Good verses Bad Immigration Attorneys

[notmuch88tosay 21]

Hello,

I have been researching Immigration Attorneys. I already met with my fiancee in China. We are engaged to be married.

While researching Immigration Attorneys I found nightmare complaints against one attorney, Tod Schlosser. The complaints are on a Complaint Board: http://bit.ly/eQNnE2

I want to be sure to avoid hiring a crook attorney or even a bad attorney. Has anyone here had any experience with an Immigration Attorney?

If so, please list the name and website or phone number of a good Immigration Attorney if you found one and also please list the name of a bad or crook Immigration Attorney if you dealt with one of those.

Any help will be very much appreciated,

[Inky 1,111]

Most people on this forum site do it themselfs, it is a Do-it-Yourself website where the people here help you with questions etc.

There are a few that have used lawyers because of red flags in their case. Most would suggest mark ellis.

[Darnell 8,479]

Good -> Marc Ellis -> Google 'Marc Ellis Immigration' for his website and contact info.

I also like John Roth, when/if he has time for you.

Bear in mind that Visa Journey.com is a DIY Immigration Web Portal, with major emphasis on 'D' and 'Y' -

talking about lawyers here is always like tossing up targets for target practice.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Darnell

[notmuch88tosay 21]

Thanks Inky and Darnell for the info and names.

I appreciate it very much.

I don't know if I could handle dealing with a Government bureaucrat and all the bullsh*t and cr*p that I expect they would toss into my face every week or so. I would probably lose it. So I would rather delegate that to an attorney.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

[Darnell 8,479]

there is not much 'dealing' with the person that reviews yer petition, alas.

That person is so far removed from actual 'client contact', it's not funny.

Instead, if/when you must contact USCIS, yer talking to a drone firstly.

as far as interacting with bureacrats - hey - it is what it is. Learn to deal with it (and how) or pay yer monies to an attorney. Pick one or the other. and Good Luck !

[Aztec&Taino 144]

Thanks Inky and Darnell for the info and names.

I appreciate it very much.

I don't know if I could handle dealing with a Government bureaucrat and all the bullsh*t and cr*p that I expect they would toss into my face every week or so. I would probably lose it. So I would rather delegate that to an attorney.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

You needn't worry about getting anything "tossed" at you every week or so from USCIS bureaucrats. In fact, many of us who are still waiting for our petitions to be adjudicated after months of waiting would LOVE to get anything from USCIS because it would mean that our petition still exists and has been looked at.

Having said this, if you have the money and inclination to hire an attorney, go ahead. Be warned though that this site is full of people who have successfully completed the visa process without any help from an immigration attorney. It is a nice feeling to have saved hundreds of dollars

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Thanks Inky and Darnell for the info and names.

I appreciate it very much.

I don't know if I could handle dealing with a Government bureaucrat and all the bullsh*t and cr*p that I expect they would toss into my face every week or so. I would probably lose it. So I would rather delegate that to an attorney.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

It's going to be the exact opposite. You will receive infrequent contact from them, by mail (or email) only. When I filed my I-129F petition I received only two pieces of correspondence from USCIS - the initial receipt notice and the final approval notice. I got another notice when NVC received the petition. I never heard from the US government again until we sent the green card application. I exchanged a few emails with the consulate, and my wife received two "packets" from them, both of which can be downloaded from their website.

Beyond the above, any contact you have with government bureaucrats is going to be contact you initiate. They rarely contact you unless they need something from you, or the status of your case has changed. Typically, months will go by without you hearing anything from them.

If you're hoping that hiring an attorney is going to allow you to be relatively uninvolved and lower your stress level, better think again. There isn't a single bit of information that attorney is going to be able to write on any of those forms without getting that information from you first. The chances of an attorney making a mistake on one of those forms and not noticing it is comparatively large. I suggest you insist on reviewing any forms or documents the lawyer prepares before he submits them. Relatively minor mistakes can result in failure. Because you have to submit information to the attorney, and then confirm they got the information right when filling out the forms, you can expect it to take longer than it would have if you had done it yourself.

[Darnell 8,479]

ya - for a weekly face tossing, you'd in for a great failure of expectations -

as

USCIS has minimal contact with petitioners.

[notmuch88tosay 21]

Thanks for all the info. I do appreciate it very much. This is a great site.

I am not sure which way I will go. Maybe I won't hire an attorney after all. Don't know.

There are alot of things to consider.

For example, many of the Immigration Attorney's out there have 20+ years of experience of doing these Fiancee Visa's. If they know even one thing that could prevent a major problem for me, or if they know even just one person in a Government office that could help my Visa get processed... that might make it worth it.

Or if an Immigration Attorney with 20+ years of experience could prevent or solve a major problem for me that would have resulted in months of delay or in a rejection, that might make it worth it.

But then again, maybe everything would go smoothly without their help. I don't know. I will evaluate things.

What I do know is that I am holding the heart of the sweet angel that I am engaged to marry in my hand. If I screw this up, then I would break her heart and ruin both of our lives.

I cannot afford to waste time or screw this up.

notmuch88tosay

[Darnell 8,479]

ok - here's my handy dandy guide to 'when to choose a lawyer' -

I'll suggest a coupla things, maybe (maybe...) help you to decide whether you need an attorney or not.

a. read the VJ guides. map the steps out on paper and pencil. See if anything doesn't make sense to you.

b. Read the USCIS web portal about the forms. Map out the steps on paper and pencil. See if anything doesn't make sense to you.

c. Practice filling out the forms, at least 5 times. See if anything still doesn't make sense to you.

d. Have any red flags? Practice writing up attestation letters about each red flag.

Now, after doing (with major emphasis on DOING ) all of the above, if you do NOT understand the forms and the process and potential red flags for your petition,

then I'd suggest getting a good IMMIGRATION lawyer. You are concerned with time, I am concerned with your 'knowledge acquisition', as knowledge is power. You can have 'it' good, fast or cheap - pick 2.

Welcome to VJ, btw - this is a GREAT DIY Immigration Web Portal, with emphasis on 'Y', and 'D'.

[notmuch88tosay 21]

Thanks Darnell,

I appreciate the advice and info very much.

Makes alot of sense.

I will attempt to find the time, patience and focus to do what you suggest.

Thanks again,

notmuch88tosay

[RangerTim 0]

I would also caution against hiring a certain New York immigration attorney with the initials M.J.S. I did most of the work and he could not even assemble all of the required information for submittals. His services appeared to be designed to screw-up and delayed the process. Even though he promises a refund, I could not get my money back and got no satisfaction from complaining to the local bar association. (No surprise! It's attorneys policing attorneys.) The entire experience of working with this so-called "Pro" was a nightmare. Run, run, run - and do the work yourself.