#communityovereverything: Aman Khan
At CityCentral, providing a platform to promote and support our community is one of our top priorities. Community has always been an essential aspect of our culture at CityCentral. During the past few months, we've extended that focus on our community and highlighting our members through our #CommunityOverEverything campaign. In this interview, we were able to chat with Aman Khan of Khan Law, PLLC. Aman talked with us about his law firm, his passion for immigration law, and how his business has grown.
“EVER SINCE I STARTED PRACTICING LAW, I HAVE PRIMARILY BEEN FOCUSED ON IMMIGRATION LAW”
During his legal career, Aman's primary focus has been on immigration law. Aman practiced other areas of law, including criminal law and family law, but finally settled with immigration law. Aman has extensive experience in handling family-based and corporate-based immigration matters. Aman told us, "Employment-based immigration takes about 40% of my time, the other 40% is family-based, and then the last 10% is corporate transactions." In immigration law, it is essential for Aman to be up to date on all new immigration laws and policies. In corporate-based immigration, there are a variety of endeavors that investors from overseas can pursue in the United States, so being well versed in the in's and outs of every aspect of business immigration law is vital.
“I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT THE MAJORITY OF IMMIGRANTS FACE; I COULD IMMEDIATELY RELATE TO THAT FIELD”
We were curious about what led Aman to study and specialize in immigration law. And we discovered that Aman is an immigrant himself! As a child, Aman immigrated to the U.S from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan). When he was exploring what he wanted to study in law school, he found his passion for immigration law. When people think about lawyers, they often inquire as to their cases. Aman said, "Traditionally, when people think about lawyers, the first thing they want to know is how many cases you have won—luckily, that's not quite how immigration law works. It's more transactional-based." Because immigration law isn't very litigious, there is not really a winner or a loser. Aman chose immigration law because of his personal connection to most of his clients and because he found a passion for the work itself. And according to Aman, Dallas is an excellent place for him to practice immigration law because of the diverse immigrant community.
“I CAN PERSONALIZE THE CLIENTS I TAKE ON”
When asked what sets him apart from his competitors, Aman focused on his availability. He said, "A lot of my clients, they have my cellphone number; they have not only my business cell but my personal cell phone number as well." Aman noticed very early on in his career that many attorneys avoid their clients or can somewhat be unresponsive to their clients. In an effort to set a different standard for himself, Aman has made an effort to be more responsive and proactive with his clients; that way, he can better accommodate them. Another aspect of Aman's business that sets him apart is his personalization. Aman is able to personalize his client base because he works primarily with corporations. This gives Aman and his clients an advantage; he is able to provide the necessary attention to those that require it.
“IT'S A LONG JOURNEY FOR MANY, BUT ONCE IT'S ACCOMPLISHED, THAT'S THE HAPPIEST YOU CAN EVER BE BECAUSE THAT'S THE END OF A CHALLENGING JOURNEY”
Because of the nature of U.S. immigration laws, most cases can take years to conclude. Also, some countries have a massive backlog of foreign nationals entering the U.S., and it can take decades before an individual can receive a green card (lawful permanent status) and then eventually apply for citizenship. While Aman is an immigrant himself, he didn't have to personally experience a lot of the struggles that immigrants face today. Aman has worked with many families and individuals to achieve their goal of receiving a lawful permanent status and residing in the U.S. legally. When asked what the most rewarding part of his job was, Aman said this, "When I start a foreign national's case from beginning to end, the beginning is getting to stay here in the U.S. legally, and then eventually naturalizing and become a U.S. citizen—that's the most rewarding part of my practice." Aman said that he loves getting to be a part of these families' journeys.
“I JUST FELT LIKE THIS IS MY CALLING”
This past year has brought new and unexpected challenges to many people and their businesses. For Aman, this year has brought with it a lot of uncertainty. Aman always felt that this was something he was meant to do, but never had the encouragement to take that next step. Because of his experience, Aman has a few pieces of advice to share with our members. In regard to starting new businesses or projects, Aman says, "The first month or so was very difficult, but you know with anything new, there are going to be challenges. Whatever obstacles that are in your way, you will overcome those, and it gets better." After being in law school and studying for so many years, the recent economic challenges were a new experience for Aman. But he says that with new challenges, you learn to adapt, and those new skills you acquire will be lifelong skills you'll always have. Another piece of advice Aman has for us is, "You cannot put work before your family." As a new business owner, Aman has put a lot of focus into building his company from the ground up. A friend of his gave him the advice to never put work before family, which was difficult for him at first. Aman has taken that advice himself, and he says it's been working out well. A final piece of advice from Aman is, "Don't focus too much on your competitors; instead, focus on what you're doing, focus on your clients, and providing the best service possible." This is an excellent piece of advice, especially now during such uncertain times. He also added that "Don't worry about what the next person is doing, focus on your existing clients, and you'll make it!" Aman had some great pieces of advice that we really appreciate him imparting with us!
We want to thank Aman for taking the time out of his day to talk with us. We hope you enjoyed learning more about him and his business as much as we did!
