprisingly readable once you get used to the layout.

• 📚 Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook – Yes, it’s dense. Yes, it’s expensive. But it’s gold.

• 👩‍💻 AILA Membership – Not just for the practice tips and memos, but for the message boards. Those listservs are full of generous, brilliant practitioners.

• ⚖️ EOIR & BIA Updates – Case law summaries are excellent, especially for waiver and asylum issues.

• 🧑‍🏫 Mentorship & Peer Support – Formal or informal. Ask questions. Take notes. You’ll be surprised how many seasoned lawyers remember what it was like to be you.

Every consultation will teach you something. Every RFE, every FOIA, every curveball, they’re all part of your training. So no, you don’t need to know it all. You just need to be the kind of lawyer who’s willing to figure it out.

That’s not faking it, that’s practicing law.

Another Week Down!

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Finally, visit our Custom GPT Immigration Law Expert Shelly: an AI chatbot designed by The Notice to All Team. AI Shelly has all the answers to your immigration questions (not a replacement for professional consulting, though. AI isn’t that good)!

Practicing law isn’t about having all the answers. Law is about showing up, doing the work, and knowing when to draw the line. Whether you’re navigating a tough case or second-guessing yourself, you’re not alone in the struggle or the growth. Keep going! You’re becoming exactly the kind of lawyer your clients need.

Until next time, I’ll be enjoying my mini-vacay! 🛳