There is a huge differential in prices/services on the web and I am looking for a no B.S. legal office that is going to provide me with the best service.

Question

Allan, There is a huge differential in prices/services on the web and I am looking for a no B.S. legal office that is going to provide me with the best service. Price is a concern of course. My future bride and son are worth it! Please comment on the differences.

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Answer

Donald, That would be me. Allow me to explain. Processing papers is a bit of a grind, but there are many people who can do a decent job of it, provided all goes well. The concern is when things do not go as planned.

There are very few who can solve problems when they arise and this is an important point. We all hope for the best, but when things go wrong, two things help:

1. The case should have been prepared defensively as best as it can be going in. When there is a problem, the government will never look to itself as the source of the problem. It will always pick at the little things you did as the cause. This includes improper choices made right in the beginning. No two cases are the same. Immigration officers are trained to spot red flags. Our goal is to play defensively and make it difficult for immigration officers to find fault with the filings. Some officers are friendly and helpful while other officers are hard-nosed. We want to prepare for the ones that are hard-nosed. Some think they can hire me only after there is a problem so I can fix it, but this is risky behavior. You have to live with the hand you play. If you make mistakes in the beginning it limits what I can do when a problem arises. It’s better to process correctly from the start than to try and solve a mess I did not create.
2. When there is a visa denial or other problem, you need someone like me who can assess the situation and give good advice on how to proceed. It is common for others to not have a best solution due to lack of experience, or in many instances lack of a law license! I’ve sued government agencies. No one wants this. We all simply want things to proceed smoothly. However, it helps to have an attorney who can see the entire picture and frame your case properly to help increase chances of success, and then make good choices when a problem arises.

The difference in fees are not that great if you think about it. Generally, a matter of a few hundred dollars. We maintain a working relationship over quite a number of months, sometimes for years through to U.S. citizenship and then extended families. From this perspective, our rates are competitive for what we can offer. Certainly, it is worth asking for a fee quote. I’m here to help. Thanks for asking. Kind regards,

Allan Lolly