One of the most frequent questions people ask when looking for a good immigration lawyer is whether an immigration lawyer free consultation is really free. The answer to that question depends on the attorney, but here at Nelson Immigration Law, we can assure you that our free consultations are always free!
Immigration Lawyer Free Consultation – Is It Really Free?
Is A Free Consultation Really Free?
As mentioned above, an immigration lawyer’s free consultation may or may not be free when all is said and done. At Nelson Immigration Law, we are a reputable immigration law firm in California and when we say “free consultation” that is exactly what we mean!
Not all attorneys are as true to their word, though, so it is always best to clarify things with them when making your appointment – that way you do not waste a journey down to their office only to find out that you have to pay money for your consultation!
An Immigration Lawyer Free Consultation Is Not the Same as Free Advice
You need to know that a free consultation with a lawyer is not the same as free advice. What is the difference?
A free consultation gives you the opportunity to ask the attorney questions based on their experience and get general answers. Free advice would be a meeting where you ask questions specific to your case, and the attorney offers you free advice on your particular situation.
No professional offers free services, and the same is true of attorneys. We are happy to meet with you and answer your general questions during a free consultation, but keep in mind this is not an opportunity to get free help but it is a chance to get to know the attorney.
Why Seek Out a Free Consultation?
So why seek out a free consultation with an attorney if you are not getting free advice from them? You can still learn plenty to help you in your immigration case during a free legal consultation .
For example, during a free consultation, you may learn the following:
- What area of immigration law the attorney has the most experience in
- How long it might take to resolve a case
- What qualifications the attorney has
- Whether you feel comfortable with the attorney and if you do not feel comfortable, you can move on to other options
- How much money you should expect to spend on legal fees – a rough ballpark figure, at least!
- Whether the attorney speaks your native language or has a translator available who does
If you feel comfortable with the attorney after a free consultation with them, you can go ahead and retain them and start moving forward with progress on your case. If you are not comfortable, be polite and continue searching for an immigration attorney you are comfortable with.
Do Attorneys Offer Paid Consultations?
Yes. Some attorneys do offer paid consultations.
Why pay for a paid consultation when you can get one for free? Because during a paid consultation, the attorney will address your case specifically rather than only providing you with general answers as they would during a free consultation.
Pros and Cons of Paid and Free Immigration Lawyer Consultations
There are pros and cons to paid and free consultations. Let us take a look at them…
- A free consultation does not require you to have funding available right away, whereas a paid consultation does.
- A paid consultation will address your case more specifically, whereas a free consultation will not.
- A free consultation gives you a chance to ask questions that you might have about the attorney without having to pay to ask them. Conversely, a paid consultation means paying to find out more about an attorney’s background and experience.
- A paid consultation may allow you to get a better feel as to whether a particular attorney is the right fit for you based on their understanding of your case specifics.
What Kind of Questions Should You Ask During a Free Lawyer Consultation?
During a free consultation with an immigration lawyer, you might consider asking some of the following questions:
- What is the main focus of your legal work?
- How long have you practiced immigration law?
- Do you have any specialized training that might help with my case?
- Do you have experience with cases like mine?
- What is the likely outcome of my case? (Best case scenario and worst case scenario)
- What can I expect to pay in legal fees if I hire you as my attorney?
- How accessible are you and your team if I have a question about my case?
- Do you currently have a heavy caseload? If so, who will be working on my case?
- Will I receive itemized bills?
What Kind of Questions Should You Ask During a Paid Lawyer Consultation?
During a paid consultation with an immigration lawyer, you might consider asking some of the following questions:
- How do you plan to handle my case?
- Are there alternate ways to handle my case?
- Can you explain what this form I received in the mail regarding my case means?
- What do I need to do next to get my case moving?
- Is there any chance of compensation regarding my case?
Interested In an Immigration Lawyer Free Consultation?
There are plenty of questions you can ask your immigration lawyer to find out just how much they can help you with your case. At Nelson Immigration Law, we are dedicated to helping each one of our clients through their immigration needs, but we also believe that you should find an attorney who you are comfortable with first. We offer a free immigration attorney consultation because we think it gives you a good chance to get to know us and our experience and see if we are a good fit for each other regarding your case.
If you are looking for a reputable immigration attorney who offers free immigration consultations, contact us or give our office a call today at 626-683-3451, we are happy to help!
