Should you schedule a free legal consultation?

By Jessica Suotmaa 0

Open any directory, or type in “lawyer near me” in any search engine and you’ll be bombarded with ads and offers for a “free legal consultation” with a qualified legal professional.  These advertisements often offer free-of-charge consultations for a specific time frame (“30 minutes”) or specific issue (“work place injury”).  They do not become your attorney just from the visit, but are willing to meet face-to-face to see if your case is worth pursuing.

In this article, we will discuss a few of the benefits and draw-backs of free consultations, their purpose, and whether you should schedule one today.

Why You Want a Free Legal Consultation

1. It’s free.

Everyone loves to receive something at no cost. The word “free” is irresistible to many of us, so it’s no wonder even legal professions will use it to attract new customers.  The problem is that many of those who offer free legal consultations are not lawyers. Those who are, may pressure you to retain them, put down a deposit, or obtain personal information from you.  They’re offering you their time, and they will play hard to make it worthwhile for them.

2. It gives value.

Speaking of worthwhile, free consultations can be worth your while.  Depending on your situation, you may not know if you have a “case”.  Perhaps you don’t have enough grounds to sue the other party, or you don’t meet the qualifications for an immigration application.

An attorney can tell you what you need to start petitioning for a relative, or how much time compensation you may be able to receive from an insurance company.  From this free consultation, you can then decide if you are ready to pursue your case, thus saving you time.

3. Free advice.

No doubt an attorney can provide good advice at a free consultation. However, if that consultation is limited in time, scope, or focus, will it be the best advice? Did you show the attorney all of your documents?  Did you bring everything you needed to bring? Are you familiar with the forms already?

Is the attorney familiar with your type of case? With free consultations, because the attorney is already offering his or her time for free, it is unlikely that the attorney will invest extra time on researching your issue before your appointment.  Most likely, your visit will be limited to general advice that you may be able to obtain over the phone.

4. Passionate help.

A face-to-face meeting with your potential attorney can be an excellent method for gauging whether the person is willing to help you.  Is the attorney passionate about the topic? Is this his or her preferred industry? Does the attorney’s face light up with excitement when asking you questions? Or does the attorney’s voice boom with anger for your injustice? Only by meeting with the attorney can you decide whether he or she will be an advocate for you.

However,  certain law firms operate like an assembly line. They will have an attorney who specifically “baits” clients,  charming you into signing a retainer with the firm, and then turning you over to another attorney.  They may not even have a single attorney for you, but rather a team of representatives and legal assistants who work on your case.  If you want a specific person to work with you, it’s important to make that request at the meeting and to only sign paperwork that reflects your request.

5. Many options.

Here in San Gabriel Valley, we have an abundance of attorneys who can help you, many of whom do offer free consultations.  This is great news for you, as long as you select one or two attorneys to consult with, rather than a whole list.

We have encountered potential clients who will pull out a phone book and call every single law office listed and ask the same questions.  This exercise is not only a waste of your time, but it is a waste of the attorney’s time.  There is a limit to price hunting and asking for second opinions, and you should know that the time spent on calling, scheduling, and meeting with multiple attorneys and paralegals could be better spent on a single attorney working on your case.

What is the Verdict?

Overall, a free legal consultation can be of value if used appropriately. Know the limitations of a free consultation and don’t waste too much time looking for the perfect offer.  Most cases need to be handled immediately, requiring the attorney to drop everything to work on your case.  As a result, you want an attorney who isn’t busy scheduling free consultations and providing free advice over the phone to clients shopping for free consultations.  Food for thought.

 

Choose someone professional

By Justin Lum 3

IMMIGRATION – ASYLUM APPEAL
Recently I appeared before the Ninth Circuit for oral argument on a immigration appeal where my client was originally granted asylum, but the case was reopened on a motion by the government and subsequently the trial court found he had filed a frivolous asylum application but still granted him withholding of removal. After appeals by both my client and the government, the Board of Immigration Appeals affirmed the frivolous asylum filing but overturned the withholding of removal grant, which led us to the Ninth Circuit. Right now it is uncertain how the Ninth Circuit will rule. But the main lessons from this case? Use a competent immigration attorney to prepare your immigration documents and know what is in your document before you sign it.

