The Immigration Lawyers Podcast | Discussing Visas, Green Cards & Citizenship: Practice & Policy

In-Depth Discussions, Interviews, and Legal Analysis of Immigration Law and Practice with Professionals in the Field, with Host John Khosravi, Esq. Visas, Green Cards, and US Citizenship. Intended for Immigration Lawyers and Attorneys. Attorney Advertisement, please consult with an attorney. info@ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com

#490 Should You Sell Your Immigration Practice? Inside Law Firm M&A with Roman Zelichenko, J.D. 08/13/2026

#490 Should You Sell Your Immigration Practice? Inside Law Firm M&A with Roman Zelichenko, J.D. On this episode of The Immigration Lawyer's Toolbox® Podcast, host John Khosravi sits down with returning guest Roman Zelichenko, J.D. to unpack what's really happening in the growing wave of immigration law firm M&A: how firms are actually valued, why some attorneys inflate their revenue numbers with filing fees, the difference between a true acquisition and a "merger" that's really more of a hire, why clean books can make or break a deal, and what private equity's track record in dentistry, HVAC, and plumbing suggests about where legal consolidation is headed. Whether you're thinking about selling, buying, merging, or just want to run your firm like it's sellable, this episode is full of practical insight on the business side of immigration law. Sponsor: Get a free website (first 10 sign-ups) and special pricing on marketing for your firm from Constellation at . Timestamps: 00:00 – Opening 00:33 – Intro 04:24 – How hard is it for practitioners to value and sell their firm? 04:53 – B2B/corporate vs. B2C firms: why recurring revenue is valued higher 05:30 – The filing-fees-in-revenue trick that inflates valuations 06:36 – What sellers actually want: fair price vs. emotional attachment 07:54 – How clean (or messy) books affect due diligence 09:43 – Bookkeepers, GMI Rocket, and staying on top of your numbers 11:29 – Mergers vs. acquisitions: when a "merger" is really a hire 13:12 – Larger firm mergers and fade-out deal structures 13:52 – New fee memos, attorney burnout, and the push toward litigation 16:13 – Consolidation, specialists, and the rise of AI-native law firms 19:00 – Lessons from private equity roll-ups in dentistry, HVAC, and plumbing 20:17 – Community page & Constellation SEO/marketing sponsor break 21:20 – Back to the show: will the free market self-correct? 21:33 – Envoy Global: an example of PE-backed immigration firms done right 24:19 – Scaling without sacrificing service quality 26:15 – The M&A trend among solo and small firm owners who want out 29:01 – Creative deal structures, equity, and the "Built to Sell" mindset 33:13 – Why QuickBooks and clean numbers drive better marketing and growth decisions 36:26 – Outro Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Music | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42386610

#489 30 Years of Referrals: Building a Law Firm with Jeff Goldman, Esq. 08/11/2026

#489 30 Years of Referrals: Building a Law Firm with Jeff Goldman, Esq. On this episode of the Immigration Lawyer's Toolbox Podcast, host John Khosravi sits down with Jeff Goldman, Esq., founder of Goldman & Partners Immigration and co-founder of Build Talent Labs, for a candid look at how a "serendipitous" career turn into immigration law became a 30+ year, 32-person firm built almost entirely on referrals from the client who talked him into immigration law after a real estate closing, to the EB-1A case for an MIT researcher that opened the door to a decade of extraordinary-ability petitions, to how he set (and steadily raised) his fees at Testa, Hurwitz & Israel and beyond. Jeff also breaks down his current work at Build Talent Labs, the cap-exempt H-1B, J-1, and O-1 agent sponsorship model he co-founded with his daughter Danielle, his eight years as immigration advisor to the Governor of Massachusetts, and what it's really like working with CBP at Logan Airport, including a firsthand story of getting a client released after 48 hours in secondary inspection. Connect with Jeff Goldman, Esq.: 🔗 🔗 🔗 LinkedIn: Jeff Goldman Sponsor: Get a free website (first 10 sign-ups) and special pricing on marketing for your firm from Constellation at . Timestamps 00:00 – Opening 00:33 – Intro 03:42 – Welcome, Jeff Goldman 03:45 – Jeff's background: growing up near Boston 04:06 – Deciding to go to law school (the LSAT "dare") 05:20 – The client who talked Jeff into immigration law 06:04 – Jeff's first immigration CLE course (1993, right before IRIRA) 07:02 – The neighbor who became his first referral source 08:22 – Filing his first H-1B petitions 09:04 – Hanging a shingle as a solo immigration attorney 09:53 – The Russian EB-1A client who changed everything 11:39 – Landing MIT and Chinese postdoc EB-1A clients 12:47 – Building a 32-person immigration firm 13:17 – Office hours at Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan 13:47 – How do you price a case like an EB-1A? 14:06 – Joining Testa, Hurwitz & Israel's immigration group 15:51 – The urgent phone call that led to a job offer 16:20 – When the firm imploded (and Jeff kept the $2.5M immigration book) 17:29 – Setting fees at a big law firm 18:38 – Going solo again — and raising his fees 19:15 – Toolbox community: our private Circle page 20:08 – Sponsor: Constellation (legal marketing & web design) 21:42 – Back to the interview 22:11 – Why clients pay for reliability, not just price 22:40 – Career advice: build referral relationships with corporate lawyers 24:02 – Lesson from the Global BIO Conference 25:26 – A day in Jeff's life today 25:56 – Build Talent Labs: the cap-exempt H-1B model, explained 27:30 – Eight years as immigration advisor to the Governor of Massachusetts 27:52 – Jeff's relationship with CBP at Logan Airport 30:35 – When a client was detained 48 hours — and what Jeff did next 31:59 – Proactively coordinating with CBP before a client travels 33:11 – How to reach Jeff Goldman 33:30 – AILA mentorship and LinkedIn presence 35:42 – Build Talent Labs: J-1 programs and O-1 agent sponsorship 36:30 – The O-1 agent documentation risk lawyers overlook 36:52 – Closing & outro | | | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42386555

