Within the first few days in office, President Biden has proposed a new legislative bill, known as the US Citizenship Act of 2021, which would create a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
One lawyer who practices in immigration law, specifically business immigration law, is the 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Immigration Law in Atlanta. Kevin Miner, in his involvement with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, has been working on efforts to help other immigration attorneys approach challenging legal issues.
According to Miner, business immigration law is one of the few business-focused areas that provides lawyers with the opportunity to help real people who are making a major life change.
“It is always rewarding to speak with people coming to the U.S. for their jobs and explain the process to them, answer their questions, and put them at ease,” he said. “I think people sometimes don’t recognize just what a tremendous life change it is to relocate yourself and your entire family to a new country - and being able to provide some comfort to them about this huge change is very satisfying.”
But there are times where challenges arise for immigration attorneys, due to circumstances that are out of their hands. Miner explains that in the last few years, processing delays by the government have become more common and increasingly longer.
“For renewal of a work authorization card, for instance, you cannot file your application more than six months before your current card expires, but it takes the government eight or more months to process the renewal,” Miner said. “This causes tremendous stress and puts people in a position where they lose work authorization and have to stop working even though they did everything they were supposed to do. This is unfair, disappointing, and we have very little ability to fix these kinds of problems for our clients.”
Even with immigration laws changing almost every day, Miner says to be an effective immigration lawyer, one must understand new regulations, policy memos, and adjudication trends that often change how best to approach a case.
“I try to stay updated on all changes and give a lot of thought to how those will affect my clients,” he said. “That kind of approach can mean the difference between a case getting approved or denied.”
Kevin Miner - Atlanta 2021 Lawyer of the Year
Immigration Law Atlanta, Georgia
Trending Articles
2025 Best Lawyers Awards Announced: Honoring Outstanding Legal Professionals Across the U.S.
by Jennifer Verta
Introducing the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America and the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
Unveiling the 2025 Best Lawyers Awards Canada: Celebrating Legal Excellence
by Jennifer Verta
Presenting the 19th edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada and the 4th edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada.
Legal Distinction on Display: 15th Edition of The Best Lawyers in France™
by Best Lawyers
The industry’s best lawyers and firms working in France are revealed in the newly released, comprehensive the 15th Edition of The Best Lawyers in France™.
Presenting the 2025 Best Lawyers Editions in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico
by Jennifer Verta
Celebrating top legal professionals in South America and the Caribbean.
Announcing the 13th Edition of Best Lawyers Rankings in the United Kingdom
by Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers is proud to announce the newest edition of legal rankings in the United Kingdom, marking the 13th consecutive edition of awards in the country.
Unveiling the 2025 Best Lawyers Editions in Brazil, Mexico, Portugal and South Africa
by Jennifer Verta
Best Lawyers celebrates the finest in law, reaffirming its commitment to the global legal community.
Prop 36 California 2024: California’s Path to Stricter Sentencing and Criminal Justice Reform
by Jennifer Verta
Explore how Prop 36 could shape California's sentencing laws and justice reform.
Announcing the 16th Edition of the Best Lawyers in Germany Rankings
by Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers announces the 16th edition of The Best Lawyers in Germany™, featuring a unique set of rankings that highlights Germany's top legal talent.
Celebrating Excellence in Law: 11th Edition of Best Lawyers in Italy™
by Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers announces the 11th edition of The Best Lawyers in Italy™, which features an elite list of awards showcasing Italy's current legal talent.
Tampa Appeals Court ‘Sends Clear Message,” Ensuring School Tax Referendum Stays on Ballot
by Gregory Sirico
Hillsborough County's tax referendum is back on the 2024 ballot, promising $177 million for schools and empowering residents to decide the future of education.
Find the Best Lawyers for Your Needs
by Jennifer Verta
Discover how Best Lawyers simplifies the attorney search process.
Key Developments and Trends in U.S. Commercial Litigation
by Justin Smulison
Whether it's multibillion-dollar water cleanliness verdicts or college athletes vying for the right to compensation, the state of litigation remains strong.
Woman on a Mission
by Rebecca Blackwell
Baker Botts partner and intellectual property chair Christa Brown-Sanford discusses how she juggles work, personal life, being a mentor and leadership duties.
Best Lawyers Celebrates Women in the Law: Ninth Edition
by Alliccia Odeyemi
Released in both print and digital form, Best Lawyers Ninth Edition of Women in the Law features stories of inspiring leadership and timely legal issues.