In the situation above, the problem was that when my client first decided to apply for asylum, he didn’t know anyone, so he was referred to a “service” that helped prepare asylum applications. My client provided a statement, but the company decided to alter it and then told him he had to abide by the altered statement or else. My client, a new immigrant, was terrified and didn’t know to whom to turn, and thus, from fear, did what he was told to do.

In the end, the principals of that “service” went to jail for a some years, and my client…faces a lifetime ban on living in the United States with his U.S. citizen wife and U.S. born child. All this because he relied on a “service” that skirted the laws and didn’t really care about the effects on those it was supposedly there to help.

And that is why for any immigration issues you need to use a competent immigration attorney. The attorney has his own license and reputation to worry about. Because of that he is going to honest and open with you and do what is necessary for your case, without putting you in a position where they can lose everything, as happened in this.

In the end the victim of persecution has become a victim of those who are supposed to be helping him, possibly preventing him from even finding any legal alternative to obtaining lawful status in the United States.

在第九巡回法庭展开一场关于移民诉讼的辩论，我的一名客户原本获得了庇护，但政府和预审法庭后来发现他填写的庇护申请过于草率时请求重新审理案件，但依然给予了暂缓递解。后来客户和政府进行了多轮申诉。移民委员会上诉证实了草率庇护，取消了暂缓递解。因此我们只能寻求第九巡回法庭。现在不确定第九巡回法庭会如何判定。但我们可以从这个案件中认识到，找一个有能力的移民律师来帮助准备你的移民文件，让你在签下这些文件前知道这些文件是干什么的。

在上面的情况中，问题出在当客户决定申请庇护时，他不认识任何人可以估这件事，因此他找了一个可以帮助他准备庇护申请的服务机构。客户提供材料，但这家服务公司决定篡改材料，然后告诉他必须承受篡改文件的后果。我的客户是一名新移民，听到这些就吓坏了，也不知道可以向谁寻求帮助，别人叫他做什么他就做什么。

最后，这家服务机构的负责人坐牢去了，同时我的客户面临着在美国终身监禁，他和他的美国妻子已经生了孩子。所有这些都是因为他找到的这家服务机构在跟法律打擦边球，而且不真的关心那些可能会产生什么后果。

这就是为什么任何移民都应该找一个有能力的移民律师。并且应该关心律师是否有自己的执照和声誉。因这样的律师才会诚实做事，全力帮助你做你关心的事，不会将你置于他们可能会失败的情况中。

最后这名受迫害的人已经成了他曾寻求帮助的人的受害者，可能阻碍他在美国寻求法律途径获得合法身份。

Happy Immigrant

By Justin Lum 0

Immigration procedures are long and complicated, and they usually take a lot of time to complete. Even after you’ve completed the form filling, the time you have to wait for approval is an exceptionally long one. In some cases, the approval may take a few months or even several years. At other times, people have their immigration application rejected because they haven’t completed the procedures properly or because their immigration application was lacked something.

Another complicated aspect about immigration is that the immigration laws are constantly reviewed an updated on a regular basis. These laws change frequently depending on the political state of the country, and the country’s stance on immigration. Without knowing about these law updates, it’s very risky to apply for immigration on your own. You might end up in a mess if you haven’t read the latest immigration laws of the country and that might result in deportation or legal action against you as well.

In such cases, it’s necessary for people to hire an immigration law attorney for themselves. These immigration law attorneys are well-versed with the immigration laws of your country and they know all about the immigration application procedure. These immigration attorneys dedicate ample of time to help you get your immigration approval and are a good source of guidance when it comes  filling out the immigration application.

Some people might also need to provide referrals for the immigration application. Individuals who have something lacking in their application might need to do so. Even in such special cases, the immigration law attorney can help you by providing you with the references you need for the application. These attorneys will also be able to refer you to some prep courses that you will need to take in order to pass the citizenship test you’ll have to sit for, once you’ve handed in your immigration application.

When you have an immigration law attorney involved with your immigration application procedure, and your application is rejected, the attorney will be able to appeal against the rejection. The lawyer can complete all the paperwork promptly and you’re even safe from the risk of being deported immediately. The lawyer will try to do everything he/she can to ensure that the decision is entirely in your favor and the court verdict is positive for you.

When filing for an appeal against a denied application, people might have to present themselves in front of immigration authorities. The immigration law attorney will be able to guide you about how you need to present yourself, while focusing on representing you to the authorities as well. The lawyer will be able to keep you updated about the progress of your appeal and will inform you about any hearings that you will have to attend.

