Lawyer Aggravation

[NorrinRadd 0]

I'd really appreciate any advice folks can share on what value a lawyer adds at the point I am in the process.

The government received our completed application 19 December, so we're hoping to hear within the next month that we've been approved.

We've had three questions for the attorney in the six months since we began this process. The attorney won't answer my fiancee, ever. He takes a week or more to answer my emails or simply doesn't answer them. My fiancee and I are very organized and have been frustrated with having to send the same forms to the attorney multiple times. The last question we sent was not answered and I sent him an email noting that I was frustrated. I was very nice, despite my aggravation. He replied three days later that he was offended that I questioned his performance.

I can't deal with people like this, and I am used to dealing with professional attorneys in my daily life who excel at what they do.

My question is simple:

I've paid this guy and, ostensibly, he has executed the paperwork correctly.

Do I need him anymore? In other words, do I need to suck it up and pretend I like him until this is done, or can I sever ties now?

Sub-question: Once my fiancee is here and we are married, do you recommend an attorney for the green card process or should we file the paperwork ourselves?

Other Details: She is from the UK and will be bringing a child.

[EAbbas 213]

I'd really appreciate any advice folks can share on what value a lawyer adds at the point I am in the process.

The government received our completed application 19 December, so we're hoping to hear within the next month that we've been approved.

We've had three questions for the attorney in the six months since we began this process. The attorney won't answer my fiancee, ever. He takes a week or more to answer my emails or simply doesn't answer them. My fiancee and I are very organized and have been frustrated with having to send the same forms to the attorney multiple times. The last question we sent was not answered and I sent him an email noting that I was frustrated. I was very nice, despite my aggravation. He replied three days later that he was offended that I questioned his performance.

I can't deal with people like this, and I am used to dealing with professional attorneys in my daily life who excel at what they do.

My question is simple:

I've paid this guy and, ostensibly, he has executed the paperwork correctly.

Do I need him anymore? In other words, do I need to suck it up and pretend I like him until this is done, or can I sever ties now?

Sub-question: Once my fiancee is here and we are married, do you recommend an attorney for the green card process or should we file the paperwork ourselves?

Other Details: She is from the UK and will be bringing a child.

If you look on here most of us did not use attorneys unless our cases were either complicated in the beginning or became complicated during the process but for the majority of petitioners here... its a DIY... I only used an attorney when I had to get a clear statement that my QDRO 401k that sat for years was not job related and that i did not ever pay child support but only received it. That was after the interview.. the rest.. we did our selves without any RFE... so yeah you can boot the attorney and get the job done even the AOS just follow the folks who have already done it and research it and you should be fine!

[NorrinRadd 0]

Thanks so much for the fast response, and congratulations on being "almost there"!

I guess the big question is: At this point, what paperwork, if any, would an attorney be dealing with? If this is annoying question, I understand. In my mind, at this point, we're going to get approved (hopefully), then 1-2 weeks later be assigned a number, then we wait for the packet to arrive in London, then medicals, and then interview. Would the lawyer be involved in any of that?

[EAbbas 213]

Your waiting for your noa2 right? There is a little more work ahead before your interview but not so much you can't do it yourself

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

look at these guides and it may help you decide whether or not to keep your attorney

and thanks hopefully we are almost there!

Edited April 22, 2012 by EAbbas

[Sveta & Ron 23]

have you check his background before paying him? i hired a lawyer and i did background checks and had a businessman friend of mine do a search and we found not even one problem in over 10 years so i hired her as with my work i tend to be buzy and not want any mistakes ie rfe's

[NorrinRadd 0]

have you check his background before paying him? i hired a lawyer and i did background checks and had a businessman friend of mine do a search and we found not even one problem in over 10 years so i hired her as with my work i tend to be buzy and not want any mistakes ie rfe's

Yes, sir. He doesn't have any black marks on his record. Candidly, he appears "competent". He's just disorganized, has terrible customer service, and is kind of a jerk.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

we must remember our petitions not make them sleep alone or be without the one they love

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I'd really appreciate any advice folks can share on what value a lawyer adds at the point I am in the process.

If you are incapable of reading directions and don't have time to complete paperwork, a lawyer can do it for you. Or if your fiance has crimes, a drug background, or complicated issues a good lawyer would be of benefit.

My question is simple:

I've paid this guy and, ostensibly, he has executed the paperwork correctly.

Do I need him anymore? In other words, do I need to suck it up and pretend I like him until this is done, or can I sever ties now?

I doubt he knows the London process as well as many of us here do. And you hate him so get rid of him. I've started a thread in the UK forum with help for those going through London. Read the whole thing and ask questions there after you have done some studying of it. London 2012- K1s from NOA2 to interview thread

Sub-question: Once my fiancee is here and we are married, do you recommend an attorney for the green card process or should we file the paperwork ourselves?