#488 Business Immigration & the $100K H-1B Fee with Jioselin Juarez Contreras, Esq. 08/09/2026

#488 Business Immigration & the $100K H-1B Fee with Jioselin Juarez Contreras, Esq. In this episode, host John Q. Khosravi, Esq. sits down with business immigration attorney Jioselin Juarez Contreras, Esq. to talk about her path from a first-generation Mexican American law student to a high-volume H-1B practice — including her brief detour into nonprofit removal work before returning to the same business immigration firm, how her firm (which also handles corporate litigation and taxation, with a CPA-licensed managing partner) keeps every department aligned on fast-moving immigration changes, and the real-world impact of the new $100,000 H-1B fee on employers and change-of-status filings during this year's cap season. They also preview the upcoming AILA California Chapters Conference (November 5–7 in San Francisco), which Jioselin is helping plan, and close with a look at annual firm planning and the importance of actually taking breaks during immigration law's busiest seasons. Timestamps: 00:00 – Opening 00:33 – Intro 03:16 – Welcome Jioselin Juarez Contreras, Esq. 03:26 – Growing up in Southern California & getting into immigration law 04:45 – How she built business immigration experience early on 05:04 – The detour into nonprofit removal work — and coming back 07:36 – Practicing immigration inside a multi-department firm (corporate, litigation, CPA/tax) 09:41 – The $100K H-1B fee: real impact on clients and filings during cap season 11:36 – AILA California Chapters Conference preview (San Francisco, Nov 5–7) 15:01 – Firm planning: annual goals and the next six months 17:08 – Balancing cap season crunch with actual vacation time 20:58 – How to connect with Jioselin 21:13 – Outro Get a free website (first 10 sign-ups) and special pricing on marketing for your firm from Constellation at Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Music | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42367640

#487 Judges Deny Marriage Green Cards & WebEx May Leave Court with John Q. Khosravi, Esq. 08/07/2026

#487 Judges Deny Marriage Green Cards & WebEx May Leave Court with John Q. Khosravi, Esq. This month on the Immigration Lawyers Toolbox Podcast, host John Q. Khosravi, Esq. skips the interview format for a rapid-fire rundown of the news, memos, and courtroom curveballs immigration attorneys need on their radar right now from USCIS quietly closing affirmative asylum cases without an interview and a judge denying a marriage-based green card under a new discretion memo, to the $100,000 H-1B fee proposal resurfacing for F-1 students, a biometrics-rescheduling trick that can save your client weeks, and a fresh court order pausing parts of USCIS's TPS and asylum-fee enforcement. It's the practice-management update that keeps you ahead of USCIS before your clients call you first. Timestamps: 00:00 Opening 00:33 Intro 02:57 my.USCIS.gov website glitch (false approvals/denials) 04:10 OPT denials tied to arrests & good moral character 05:24 FT report: 80% of US embassies lack an ambassador 06:07 Join the free private attorney community (Circle) 07:14 SB-1 returning resident visa risks 08:46 USCIS closing affirmative asylum cases without interview 10:49 Ciudad Juárez getting strict on affidavit of support 13:27 Sponsor: Constellation (websites/marketing for law firms) 15:07 TPS-to-marriage adjustment withdrawal trap 16:34 Immigration judge denies adjustment citing discretion memo 17:07 WebEx possibly leaving immigration court 17:39 $100K H-1B fee may extend to F-1 students 18:01 Biometrics rescheduling trick (switch ASC location) 19:14 DC court pushes back on 75-country travel pause (EB-5 case) 19:52 New civil penalties for contempt in immigration court 20:11 Court stays USCIS TPS EAD & asylum fee policies (Venez v. USCIS) 22:37 NVC shuffling Iranian cases between Embassies. 23:20 Lawsuit blocks travel ban on Afghan I-730 cases 23:50 Wrap-up & how to join the community/courses 24:11 Outro | | | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42353355

