Per Diem Coverage & Contract Immigration Work for Law Firms.
Partner with an experienced New York immigration lawyer for reliable court and USCIS appearance coverage, high-level federal circuit appeals, and flexible independent contractor casework. Your clients remain 100% your clients—guaranteed.
Strict Non-Poaching Ethics
We never solicit, market to, or accept direct retainers from your firm's clients. We act strictly as your agent under limited appearance or contractor agreements.
Prompt Same-Day Debriefs
Receive detailed, written post-appearance summaries immediately following each hearing or interview, including judge's rulings, officer requests, and all calendared deadlines.
Broad Jurisdictional Reach
Appearances across NYC (26 Federal Plaza, 290 Broadway, Varick), Long Island (Holtsville), and New Jersey (Newark, Mount Laurel), plus Second & Third Circuit appeals.
Two Ways to Work with Our Office
Whether you need single-event appearance coverage for a scheduling conflict or ongoing behind-the-scenes contract legal support, we adapt seamlessly to your practice needs.
Per Diem Appearance Coverage
Single Appearance • Flat Fee RateWhen you are unable to attend a scheduled immigration court master calendar hearing, individual merits hearing, or USCIS field office interview due to a scheduling conflict, travel disruption, illness, or concurrent trial, we step in to make that single appearance on your behalf.
- Retain Full Client Ownership: Your client remains entirely your client. You pay us a flat fee for that appearance day; we enter a limited appearance where permitted or cover on the record.
- Thorough Advance Preparation: We review the record, filings, pleadings, and any pending applications well before stepping into the hearing room.
- Virtual or In-Person: Available for in-person courtrooms and USCIS offices across NYC, Long Island, and NJ, as well as nationwide EOIR WebEx virtual hearings.
- Same-Day Written Reporting: Comprehensive report emailed immediately detailing judge notes, government attorney positions, and scheduled deadlines.
Contract Immigration Legal Work
Independent Contractor • Ghostwriting & CaseworkNeed high-caliber immigration legal work done behind the scenes without adding permanent payroll overhead? We work as independent contractors for your firm, handling specialized immigration tasks while you maintain complete managerial oversight and client contact.
- Complete Case Control: The case is still entirely yours. You retain all client billing, communication, and strategic decision-making.
- Discrete Task Contracting: Pay us only for the specific work required: drafting motion papers, filling out complex USCIS petition packets, writing legal briefs, or conducting in-depth research.
- Keep Lucrative Work In-House: Avoid sending clients to outside competitors when your firm lacks an in-house immigration department.
- Flawless Legal Drafting: Ready-to-file BIA appeals, motions to reopen, waiver packages (I-601A, 212(h)), and Federal Circuit petitions for review.
How Law Firms Utilize Our Contract & Coverage Services
From large litigation firms to solo immigration practitioners, our independent contractor and per diem services solve immediate operational and jurisdictional bottlenecks.
Keeping Immigration Issues In-House
A personal injury, criminal defense, or matrimonial law firm often has an existing client who suddenly faces a complicated immigration hurdle (e.g., status verification, immigration consequences of a settlement, family petition, or removal proceedings). Rather than farming the client out to a random outside immigration firm—and risking loss of client relationship or cross-selling opportunities—the firm hires us as independent contractors. We handle the immigration filings, brief writing, and forms behind the scenes while the firm maintains full ownership and client contact.
Eliminating NY/NJ Travel & Lodging Costs
Law firms located in California, Florida, Texas, or anywhere outside the New York metropolitan area frequently represent clients whose cases require an in-person appearance in NYC immigration court (26 Federal Plaza, 290 Broadway, or Varick St) or a USCIS interview in NYC, Long Island, or New Jersey. Rather than billing the client thousands of dollars for airline tickets, hotels, and two days of lost travel time, out-of-state firms contract us to appear locally on their behalf.
Managing Heavy Dockets & Trial Surges
Even dedicated immigration firms experience periods where dockets become overwhelming: conflicting master calendar dates across boroughs, multiple individual hearings scheduled simultaneously, or a complex asylum trial that consumes weeks of senior attorney time. We provide on-demand, temporary per diem coverage and brief-drafting relief so your team never misses a filing deadline or suffers docket backlog.
Federal Circuit Court Appeals & Petitions for Review
Many successful immigration attorneys handle cases before USCIS and EOIR immigration courts, but intentionally avoid U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals litigation. Federal appellate practice involves strict jurisdictional standards, complex administrative exhaustion doctrine, and intricate rules of appellate procedure. If a client insists on appealing a BIA denial to the federal circuit, the firm can contract us to handle the Petition for Review and appellate briefs, while the client continues meeting with their familiar home team for administrative matters.
BIA Briefs, Motions to Reopen & Discretionary Relief
Writing an effective Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) brief, a motion to reopen sua sponte, or a complex 212(h) / I-601A hardship waiver package requires hours of uninterrupted legal research and meticulous citation to circuit precedent. When your calendar is packed with client consultations and daily court calls, outsourcing research and brief-drafting to our office ensures your client receives a compelling, rigorous, and citation-dense brief submitted well before the briefing deadline.
