Consultations and File Review
Consultation and Legal Opinion Letter: $450. This includes the services noted in the Oral Consultation and a letter stating my legal opinion and the laws, regulations, and cases upon which I base my legal opinion. Our conversation can last up to 3 hours. If I cannot answer your questions during the consultation, I will provide them to you within two weeks of the consultation in writing. If I spend less than 3 hours on your case, the remaining fees will be credited towards future representation at the rate of $150 per hour, billable in one minute increments. If I need to spend more time on your case, we will have to reach a written agreement as to the payment of additional fees.
Detainee Consultation and Opinion Letter: $1500. This includes the services noted in the Oral Consultation and a letter stating my legal opinion and the laws, regulations, and cases upon which I base my legal opinion. Our conversation can last up to 6 hours. If I cannot answer your questions during the consultation, I will provide them to you within two weeks of the consultation in writing. If I agree to take your case, this fee is credited towards the total fee for your case. An opinion letter can be very useful to you in the event that you end up consulting other lawyers- to gauge what the extent of their knowledge of the law and to decide what office will be able to help you the most. This fee may be adjusted upwards if the detainee’s facility is over 3 hours travel time from my office, and if more than ten hours in total is spent on your case.
Review of Prior Attorney’s File and/or Case File: $450 Base Fee. I review every page that you give me from your prior attorney’s case file and other immigration-related documents that you give me. I create and provide you with a written timeline including all of the important facts in your case and I provide you with a letter stating my legal opinion and the laws, regulations, and cases upon which I base my legal opinion. If I agree to take your case, this fee is credited towards the total fee for your case. This price may be adjusted upwards if I have to spend more than 3 hours in reviewing your case.
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Application and File Review:$750 Base Fee. I do everything described in the “Review of Prior Attorney’s File and/or Case File”. I fill out and file a FOIA request with USCIS/DHS and, if you may have been in a deportation case, I also file a request with the EOIR (Immigration Court). A FOIA request to DHS may take anywhere from a 1 month to a year or more for a response. FOIA requests to the EOIR usually take less time, from 1 to 6 months. Before filing the FOIA request, I will counsel you on the advantages and dangers posed by filing a FOIA inquiry. Once I get a copy of the FOIA file, I review it, I create and provide you with a written timeline including all of the important facts in your case and I provide you with a letter stating my legal opinion and the laws, regulations, and cases upon which I base my legal opinion. If I agree to take file an application for you or represent you, this fee is credited towards the total fee for your case. This price may be adjusted upwards if I spend more than 5 hours in applying for your FOIA file and in reviewing your case.