#486 The Houston ICE Shooting Case & EOIR's Attorney Contempt Rule with Ruby Powers, Esq. 08/04/2026

#486 The Houston ICE Shooting Case & EOIR's Attorney Contempt Rule with Ruby Powers, Esq. Ruby Powers, Esq. joins John to break down the detained witness case she just took over following a fatal ICE shooting in Houston, including her habeas, U visa, and parole strategy, plus a wave of changes hitting immigration law right now: EOIR's proposed rule to fine attorneys for "contempt" while exempting government attorneys, reports that Webex hearings may be phased out, asylum cases being referred without an interview, OPT/F-1 clients getting NOIDs over minor arrests, work permits now taking 5 to 6 months instead of one, rising bond amounts, and the upcoming affidavit of support changes, along with law practice management lessons from Ruby's recent AILA conference booth experience. Timestamps: 00:00 Opening 00:33 Intro 02:05 Catching up with Ruby Powers 02:36 Taking over the Houston ICE shooting case 03:22 U visa certification, habeas, and parole strategy 03:31 The ICWC v. Nome decision on detained VAWA/U applicants 05:30 Sealing habeas filings for client privacy 06:18 EOIR proposes eliminating Webex hearings 06:39 EOIR's new contempt and sanctions rule for attorneys 07:43 Flying for court and a last minute hearing cancellation 09:56 Trains vs. planes and managing travel burnout 12:18 Reading the proposed contempt rule 14:31 Judges threatening attorneys with contempt 15:07 Asylum cases now referred without an interview 16:04 OPT/F-1 clients getting NOIDs over minor arrests 17:02 A 9 year asylum case finally approved 17:52 Turning hard times into a stronger practice 19:32 Conference recap: ABA Tech Show, Neostella, AILA 21:57 Ruby's AILA exhibit booth experience 26:34 Consultation energy and being an introvert on air 28:53 Why they moved to hour long consultations 32:53 Explaining fast moving rule changes to clients 33:14 Can non-attorneys help with consultations? 34:11 The document collection grind 35:57 New I-589 edition and the affidavit of support rush 38:06 Adjustment interview delays 40:34 Work permit delays and advance parole advice 44:35 ICE detaining people at airports 45:30 Rising immigration bond amounts 46:30 A positive note: sleep, pillows, and surfing 47:23 Where to find Ruby Powers and Power Strategy Group Connect with Ruby Powers: LinkedIn: Ruby L. Powers Podcast: Power Up Your Practice Book: Power Up Your Practice (available on Amazon) Get a free website (first 10 sign-ups) and special pricing on marketing for your firm from Constellation at | | | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42310785

#485 The $100K H-1B Fee & F-1 Duration of Status Rule with Anne Rowley, Esq. 07/27/2026

#484 New Attorney Discipline Risks, Missing I-751 Receipts & F-1 Overhaul w/ John Khosravi, Esq. 07/25/2026

Building an Immigration Law Brand in the Age of AI Search w/ Patrick Carver, Constellation Marketing 07/21/2026

Building an Immigration Law Brand in the Age of AI Search w/ Patrick Carver, Constellation Marketing Learn more at ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com/constellation John sits down with Patrick Carver of Constellation Marketing to talk about how immigration lawyers can build real visibility online in 2026. They cover the shift from Google-only search to AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, why consistent branding and content across your website, social media, and review platforms matters more than one-off SEO hacks, and how firms can avoid the outdated, clunky websites that turn prospective clients away. Patrick also breaks down Constellation's packages for immigration firms, including a special offer for Immigration Lawyers Toolbox listeners. Timestamps: 00:00 – Opening 00:33 – Intro 00:41 – Patrick's background and how Constellation Marketing started 02:00 – Immigration as a federal practice: local vs. national marketing 04:15 – What "visibility" means online in 2026 (SEO, AI, search fracturing) 06:34 – How AI search transition is going / Google's shrinking share 09:47 – Consistency, brand-building, and avoiding marketing plateaus 11:12 – Helping attorneys who dislike being on camera or writing 14:16 – Special ILT listener packages (pricing, "business in a box") 15:03 – Importance of updated websites/branding (McDonald's/Starbucks analogy) 16:33 – Why to start marketing early (lag time for SEO/AI to kick in) 16:49 – How to reach Patrick, Constellation's track record 18:03 – Outro Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Music | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42160365