Local Counsel & Pro Hac Vice Assistance (Federal & State Courts)
Collegial CourtesyFor out-of-state attorneys and law firms that need local counsel to sponsor admission pro hac vice or file on their behalf, we are pleased to assist fellow practitioners in:
Second & Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Admitted in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Third Circuit. We frequently provide local counsel sponsorship for little or no fee as a professional courtesy, particularly where there is potential for reciprocal local counsel assistance in your jurisdiction in the future.
Federal District Courts (SDNY & EDNY) & NY State Courts
Admitted in the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Eastern District of New York (EDNY), and all New York State Courts. We assist visiting counsel with local rules compliance, filing sponsorship, and motion practice.
If your firm requires local counsel sponsorship in the 2nd Circuit, 3rd Circuit, SDNY, EDNY, or NY State Court, reach out directly to discuss how we can assist your team.
Legal Fee Ranges for Appearance Coverage & Contract Work
Below are general fee ranges for common per diem appearances and briefing services. All fees are transparent, competitive, and designed to allow contracting firms to preserve healthy margins.
USCIS Appearances
Agency Coverage-
USCIS Interview Coverage26 Federal Plaza (NYC)$250 – $500
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USCIS Interview CoverageHoltsville, NY (Long Island)$250 – $500
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USCIS Interview CoverageNewark, NJ Field Office$500 – $750
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USCIS Interview CoverageSouth NJ Field Offices (Mount Laurel, etc.)$700 – $1,000
Immigration Court
EOIR Appearances-
Master Calendar HearingVirtual Appearance (EOIR WebEx)$250+
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In-Person Master CalendarNew York City Courts (NYC)*$500 – $750
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In-Person Master CalendarNewark, NJ Immigration Court$750 – $950
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Individual Merits Hearing RepresentationClient preparation & full merits hearing (NYC)*$1,000+
Briefing & Appeals
Appellate Litigation-
BIA Appellate BriefFull legal brief to Board of Immigration Appeals$1,000+
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Petition for Review (Entire Process)U.S. Court of Appeals (Second / Third Circuit)$2,500 – $5,000
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Circuit Court Brief OnlySubstantive opening or reply appellate brief$1,000 – $2,000
Custom Quotes & Case-by-Case Pricing
Please contact us directly to obtain a firm price quote. Our exact legal fees are determined on a case-by-case basis depending upon the appearance date, lead-time provided, the factual and procedural complexity of the matter, the specific courthouse or field office location and time, and our ongoing working relationship with the contracting law firm.
Repeat Client & Multi-Case Volume Discounts
Our office values enduring professional relationships. We offer significantly discounted legal fees to solo practitioners and law firms seeking to contract our office across multiple active cases, or who have engaged us to cover hearings and agency appearances on multiple occasions in the past.
Our Professional Ethics & Non-Solicitation Pledge to Fellow Counsel
We respect the hard work and resources you have invested in cultivating your client relationships. When you hire our office for per diem coverage or contract casework, we operate under rigorous professional boundaries:
- Zero Client Solicitation: We will never solicit your client, provide them with our firm's business cards, or accept direct retainers from them on related or future immigration matters.
- Clear Agency Representation: At all court appearances and USCIS interviews, we make clear to the client and the presiding official that we are appearing on behalf of your law firm.
- Prompt Written Reports: Within hours of concluding an appearance, we transmit a detailed written summary covering all judicial statements, government trial attorney stipulations, and scheduling orders.
- Full Conflicts Screening: Every per diem request undergoes immediate conflicts analysis prior to accepting coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions for Law Firms
What information do you need to confirm per diem coverage?
To check conflicts and provide a firm fee quote, please provide: (1) Client name and Alien Registration Number (A#); (2) Hearing date, time, and specific courtroom / EOIR or USCIS location; (3) Presiding Immigration Judge or field office unit; (4) Case status (Master Calendar, bond redetermination, Individual Merits, or interview type); and (5) Specific goals for the appearance (e.g., pleadings, filing an application, requesting a continuance, or arguing a motion).
How do we handle the Notice of Appearance before EOIR or USCIS?
In EOIR immigration courts, under modern EOIR Practice Manual rules, an attorney may enter an appearance on the record or file an electronic Form EOIR-28 for limited or master calendar representation where permitted, or cover for the attorney of record with prior client consent. At USCIS interviews, we appear on Form G-28 (which can be designated as limited or associate counsel) while your firm remains primary counsel on record.
How quickly will our firm receive the appearance report?
You will receive a written debrief via email within hours of the hearing conclusion. Our reports outline the presiding judge's specific comments, government trial counsel stipulations or objections, evidentiary deadlines, and the next scheduled master or individual hearing date.
How do volume discounts and ongoing contract billing work?
For law firms seeking ongoing contract work or regular appearance coverage across multiple cases each month, we offer customized retainer agreements with substantially discounted flat fees or predictable hourly billing. Reach out directly to discuss a structured arrangement for your firm.