NIW:what to consider when hiring a lawyer & does USCIS contact rec. lett. writers

[nwa]

Hello,

I'm a post doc with an MS and PhD (2008) from US, with 5 publications (3 first author papers) and 20+ conference papers. I have occasionally reviewed papers for journals in my field.
Several lawyers told me that I could apply for PR with NIW. My questions are;

1) What should I consider when hiring a lawyer? All the lawyers I found ask for $5000 fee + expenses. But if they are get paid even if the application is rejected, how should I know whether they will be seriously working on my case or not?

2) Does the USCIS contact the people who give the applicant recommendation letters? I'm havening a hard time finding independent experts, who know me only through my work and I wonder if that is the case.

Thank you very much in advance.

[immihelp]

1. That is how all the lawyers unfortunately work. There is no much you can do about it.

2. Yes, they may.

[LRAMM]

EB1-EA category_ seeking advice

Could you please make your comment/advice on the following background whether I can apply under EA category with premium processing.
Thanks.

 “Innovation of the Year” International Award for developing compact gamma-camera for diagnoses prostate cancer – this device recently got FDA clearance.
 Ph.D. degree in Semiconductor Detector Physics.
 Working as a Research Associate at a National Laboratory
 Expertise and present contribution in national nuclear security, medical imaging, alternative renewable energy.
 17 years professional experience
 9 scientific peer-reviewed papers (1st author) and 31 scientific papers/reports (co-author) published in international scientific journals and these works are cited 46 times by the other researchers.
 15 international conference presentations and invited talks.
 Reviewer of two international scientific journals.
 One pending patent
 Membership of well-recognized International scientific societies dedicated to advanced science and technology.
 Teaching Instructor of Radiology, Radiotherapy professional courses
 IAEA Fellowship, specialized trainings
 4 project proposals worth $1.5m for 2011-2012 fiscal-years submitted at NA-22, DNDO/DHS and LDRD for approval and funding.

[YuLin]

1. Try to find a lawyer who puts some stake at the result of your case approval. I know some lawyers only require half of the attorney fee and you pay the remaining fee after case approval. The lawyer I retained guaranteed my case approval. So I get refund if my case is rejected. But seems she only give guarantees to promising cases.

2. One of an independent writer of my recommendation letter from China got a phone call from the USCIS, asking him if he wrote me a reference. But the USCIS person did not ask about if he was truly an "independent referrer" of mine or if he personally wrote the letter. (My lawyer drafted the letter and he just signed.)