Things Clients Should Know

Consulations Are By Appointment Only!

January 24, 2024 by Matthew

Someone came to my office today without an appointment when I was not in my office.

It is foolish to go to a lawyer’s office without an appointment. You have no guarantee that the lawyer will be there or that the lawyer will be available if he is in the office. If I am doing work, I will not stop what I am doing to meet with a walk-in. I only meet with people who have appointments. If you come to my office without an appointment, I will not meet with you.

The “Contact Me” page of my website clearly states that consultations are by appointment only. I screen all of my consultations on the phone. I pick who I meet with. I am a solo practitioner with no staff. I have a heavy workload and my cases tend to be very complicated. I do not have the time to meet with everyone who wants to meet with me. With my workload, I have very limited time to meet with people. You cannot bypass my selection process by just showing up at my office without an appointment.

I consider it very inconsiderate for someone to think that they can show up at my office without an appointment. I have work to do. If I were to stop doing my work to meet with a walk-in, I would still have my work to do afterward and be stuck working late.

I also consider it disrespectful for someone to show up at my office without an appointment like it’s a Walmart. I have twenty-seven years of experience as an immigration lawyer. I am one of the few immigration attorneys who has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. I am an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School. If you want me to be your lawyer, you have to show me the courtesy of calling to make an appointment to meet with me.

I am furious about the two men who came to my office today because not only didn’t they have an appointment, but they bothered my office neighbors when they discovered I wasn’t in my office. (That’s how I know they came to the office when I wasn’t there).

PLEASE DO NOT COME TO MY OFFICE WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT!

Getting Back to Normal

July 29, 2021 by Matthew

I finally had my first day back in immigration court since the pandemic began. The immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza in New York closed during the pandemic and only recently reopened. I checked my calendar. It turns out that the last time that I had immigration court was on March 10, 2020. I have never gone so long without going to immigration court. I missed going to immigration court. I really enjoy doing deportation defense work. My client won his case and was granted cancellation of removal. It always feels good to win.

Immigration Court in NYC is finally resuming!

June 7, 2021 by Matthew

Because of the pandemic the non-detained immigration court cases at 26 Federal Plaza and 290 Broadway in New York City have been closed since March 2020. This has caused a terrible backlog of removal cases in New York City. Beginning on July 6, 2021, the Immigration Courts in New York City at 26 Federal Plaza and 290 Broadway will finally resume hearing cases.

I am looking forward to doing Immigration Court cases again. I love doing Immigration Court cases. I am a litigator at heart. It has been hard for me to go so long without going to Immigration Court. I miss it. I enjoy doing all kinds of deportation defense cases. I especially enjoy doing asylum and criminal deportation defense. I have done virtually every type of waiver case (i.e., cancellation of removal, INA § 237(a)(1)(H), INA § 212(c), INA § 212(h), and INA § 212(i)).