We were lucky to catch up with Sara Varnado recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you ever seen (or implemented) a really awesome way to show a client you appreciate them
With immigration law, most people come to you after having already gone through so much alone. It is scary and isolating, and people need more than legal advice after the long road that brought them to me. So, taking the extra time to let clients explore, recount, and discuss their feelings helps makes sure they feel seen, heard, and understood. I like to take a holistic approach to develop the relationship because it fosters teamwork that often leads to a better outcome for the case and everyone involved.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a first-generation Iranian-American who has practiced immigration law my entire career. The immigrant narrative was very prevalent in our household growing up, but I never considered immigration as a career path until the 2016 election when I was finishing law school. I watched the news and read about the legal changes in 2017 and felt powerless. I decided I was done feeling that way and needed somewhere where I could actually do something about what was going on in the world. That’s when I decided to work in immigration defense, and I’ve never looked back. I love my work because I get to help keep families together by helping them secure the future they’ve worked so hard for. The best part of my job is seeing the relief and happiness on my clients’ faces and getting to know that I was a part of it.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Being a military spouse, I’ve practiced law all over the country and from overseas. The frequent moves and all that entails, differences in time zones, and legal and customary differences across jurisdictions make constant adaptation key. Early in my career, I encountered a lot of people who wanted nothing to do with a military spouse, either refusing to entertain the idea that work could be done remotely or not believing military spouses would be dedicated to our projects during or after a move. I was very fortunate to find a wonderful boss and mentor early on who took a chance on me and taught me the ropes. From there, I found the key to managing constant change and obstacles was building and surrounding yourself with a supportive community. Most people mean well and want to be in a positive environment where we care for one another. It’s often just a matter of taking that first step and offering support to others first.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Some of the best advice I received was to ask myself “how do I make people feel?” When working with someone in any capacity, I try to ask myself “how do I want this person to feel after being with me,” i.e., supported, understood, heard, safe, important? It’s a simple question, but it sets the tone of the relationship, helps get everyone’s needs met, and makes work and business a place we want to be instead of something we need a vacation from.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.anewworldimmigrationlaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.new.world.immigration.law
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewworldimmigrationlaw
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anewworldimmigrationlaw
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-new-world-immigration-law-no-title?override_cta=Request+a+consultation