my case is an immigration case, im under removal proceeding waiting for my court date which is not due yet.I hired an attorney two months a...

Question

my case is an immigration case, im under removal proceeding waiting for my court date which is not due yet.I hired an attorney two months ago to represent me, and she told me she will start preparing for my case and its good that i came now when I hired her, and i paid a deposit $ 600 and we had a deal that i will pay $300 every month after that.since i hired her, I tried to contact her by email and phone but she never got back to me at all, she also never billed me anything as the deal.so I had a feeling that this lawyer didnt touch my case yet and she just ignored it.so i decided to fire her, since there is no case in the court yet and she didnt do anything, can i get my $600 back and hire another attorney???

Answer

Hello. I certainly recommend that you immediately and urgently contact another attorney to assist you both with the removal proceeding and this issue of the attorney in question. It is important that you safe keep all relevant written documents and receipts pertaining to the 'old' attorney, so that the attorney assisting you can view the documents. You should choose an attorney knowledgeable in matters of immigration and deportation, and rules of conduct for attorneys; choose an attorney willing to help you with both matters. Yes, you have paths of action regarding the attorney conduct matter. If money is an issue for you, some, not all, attorneys will consider your finances in legal fee and some may offer a sliding fee scale sort of arrangement. In the event that you feel a sense of fear that you may be arrested and detained by Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE), then certainly it is very helpful if you have a close friend or family member readied to help you 'from the outside'. In my view the matter is one of great urgency so you should get on the telephone immediately to make phone calls to select an attorney with whom you feel very comfortable to assist you now. In my professional experience, often the person facing removal has a great deal of fear, so you should be careful in choosing an attorney with whom you feel great trust, likely this will be a somewhat older and more experienced attorney. All the best to you.