#483 Federal Court Update [Jun. 2026] w/ Kevin A. Gregg, Esq. 07/21/2026

#482 Case Date Errors, Stokes Interview Traps & Growing Visa Bond List w/ John Khosravi, Esq. 07/17/2026

#482 Case Date Errors, Stokes Interview Traps & Growing Visa Bond List w/ John Khosravi, Esq. In this month's episode, John Khosravi, Esq. shares practical tips and recent case notes from his immigration law practice: catching I-130/I-485 date discrepancies before they trip up I-751 renewals, evidence tourist visa clients need for extensions, lessons from two Stokes interviews, ESTA cancellation glitches, ongoing DACA advance parole delays, the "arrest vs. detained" misrepresentation trap on DS-160s, a wave of AI-translation and AI-software outreach hitting immigration lawyers, a consular processing refusal over credit card debt/public charge, and the growing list of visa bond countries. Plus updates on the ILT magazine, the marriage green card course's new mentorship option, and sponsors eimmigration by Cerenade and Constellation. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 00:33 – Welcome & episode 482 kickoff 01:11 – ILT Magazine – call for contributor topics 01:35 – Sponsor message (case management software via Serenade) 02:40 – Marriage Green Card Course update 03:41 – Tip 1: I-130 vs. I-485 date mix-up on I-751 filing 05:17 – Tip 2: Tourist visa extensions – keep your travel evidence 06:37 – Tip 3: AOS interview inconsistencies (Stokes referral) 09:11 – Tip 4: ESTA cancellation glitches 09:43 – Tip 5: DACA advance parole delays 10:41 – Tip 6: RFEs over "arrested" vs. "detained" wording 12:52 – Tip 7: Translator spam & in-house AI software overload 14:23 – Immigrant visa refusal over credit card debt (public charge) 16:38 – Sponsor: Constellation (marketing/SEO) 18:17 – Growing list of visa bond countries 20:00 – Wrap-up & outro | | | Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/42125245

#481 AILA Election Talk, Burnout & The Cost-Benefit Rule w/ Nicholas Mireles, Esq. 07/15/2026

#480 AILA AC26 Recap, AI in Immigration Marketing & USCIS Burnout w/ Roman Zelichenko, J.D. 07/06/2026

#479 AILA AC26 Recap, AOS Memo, 39 Country Pause & CBP Updates w/ John Q. Khosravi, Esq. 06/29/2026

#479 AILA AC26 Recap, AOS Memo, 39 Country Pause & CBP Updates w/ John Q. Khosravi, Esq. Attorney John Q. Khosravi, Esq. is back with episode 479 of the Immigration Lawyers Toolbox Podcast, fresh off the AILA Annual Conference 2026 in San Diego. In this episode, John covers the latest developments shaking up immigration practice including the 39 Country Pause and ongoing USCIS case delays, the May 22 2026 USCIS memo on Adjustment of Status and what discretion factors are showing up in RFEs, U.S. embassy shutdowns across Africa, Treasury red flags tied to ITIN holders and undocumented clients, mass master hearings in immigration court, VAWA travel risks on Advance Parole, I-864W waiver updates, and key takeaways from the AILA CBP liaison meeting (AILA Doc No. 26060403). Whether you are navigating a tough AOS case or trying to stay ahead of policy changes, this episode gives you the practical insights you need. Timestamps: 00:00 Opening 00:33 Intro 04:18 What went down at AC26 San Diego 05:40 Cost of going to AILA conferences 08:30 39-country pause 10:14 May 22, 2026 USCIS Memo Adjustment of Status13:58 Exceptions 15:48 Shutdowns of U.S. embassies in Africa 16:43 domestic violence survivors temporarily suspended a Trump administration policy 17:35 Always use capitalized letters when filling out USCIS software 18:44 Be careful when sending data on USCIS software 19:19 Treasury warns banks of red flags tied to customers in the US illegally 20:23 mass master hearings in immigration court 20:51 Intent of marriage while asylum pending 22:25 VAWA traveling on AP advanced Parole 23:13 Form I-864 Updates 25:10 AILA CBP Talk AILA Doc number 26060403. 28:45 Why reading AILA Doc meetings are important for your practice 29:07 Outro 30:41 Closing | | | Show Notes: eimmigration Website: get.eimmigration.com Heroes Spotlight nomination page: heroes.eimmigration.com Deadline for nomination: September 25 Follow eimmigration by Cerenade: | | Start your Business Immigration Practice! (US LAWYERS ONLY - SCREENING REQUIRED): Get Started in Immigration Law! Our Website: ImmigrationLawyersToolbox.com Not legal advice. Consult with an Attorney. Attorney Advertisement. #podcaster #Lawyer #ImmigrationLawyer #Interview #Immigration #ImmigrationAttorney #USImmigration #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationLawyersToolbox /episode/index/show/immigrationlawyerspodcast/id/41861265