If you're capable of filling out forms, then there's plenty of excellent help here. I personally have done it all myself and never had a problem. Some people just won't read instructions, while others have limited English, and even they are spoon-fed until they find out what they need. I don't mean that in a derogatory way. People help.

Other Details: She is from the UK and will be bringing a child.

She'll need a notarized letter for the interview from the child's father saying the child can leave the UK unless she has court orders showing full custody. There's ways around it, but for now she can work toward getting that. Or post you questions/problems concerning the father in the UK forum.

Read this now! London 2012- K1s from NOA2 to interview thread

[little_g 35]

I'd listen to Nich-Nick and read everything she posts. My fiance, now husband, is from the UK and we were very confused and wanted to hire a lawyer too until I got a quote for 3K!! That was just the fee for him! We scoffed at it, found VisaJourney and Nich-Nick got us through it all along with many other very helpful people on this site. A word to the wise for ANYONE reading this who is thinking of starting the process. It's not too hard. It is intimidating yes but once you get going and you read up on it you really realize it isn't so difficult after all and all the lawyers are doing is what you can do yourself, charge you obscene amounts of money and have NO sway or pull over the USCIS at all. Save the time and headache and press on yourselves

PS. Hi Nich-Nick! Long time no see

[Therealworld 90]

An attorney is useless. They are just there to take your money. You only need one if you have a difficult case. Otherwise save your money and file yourself.

[photomile 101]

As others have said, Listen to Nich-Nick especially as they were a UK filer!

There's a UK forum that can give you more specific questions but in general, there's little reason to keep an attorney on hand unless there are complications

[feli114 65]

I hired an attorney. He charged me $800 just to do the petition. He wanted $2300 to go all the way through AOS. I decided, thank God, to just hire him for the petition. Then I found this site, which has been Heaven sent. Well, when I got an rfe, I called him and he said I would have to pay extra for that. Needless to say, I did the rfe on my own. Only problem there was that they sent him the rfe hardcopy so I had to wait on him to send it to me. So, if you decide to dump the lawyer let USCIS know in writing right away so that no more correspondence goes to him. Good luck with the rest of your journey.

[Assiya/Jeremy 3]

I am not as far along in the process as you are but I would offer you this: If you are not confident in your ability to handle the proceedings then A lawyer may be deemed necessary (after all it cannot hurt, if you have the money to spare). That said, it certainly doesn't have to be your current lawyer. I have to admit I am surprised you are having such difficulty with this one, I assume if you work with lawyers professionally they would have recommended him. If this is the case I would speak to the lawyer you know who recommended him and get to the bottom of why his performance is lacking. If this isn't the case I would talk to the lawyers you know and have them refer you to a better one. Like anything, you get what you pay for...find a lawyer in the Wal-mart parking lot, get a parking lot lawyer.

As for responding to the lawyer, you have paid him...he is in effect your employee, I would handle the situation accordingly. Explain to him that rather than allow himself to be offended by his clients displeasure he should investigate the cause of the displeasure and address it. It sounds as though he has been rather inattentive, I would elaborate on your expectations, inform him that if he cannot live up to these expectations then you will search for a better fit.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I'd really appreciate any advice folks can share on what value a lawyer adds at the point I am in the process.

The government received our completed application 19 December, so we're hoping to hear within the next month that we've been approved.

We've had three questions for the attorney in the six months since we began this process. The attorney won't answer my fiancee, ever. He takes a week or more to answer my emails or simply doesn't answer them. My fiancee and I are very organized and have been frustrated with having to send the same forms to the attorney multiple times. The last question we sent was not answered and I sent him an email noting that I was frustrated. I was very nice, despite my aggravation. He replied three days later that he was offended that I questioned his performance.

I can't deal with people like this, and I am used to dealing with professional attorneys in my daily life who excel at what they do.

My question is simple:

I've paid this guy and, ostensibly, he has executed the paperwork correctly.

Do I need him anymore? In other words, do I need to suck it up and pretend I like him until this is done, or can I sever ties now?

Sub-question: Once my fiancee is here and we are married, do you recommend an attorney for the green card process or should we file the paperwork ourselves?

Other Details: She is from the UK and will be bringing a child.

You never needed him. No, I do not recommend an attorney for any portion of this process. There is nothing they CAN do for you. You fill out forms with your information and send them in with a check. What does an attorney do? Fills out forms with info you give him. Just do it yourself. A Walmart job application is more complicated.

even if you have "problems" the attorney cannot make the problems go away or change the law. It is what it is.

[bigdog 376]

I started with an attorney over my wifes objections, she was right and we did our AOS by ourselves. Both of you are English speaking much easier than for example Chinese etc.