Attorney Issues

[aicha 0]

This post is going to be simple and to the point and I will not mention any lawyer names here because I do not need to be held for liable.

Most of you have read my other posts and are aware taht I have an attorney problem - let me go into this a little more in detail. The reason I am doing this is because I had someone else approach me for help and this person had been calling attorney's that specialize in immigration cases, obviously for the same reason I did - we did not want there to be any mistakes in our cases.

This attorney is based out of California - I hired there firm because they had over 17 years of experience in immigration and the first time I called and talked to someone - the person I spoke with was very nice and gave me a lot of information. But after I hired them and paid out the 1800 dollars plus filing fees - I began to see something totally different. I was assigned a paralegal and she was the one I worked for from that time forward. There were little issues arising here and there, but nothing that seemed to concern me too much at the time - I voiced to them my issues with the things they did and it would stop, at least it would stop on the surface, but behind the scenes it was continuing, I just had not realized it yet because I was very caught up in all of this process and trying to still live out life, being separated from my husband and then being separated from my kids and then issues wiht my parents - my mind was not 100 percent on watching my attorney, but then I did not think I needed to.

I am going to put a long story short here - 1) I had paperwork that was supposed to be filed and then delayed by three months because the lawyer's office did not think it was necessary to inform me they still needed one thing. 2) I was not informed of something in our I-864 financial package until 6 months later and it was something that needed fixed - they told me two weeks before our interview, by then it was too late - thank God Casablanca does not need the financial packages anymore. 3) I was not prepped for our interview at all - in our case - we were told not to worry about anything, it would only be a few simple questions and to only answer the questions, but no details and also to not worry about proof because our proof was we lived together. 4) The attorney himself never once spoke to us, only the paralegal a

[aicha 0]

This post is going to be simple and to the point and I will not mention any lawyer names here because I do not need to be held for liable.

Most of you have read my other posts and are aware taht I have an attorney problem - let me go into this a little more in detail. The reason I am doing this is because I had someone else approach me for help and this person had been calling attorney's that specialize in immigration cases, obviously for the same reason I did - we did not want there to be any mistakes in our cases.

This attorney is based out of California - I hired there firm because they had over 17 years of experience in immigration and the first time I called and talked to someone - the person I spoke with was very nice and gave me a lot of information. But after I hired them and paid out the 1800 dollars plus filing fees - I began to see something totally different. I was assigned a paralegal and she was the one I worked for from that time forward. There were little issues arising here and there, but nothing that seemed to concern me too much at the time - I voiced to them my issues with the things they did and it would stop, at least it would stop on the surface, but behind the scenes it was continuing, I just had not realized it yet because I was very caught up in all of this process and trying to still live out life, being separated from my husband and then being separated from my kids and then issues wiht my parents - my mind was not 100 percent on watching my attorney, but then I did not think I needed to.

I am going to put a long story short here - 1) I had paperwork that was supposed to be filed and then delayed by three months because the lawyer's office did not think it was necessary to inform me they still needed one thing. 2) I was not informed of something in our I-864 financial package until 6 months later and it was something that needed fixed - they told me two weeks before our interview, by then it was too late - thank God Casablanca does not need the financial packages anymore. 3) I was not prepped for our interview at all - in our case - we were told not to worry about anything, it would only be a few simple questions and to only answer the questions, but no details and also to not worry about proof because our proof was we lived together. 4) The attorney himself never once spoke to us, only the paralegal and she was not good at that as far as follow through. 5) When we were denied - the office only contacted the CO one time and then told me that it was up to me to get a Senator involved and tehn if the Senator wanted they would present case law on our behalf. 6) I was then also told that I should not speak with the attorney himself unless I had a problem - wow, I thought I did! 7) We were told to divorce and marry in another country, that we would never get a VISA through Casablanca. 8) I was told to never expect responses from their office unless 24 hours had passed. 9) I am now being told they do not know where my I-130 is and it will take the USCIS 30 days to respond to them on it.

