Some Attorneys Really Suck
I’m so bummed. I picked our immigration attorney to handle the appeal of Chapin’s citizenship denial. She seemed good, has many years experience and has been chair of several local bar committees. But we’re having major problems with her. She said she was going to file a large brief and ended up filing only five pages, promising a second supplemental brief after that. She said she was going to tell us when we got close to our $5,000 retainer… and then charged us $4,700 just for the small brief (even though I had sent her several cases to save on research charges and transcribed a two-hour interview tape to also save money). Finally, I would think it should be standard practice to send copies of filings to clients, but despite multiple (10?) requests, we have yet to receive anything. She finally promised to send copies on the 4th of December, but we have yet to receive anything. She replied today, finally, and said that she mailed the documents personally on the 5th of December and is shocked that we haven’t received them. Mind you, she filed these documents in early October. When we first met with her she told us that once we file a notice of her appearance, withdrawing would mess everything up because she would have not notify the USCIS of the change in attorneys. This is really upsetting because a) that $5,000 was a lot of money for us and b) obviously we’re worried about upsetting things by switching attorneys at this point. 
Her e-mail today suggests we come in for an appointment. Oh yes, because that way she can charge us $180/hour while she talks and talks and TALKS (she tends to go on and on). Chapin will be so pissed when he wakes up and I tell him.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:12 am
$4700 for a five page brief? Gee, now I feel better about how long it takes me to get stuff done.
Seriously though, that sucks. And unfortunately, I don’t think the communication issues are uncommon.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Ouch, I’m sorry you’re having such a bad experience. But I’m not surprised. My own experience with having to hire a lawyer a couple of years ago was similar. I found that the kind of lawyer I could afford — and whose fee was actually quite a chunk of $$ for me — still did not come anywhere near to the standards of lawyering and responsiveness I had come to expect from working for lawyers many years. Why? Quite simply, I think it’s because you get what you pay for, and you and I can’t afford to pay the fees for the kind of lawyer we’re accustomed to working with every day. $180/hour is a lot, but my bosses and yours charge $500+.
Not to butt into your business (too late?), but I wonder if it really helped you to transcribe the tape for her. That’s secretarial work and should have been overhead anyway. The cases should have saved you a lot, though.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Karma will get those who take advantage of hard-working immigrant families like this. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with yet another hurdle, and I’ll be praying for a resolution. Hugs!
January 6th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Oh, no. I am really appalled.
To be nosy: I would recommend that you express your feelings to her — that $4700 for a five page brief (!) is beyond ridiculous, and that she explain why she hasn’t done what she said she would do. Hold her feet to the fire. And don’t take the time for an appointment unless she explains why you need to go in.
And I am a little suspicious of why she told you about how hard it would be to change attorneys — that just seems odd.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:41 am
LRH, this solo attorney makes her paralegals do everything. The only “secretarial work” in her mind is answering the phone and putting postage on documents. She even has her paralegals make copies and charge for that!!!
I e-mailed her and told her Chapin would go into work early and get off in time to meet with her at 4:30 in a few weeks when her schedule is open. I said (and this is true), “His work doesn’t allow for appointments; only full days off unpaid with a doctor’s note. Since he makes less in a day than you charge for a half-hour visit, we really cannot afford to meet with you any earlier.” She was all like, “Oops, the docs got lost in the mail!” Bullshit. And if they did, there is certified mail or FedEx. You know? Certified mail? Like the type our attorney charges us not only to send but also to hand carry to the post office for stamping?!?