Practice Area
Consultations
One hour, one-on-one with the attorney, spent working out what your situation actually is. Not a sales call, and not a promise. A straight read of where you stand and what has to happen next.
What you leave with
- Where your case actually stands
- Including which process you are in, which many people are unsure of.
- The options that are genuinely available
- And the ones that are not, said plainly.
- What happens next, and by when
- Any deadline that is already running, and what it applies to.
Bring your paperwork, even the confusing parts.Notices you did not understand, envelopes with dates on them, filings someone else made years ago. The document you dismissed is often the one that decides the advice.
What it is
An evaluation, with the attorney who would handle the case.
Consultations are one-on-one with the attorney and are used to evaluate your case, explain the options available to you, and map out the next steps. You are not being screened by an intake coordinator and then handed to somebody else.
A large part of the hour usually goes on establishing facts that turn out to matter: exactly when you last entered, exactly what a notice said, exactly what was filed on your behalf and when. People routinely arrive believing their case is one thing and leave knowing it is another.
You will also be told where the risks are, whether the matter is already in immigration court or still an application such as a family petition. If the honest assessment is that there is no relief currently available, you will hear that — it is more useful than encouragement, and it leaves you free to plan.
Getting the most from it
What to bring, and what to think about first.
Documents
- Any notices from USCIS or the immigration court, with envelopes if you have them
- Copies of prior filings, receipts, approvals or denials
- Identity documents for everyone who would be included
- Passports and any entry or exit stamps
- Anything you were given by an official at the border or at an office
Information
- Every date you entered or left the United States, as best you can reconstruct
- Whether anyone has ever filed anything on your behalf, including relatives
- Any contact with immigration authorities, however brief
- Any arrest or court matter, whatever the outcome
- Whether you need an interpreter, and in which language
If you do not have everything
Come anyway. Missing documents can usually be reconstructed and requested, and working out what is missing is itself part of the consultation. Waiting until the file is complete is how people miss deadlines.
Afterwards
What a consultation does not do.
Being clear about this saves everyone time, and it is the part most firms leave vague.
- It does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship for ongoing representation. Any engagement, and its scope, is agreed separately and in writing.
- It does not guarantee an outcome. No honest immigration lawyer can promise one, and anyone who does is telling you something they cannot know.
- It does not replace the work. An evaluation identifies what needs building; building it is a separate undertaking.
- It does not commit you to anything. If you decide to do nothing, or to instruct someone else, that is a legitimate outcome of an hour well spent.
Common questions
Consultations, answered plainly.
Will I speak to the attorney?
Yes. Consultations are one-on-one with the attorney, and the caseload is deliberately limited so that the person evaluating your case is the person who would handle it.
How much does it cost?
Fees are confirmed when you book, before anything is scheduled, so there are no surprises. Call or send a note through the form and you will be told what a consultation costs for your type of matter.
Can I do it remotely?
Remote consultations are available. Which format suits depends on the matter and on what documents need reviewing, and it can be arranged when you book.
Do you take every case?
No. The caseload is limited on purpose, and some matters are better handled by someone else. If that is the case you will be told during the consultation rather than after you have engaged the firm.
What if I am already in immigration court?
Then the timing matters a great deal more, because the court sets deadlines that do not move for your convenience. Say so when you call. See removal defense for what those proceedings involve.
Is what I say confidential?
Communications with a lawyer for the purpose of seeking legal advice are generally protected, which is why it is safe and sensible to be complete about your history in the consultation itself. Please do not, however, send confidential details through the website form — use it to request contact, and discuss the substance directly.
Contact
Get in touch.
Whether you’re ready to begin or simply have questions,
tationSubmitting this form does not create an attorney–client relationship. Please do not include confidential details.