DIY I140 approved yesterday (11/21/06) after 7 months of anxious waiting. I was senior research associate after two years postdoc in a Univ.
Background,
3 months Senior research associate
2 years postdoc
US PhD,
17 papers (11 US or Int. good jounals)
9 very supportive recommendation letters,
one letter from group lead at Los Alamos National Lab,
One letter from deputy director of Livermore Nationa Lab,
2 letters from Sanida Nation Lab,
My supervisor, former deputy direction of Sandia Lab suggested me to contact the scientists who I was not familiar to write me recommendations. I used supervisor's very strong letter as sample. I did not wrote any sample for the scientists.
I did DIY was because I want to save the $4000 lawyer fee. Postdoc is halfly paid at most. My kids are crying for food. But now I got a well paid job in oild industry.
I still believe lawyer can do better job than I did.
I benefit from this forum a lot.