Helping clients is a bit like chess — you have to be creative and think several moves ahead. Be culturally sensitive and empathetic Even for those arriving with skills or investment funds to a friendly, relatively welcoming country like Canada, immigration can still be hard. Lawyers need a good ‘deskside manner’ as much as doctors and nurses need bedside manner. Put yourself in the clients’ shoes. Take time to understand how issues are discussed and business is done in their culture and be direct and clear in how you communicate with clients. For example, it is particularly important to be transparent and upfront about how clients are billed and what services they are receiving. Be aware of religious and cultural holidays, sensitive subjects, etiquette and protocol too. Also, go the extra distance. Twice a week, for example, I conduct a live (online) question-and-answer session at no charge for people who need general information about immigrating to Canada. Regardless of whether all become clients, all will appreciate the help. Play the long game Helping people move to Canada and set up business can be just the start of a long and positive professional relationship. Businesses need help growing and expanding markets as well as building networks and relationships. Think of the immigration law work you do for clients as a start, not the end. Great immigration lawyers understand their clients’ whole picture — their challenges and obstacles and their hopes and dreams. It is the way to do what is best for those clients, your firm and ultimately for Canada too. My own experience as an immigrant to Canada is instructive. I arrived in the country in 2012 after being educated and practising and teaching law in the Middle East. I became interested in Canadian immigration practice as I worked through my own application file. As I mentioned before, even with my legal 30 LAWYERMONTHLYDECEMBER 2022
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