Archives for September 2013

Free Consultation vs. Free Legal Advice

September 24, 2013 by Matthew

A lot of people who call me do not understand the difference between a free consultation and free legal advice. The purpose of a consultation with an immigration lawyer is to discuss the services that the immigration attorney provides and to help determine if you would like to hire that immigration lawyer to represent you. Some lawyers charge a fee for an initial consultation for prospective clients to meet with them. I do not charge a consultation fee for individuals who are looking to hire an immigration attorney to meet with me.

Stating on my website that I provide free legal consultations does not mean that I provide free legal advice. If you have a question about immigration law or you are trying to figure out how to fill out immigration forms, you should not be calling immigration lawyers that provide free consultations. This is because you are not looking to hire an attorney. Instead, you should be calling a not-for-profit organization that provides free legal advice (i.e., CUNY Citizenship Now).

I’m listed in the NY Metro 2013 Edition of Super Lawyers

September 23, 2013 by Matthew

I’ve been listed in the NY Metro 2013 edition of Super Lawyers. I am listed on pages 50 and 104. I was selected under the immigration attorney category. I’ve been listed in the NY Metro Edition of Super Lawyers every year since 2008. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country.

For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com.

Does Senator Rubio Still Care About Immigration Reform?

September 7, 2013 by Matthew

Senator Marco Rubio of Florida is one of the Gang of Eight. He’s also a Republican and he’s taken a lot of criticism over pushing immigration reform. During the height of the immigration reform frenzy, Senator Rubio set up a really good website on immigration reform. The website has a news tab that provides links to news about immigration reform. However, the news tab hasn’t been updated since June. Since Senator Rubio has stopped updating the news page of his website about immigration reform, does he still care about immigration reform???