How to Schedule a Consultation: 

Options:  Fill out our brief consultation form (at left) and email your request to us;

OR 

You can call us at  626.432.4550 or 1-877-486-2678 (HUMAN RTS) between 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 pm P.M. (PST) to set up a date and time for the consultation.

Please call our office for available appointment times.  Evening or lunch appointments are available upon request. 

Why Schedule an Attorney Consultation?

Meeting with a competent attorney from our office may provide you with additional alternatives and options that would otherwise be unknown to you when trying to complete the case yourself or if you process your case through a paralegal service that only fills out forms and cannot advise on legal issues;

An attorney can recommend the best ways for you to obtain legal status and utilize the system to your advantage because she has the experience to do so;

An attorney can complete and submit your applications properly so you don't waste money on having to re-file forms for filing the wrong ones, or delay receiving vital authorization to work or worse, fall out of lawful immigration status because you filed the wrong forms or not by the right time;

An attorney can help you stay current on the new laws that affect you, will act as your guide and interpreter through the ever-changing and complicated field of immigration law and the legal language. Generalized information is not a substitute for a detailed, fully informed analysis of your situation;

An attorney is authorized to speak for you in discussions with the CIS (INS) or represent you in court;

When meeting with an attorney from our office, we could alert you to potential unlawful presence or other problems you could encounter in trying to get your green card or trying to re-enter the U.S. if you should leave, information you may not understand or even know of on your own. 

How does the consultation process work?

When you request a free consultation, one of our staff will contact you to start discussing your case. A staff member will ask you some preliminary questions and will review your answers with the Attorney to make sure we can be of help to you. Once it is determined that we can help you with your case, your consultation with the Attorney will be arranged. We will try to be flexible with your schedule, often arranging appointments at lunch hours, evenings, and weekends when available. Because the Attorney is often at CIS, court or working on cases representing clients, she does not answer her own phones and her staff if your best lifeline to reach her when you first wish to arrange a consultation with her. Thank you for your understanding and we all look forward to working with you.

I don't live in California. Can you still help me?

Yes.  Immigration law is based on federal law, not state law. As a result, we can and do represent clients in immigration matters across the U.S.

Consultation Cost?  An initial consultation with the attorney is free of charge. If more time is necessary due to the complexity of your situation, Heather will spend the extra time necessary to make sure that you know your options and will not charge you for the additional time in the initial consultation. 

How we operate:  After your consultation or any time after that, if you choose to hire us and if the Attorney is available to take your case, she cannot represent you without a written engagement letter signed by both you and the Attorney. The written agreement is for your protection, so it is clear what services will be provided and what the agreement is between you and your attorney, and besides, it is mandated by our state law in most circumstances and we like to comply with the law. 

Warning about "Consultants" and Non-Attorney Immigration Assistance:  Please be careful and alerted if someone posing as an attorney or someone who says they work for an attorney wishes to enter into an attorney-client relationship with you, accepts your funds, and has put nothing in writing ! 

Beware of unlicensed operators who promise immigration benefits or assistance for less than what an attorney would charge you.  These individuals commonly refer to themselves as "immigration consultants" and advertise in local ethnic newspapers and yellow pages.  They are not accountable to anyone, have no ethical standards they must comply with, are not licensed, and worst of all, they are known for taking people's money and doing nothing. Some may even lie to the government in your name for a quick, simple solution that in the end may result in your deportation or permanent exclusion from the U.S.

Also, watch out for notaries ("notarios"),  service bureaus, travel agents, or others who promise quick, easy solutions to immigration problems. Beware of lawyers from other countries who are not licensed to practice in the U.S. and do not know U.S. laws, people who say they "know someone" who has an "inside track" or anyone who wants money to influence or bribe a CIS (INS) official.       

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Copyright © 2005. [Heather L. Poole] All Rights Reserved.

Questions or comments? Contact us at info@humanrightsattorney.com.
To schedule a consultation, contact us at consult@humanrightsattorney.com