These are just some of the general reasons why one might need to hire an immigration law attorney for themselves. Everyone has different reasons for hiring an attorney to represent them, but the bottom line is that an attorney’s assistance in immigration applications can save you from a lot of trouble and might even speed up the approval process for you.

 

移民流程不但漫长，而且复杂，通长要花很多时间才能完成。甚至在填写完文件之后，等待审核的时间也相当漫长。在某些情况下，审核可能要花上数月甚至数年。其它时候，有些人的移民申请被拒绝是因为没有正确完成移民手续，或着因为缺失一些文件。

另一个复杂的事情就是与移民相关的法律经常更新，和对更新后的法律解读。这些法律会根据国家的 政治形势和国家移民立场经常改变。如果不知道法律已经更新，自己去申请移民是一件风险的事情。如果没有了解国家最新的移民法，可能最后你会感觉一团遭，还会导致被驱逐出境或着引起不必要的法律麻烦。

在这种情况下就需要雇一位移民律师。这些移民律师对你国家的移民法非常精通，他们了解所有关于移民申请的步骤。而且他们愿意奉献大量时间来帮助您的移民申请能过获得通过，在填写移民申请的表单时也能给予好的指导。

有部分人的移民申请可能需要提供一些参考资料。他们缺少了一些申请可能会需要的东西。甚至在特别的情况下，移民律师能助你提供移民申请会用到的参考资料。一旦移民申请被接受了，律师也会给您推荐一些准备课程，帮助通过公民入籍考试。

当有移民律师参与到你的移民申请过程中来，就算申请被拒绝，律师也有会帮你上诉要求驳回拒绝。律师能书快速帮你完成文书工作，甚至让你立即避免被遣返的风险。他们也会尽最大努力做对你有利的任何事情，让法院做出对你有益的裁决。

当申诉拒绝申请时，当事人可能需要在移民局上出席，移民律师会指导你怎样在法庭上陈述自己的观点;当然，也可以代表你出席。’律师会留意申诉的最新进展，需要出席听证会时也会尽快通知你。

这里只列举了雇一位移民律师的常见理由。每个人雇律师的原因不一样，除了可以在移民申请提供专业法律援助外，也可以帮你省去很多麻烦，甚至提高申请审核速度。

If you’re looking for the services of a a reliable immigration law attorney, you should visit Verdin Law. Verdin Law will be able to provide you with all the information you need in this regard, on their website http://www.verdinlaw.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aisha_A_Rahman
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7307754

Attorney with laptop

By Justin Lum 3

Choosing an attorney is a personal decision.  No one can tell you who you should hire. Having said that, here’s a few factors that people often consider when choosing an attorney.

Fame

You can definitely think of at least one “famous” attorney. Maybe you’ve seen his billboard ad. Perhaps you saw his many ads in the newspaper, on top of a Google search, or on a website you were browsing. A famous attorney may even have given an interview on the radio or purchased television ads on your favorite TV station.

You probably feel very comfortable going to a famous attorney because it feels like you already know him. You’ve seen his face, you’ve seen his office, and you’ve heard his voice. He feels familiar.  However, it’s important to note that you’ve only seen the side of him he wants to show you.

Also, most well-known attorneys have several attorneys and paralegals on payroll, and there is no guarantee that he will personally take your case rather than assign you to someone else.  It could be that you never even see his face.

Finally, a famous attorney receives multiple client leads a day and can pick and choose which cases he takes on. He might choose to take a case because it will pay well. Or a case that is “easy”. Or maybe just because he finds it “exciting”. The bottom line is, he might not take your case.

 

Referrals

You might’ve been referred to this page by a friend, family member, or acquaintance. The attorneys at Lum Law Group have primarily relied on referrals over the years as we choose not to market ourselves. Instead, we service our clients with lower fees and better customer service since we rely on your word-of-mouth for our next business.

 

Special Offers

Many law offices will offer a “free consultation” or a reduced cost consultation in an effort to get clients “in the door”.  Although there are perfectly qualified and honest attorneys who advertise such special offers, many will end up over-promising or over-charging.  Many of our clients initially went for these special offers thinking they could save money, but ended up needing to hire us to “fix” the problems that arose.