Next the woman who contacted me for help - she called this attorney and the attorney actually asked her flat out - "Are you fat?" - "Are you older tahn your inteneded?" "How tall are you?" and he also told her that she should not marry in Casablanca, Morocco because she would never get a VISA through them, she should marry in another country and her and her fiance should figure it out.

I will continue on this post as questions and comments come in on it.

SORRY - I HIT tHE WRONG BUTTON AGAIN, SO HAD TO CONTINUE MY POST IN HERE!

[isleta521 5]

We used an "experienced" immigration attorney also. Turned out to be a waste of time and money which almost LOST us our K1 visa at interview. And yes, ours was also out of Calif. After that fiasco we did AOS ourselves without a problem contrary to what they said.

Good luck

[rebeccajo 14]

If you have a problem, contact the California State Bar. There's nothing we can do about it here.

[aicha 0]

If you have a problem, contact the California State Bar. There's nothing we can do about it here.

I do realize that - I was not asking you to do anything about it here - this is just a little helpful warning about this immigration attorney - was merely trying to give people a warning - I would call that helping others! We all go through enough and do not need added problems from attorneys who are supposed to be specialists in this area.

I am fully aware of how to contact the state bar!

[Jasman0717 9]

If you have a problem, contact the California State Bar. There's nothing we can do about it here.

Good advice

[aicha 0]

Okay just so I make myself clear here - this is meant as a warning to anyone searching for attorney's - please be very, very careful. I did this post because I am finding out that this attorney in particular is doing this to more than one person - and regretfully, this attorney has no complaints on record with the CA state bar, so if someone does a check on him they will find no complaints. Just a warning for people out there.

[rebeccajo 14]

It's hard for me to imagine how your post will help anybody when you do not name the attorney.

If you lodged a complaint with the CA State Bar, he now has a complaint against him, no?

I'm sorry you've had an unfortunate experience with a less than stellar performer of the profession, but you may have gotten what you paid for. $1800 for a K1 is cheap in California. Immi lawyers in WV charge more than that.

Edited April 27, 2007 by rebeccajo

[aicha 0]

It's hard for me to imagine how your post will help anybody when you do not name the attorney.

If you lodged a complaint with the CA State Bar, he now has a complaint against him, no?

You know anyone can feel free to PM me and ask if they want his name - if they are searching for a lawyer and do not want to end up with this one - and there will soon be a complaint in his file, but it has to go through all the steps first of course!

I am sorry that you can not imagine my post helping to warn people - it specifically states the lawyer is located in CA - if people are in that area or searching in that area - then I am sure they can send me a PM and get the name. How hard is that? Simple!

Take the warning or not - that is your choice - if it does not affect you - then do not read it.

[aicha 0]

It's hard for me to imagine how your post will help anybody when you do not name the attorney.

If you lodged a complaint with the CA State Bar, he now has a complaint against him, no?

I'm sorry you've had an unfortunate experience with a less than stellar performer of the profession, but you may have gotten what you paid for. $1800 for a K1 is cheap in California. Immi lawyers in WV charge more than that.

And I was not hiring for a K1 - not that it matters.

[wong_watkins 1]

Please give her a break...she's just trying to share her experience here so other people will reconsider when hiring an immigration lawyer...

[aicha 0]

Please give her a break...she's just trying to share her experience here so other people will reconsider when hiring an immigration lawyer...

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brnidokiegurl 1]

Yes thanks, i would think most just should take as a small reminder warning, probably alot on here are already past that point, but someone new might need it.

[aicha 0]

Yes thanks, i would think most just should take as a small reminder warning, probably alot on here are already past that point, but someone new might need it.

Thank you - I will talk to you later - take care!!!!

And one more thing - whether he was cheap or expensive - it does not matter - he was paid and should do his job. We are all here to help each other and give/share information - maybe we should remember that! Best of luck to all!!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Please give her a break...she's just trying to share her experience here so other people will reconsider when hiring an immigration lawyer...

Word!!!! Lawyers stink.