EB2- Do I need an attorney to file a petition?

[Question0327]

I hired an attorney a few weeks ago but there were some mistakes in the forms early on that the paralegal did. I talked to my attorney and she listened and suggested mechanisms for improving communication such as to setup a weekly zoom meeting to discuss the case and any questions that I have. I also asked her to amend the agreement and to put it into writing that she will inspect all forms for accuracy from now on. I also asked to negotiate the price but she refused and suggested that either we continue with the same price, or she will give me a full refund and stop working on my case.

The amount of money she asked for is very high ($ 9000) and I am considering if I take the case from here and prepare the material by myself without an attorney. Did anyone do that for EB2 with success?. The other option is to continue working with her. I think that she is thorough and competent but this was a glitch as she did not inspect her paralegal who made all this mess. Still, the price is high and I did not expect this kind of mistake at an early stage of the process. Any thoughts?. Can I apply with success to EB2 or is it unlikely to succeed?

[NYC1]

$9000 seems very expensive!! you'd be paying $4000-$5000! and they're pretty thorough in the documents preparation. Getting an attorney is like buying a car you prob wanna check a few of them before signing in with someone. I'd say walk away and get yourself another one. The number of documents needed for EB2 is tremendous and I would not have felt comfortable doing it myself. Writing the petition letter there are specific legal terms to be addressed for the validity of the petition and you need to be familiar with those terms. So get a lawyer Good luck!

[rkk09]

Hi Member,
Better to find another Immigration Attorney instead of doing by yourself. Preparing documentation and other legal stuff will not be that much of easy for EB2. You can find many lawyers who are very experienced and giving 100% support and success with average fees.
All the best.
Thanks

[Question0327]

I tried Immigration Firm and had a free consultation session with them which was 30 minutes only. I did notice that the main attorney who owns the office handles all the communication so there is no direct contact with an actually attorney yet. Does anyone have a recommendation for an attorney with reasonable prices?.

[Enub4]

I think attorney fees vary a lot between different cities and even in the same city. $9,000 for 1 person seems a lot even if that includes the USCIS form fees.

I have no experience with EB2 but I guess there are also documents and letters from the employer, so that will create extra work than a simple marriage-based GC (I see a lot of people doing the FB paperwork by themselves). Maybe I'm wrong and you can self-petition.

[Question0327]

Thanks Enub4!!.
I also thought that the fee is too expensive. The amount of $ 9,000 does not include the USCIS fees. The attorney fee plus USCIS, including the I-140 and 485 form was around $ 11,000. I am relieved that I was able to end this attorney-client relationship early without losing too much money, given the fact that many mistakes have been made at an early stage. Note that this was an attorney that a friend referred me to her colleague and the colleague referred me to this attorney. Referrals are not always the best way to find a good professional. I think reviews and seeing patterns in reviews in reputable websites (not just google reviews) of clients speak volumes of the work and reputation of an attorney.
I am looking for an attorney and hopefully will find someone with a reasonable fee.

[bertiebowin]

I had a similar situation when I hired a lawyer from a friend's website erasethecase.com in the case of a criminal record, his assistant also messed up a little and we had to completely recheck the case. However, I did not blame this lawyer, but only asked him to carefully check his work and the work of his assistant. I think that you should continue working with this lawyer, since your situation cannot be solved without legal assistance, because you have confirmed that this lawyer is competent and accurate and it was only the fault of his assistant, so he is not to blame for anything. I hope you will be able to solve your problem and maybe you will agree on a discount with your lawyer.